Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-2736.

Extension:

Rule 15c3-5, SEC File No. 270-601, OMB Control No. 3235-0673.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (“PRA”), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) is soliciting comments on the existing collection of information provided for in Rule 15c3-5 (17 CFR 240.15c3-5) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (“Exchange Act”). The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) for extension and approval.

Rule 15c3-5 under the Exchange Act requires brokers or dealers with access to trading directly on an exchange or alternative trading system (“ATS”), including those providing sponsored or direct market access to customers or other persons, to implement risk management controls and supervisory procedures reasonably designed to manage the financial, regulatory, and other risks of this business activity.

The rule requires brokers or dealers to establish, document, and maintain certain risk management controls and supervisory procedures as well as regularly review such controls and procedures, and document the review, and remediate issues discovered to assure overall effectiveness of such controls and procedures. Each such broker or dealer is required to preserve a copy of its supervisory procedures and a written description of its risk management controls as part of its books and records in a manner consistent with Rule 17a-4(e)(7) under the Exchange Act. Such regular review is required to be conducted in accordance with written procedures and is required to be documented. The broker or dealer is required to preserve a copy of such written procedures, and documentation of each such review, as part of its books and records in a manner consistent with Rule 17a-4(e)(7) under the Exchange Act, and Rule 17a-4(b) under the Exchange Act, respectively.

In addition, the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent officer) is required to certify annually that the broker or dealer's risk management controls and supervisory procedures comply with the rule, and that the broker-dealer conducted such review. Such certifications are required to be preserved by the broker or dealer as part of its books and records in a manner consistent with Rule 17a-4(b) under the Exchange Act. Compliance with Rule 15c3-5 is mandatory.

Respondents consist of broker-dealers with access to trading directly on an exchange or ATS. The Commission estimates that there are currently 640 respondents. To comply with Rule 15c3-5, these respondents will spend a total of approximately 102,400 hours per year (160 hours per broker-dealer × 640 broker-dealers = 102,400 hours). At an average internal cost per burden hour of approximately $339.09, the resultant total related internal cost of compliance for these respondents is $34,722,560 per year (102,400 burden hours multiplied by approximately $339.09/hour). In addition, for hardware and software expenses, the Commission estimates that the average annual external cost would be approximately $20,500 per broker-dealer, or $13,120,000 in the aggregate ($20,500 per broker-dealer × 640 brokers and dealers = $13,120,000).

Written comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimates of the burden of the proposed 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.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Please direct your written comments to: Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov.