Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549.

Extension: Rule 206(4)-3, SEC File No. 270-218, OMB Control No. 3235-0242; Rule 206(4)-4, SEC File No. 270-304, OMB Control No. 3235-0345.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collections of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these existing collections of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

Rule 206(4)-3, which is entitled “Cash Payments for Client Solicitations,” provides restrictions on cash payments for client solicitations. The rule requires that an adviser pay all solicitors' fees pursuant to a written agreement. When an adviser will provide only impersonal advisory services to the prospective client, the rule imposes no disclosure requirements. When the solicitor is affiliated with the adviser and the adviser will provide individualized services, the solicitor must, at the time of the solicitation, indicate to prospective clients that he is affiliated with the adviser. When the solicitor is not affiliated with the adviser and the adviser will provide individualized services, the colitor must, at the time of the solicitation, provide the prospective client with a copy of the adviser's brochure and a disclosure document containing information specified in rule 206(4)-3. The information rule 206(4)-3 requires is necessary to inform advisory clients about the nature of the solicitor's financial interest in the recommendation so they may consider the solicitor's potential bias, and to protect investors against solicitation activities being carried out in a manner inconsistent with the adviser's fiduciary duty to clients. Rule 206(4)-3 is applicable to all registered investment advisers. The Commission believes that approximately 1,588 of these advisers have cash referral fee arrangements. The rule requires approximately 7.04 burden hours per year adviser and results in a total of approximately 11,180 total burden hours (7.04 × 1,588) for all advisers.

Rule 206(4)-4, which is entitled “Financial and Disciplinary Information that Investment Advisers Must Disclose to Clients,” requires advisers to disclose certain financial and disciplinary information to clients. The disclosure requirements in rule 206(4)-4 are designed so that clients will have information about an adviser's financial condition and disciplinary events that may be material to an evaluation of the adviser's integrity or ability to meet contractual commitments to clients. We estimate that approximately 1,118 advisers are subject to this rule. The rule requires approximately 7.5 burden hours per year per adviser and amounts to approximately 8,385 total burden hours (7.5 × 1,118) for all advisers.

The estimates of burden hours set forth above are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and are not derived from a comprehensive or even representative survey or study of the cost of SEC rules and forms.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Please direct your written comments to Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive Director, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549.