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 17f-4, SEC File No. 270-232, OMB Control No. 3235-0225.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) for extension and approval.

Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”) permits registered management investment companies and their custodians to deposit the securities they own in a system for the central handling of securities (“securities depositories”), subject to rules adopted by the Commission. Rule 17f-4 under the Act specifies the conditions for the use of securities depositories by funds and custodians.

The Commission adopted rule 17f-4 in 1978 to reflect the custody practice and commercial law of that time. In particular, the rule was designed to be compatible with the 1978 revisions to Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) (“Prior Article 8”). Custody practices have changed substantially since 1978, and the drafters of the UCC approved major amendments to Article 8 in 1994 to reflect these changes (“Revised Article 8”). While Prior Article 8 reflected expectations that depository practice would involve registering investors' interests in securities on the issuer's own books, Revised Article 8 recognizes that under current practice, an investor usually maintains its securities through an account with a broker-dealer, bank or other financial institution (“securities intermediary”). Revised Article 8 has significantly clarified the legal rights and duties that apply in indirect holding arrangements, and every State has enacted Revised Article 8 into law.

On February 13, 2003, the Commission adopted amendments to reflect the recent changes in custody practices and commercial law. The amendments updated and simplified the rule, and substantially eased rule 17f-4's reporting, recordkeeping, and other compliance requirements. Most prominently, the amended rule eliminated the confirmation, segregation, and earmarking requirements. In place of these detailed requirements, amended rule 17f-4 required funds to modify their contracts with their custodians or securities depositories to add two provisions. First, a fund's custodian must be obligated, at a minimum, to exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a “securities intermediary” to obtain and thereafter maintain financial assets. Second, the custodian must provide, promptly upon request by the fund, such reports as are available about the internal accounting controls and financial strength of the custodian.

The Commission staff estimates that 4,866 respondents (including 4,711 active registered investment companies, 130 custodians, and 25 possible securities depositories) are subject to the requirements in rule 17f-4. The rule is elective, but most if not all funds use depository custody arrangements.

The Commission staff estimates that, on an annual basis, about 471 funds spend an average of 2 hours annually complying with the contract requirements of rule 17f-4 (e.g., signing contracts with additional custodians or securities depositories) for a total of 942 burden hours.

Rule 17f-4 requires that a custodian, upon request, provide a fund with any available reports on its internal accounting controls and financial strength. The Commission staff estimates that 130 custodians spend 12 hours annually in transmitting such reports to funds. In addition, approximately 47 funds (i.e., one percent of all funds) deal directly with a securities depository and may request periodic reports from their depository. The Commission staff estimates that, for each of the 47 funds, depositories spend 12 hours annually transmitting reports to the funds. The total annual burden estimate for compliance with rule 17f-4's reporting requirement is therefore 2,124 hours.

If a fund deals directly with a securities depository, rule 17f-4 requires that the fund implement internal control systems reasonably designed to prevent unauthorized officer's instructions (by providing at least for the form, content, and means of giving, recording, and reviewing all officer's instructions). The Commission staff estimates that 47 funds spend 10 hours annually implementing systems to prevent unauthorized officer's instructions, resulting in 470 burden hours for this requirement under rule 17f-4.

Based on the foregoing, the Commission staff estimates that the total annual hour burden of the rule's paperwork requirement is 3,536 hours.

The estimates of average burden hours are made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. These estimates are not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burdens 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 R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549.