Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Five-Year Records Retention Requirement for Export Transactions and Boycott Actions

AGENCY:

Bureau of Industry and Security.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before February 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at JJessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Mark Crace, BIS ICB Liaison, (202) 482-8093 or at mark.crace@bis.doc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

All parties involved in export transactions and the U.S. party involved in a boycott action are required to maintain records of these activities for a period of five years. These records can include memoranda, correspondence, contracts, invitations to bid, books of account, financial records, restrictive trade practice or boycott documents and reports. The five-year record retention period corresponds with the five-year statute of limitations for criminal actions brought under the Export Administration Act of 1979 and predecessor acts, and the five-year statute for administrative compliance proceedings. Without this authority, potential violators could discard records demonstrating violations of the Export Administration Regulations prior to the expiration of the five-year statute of limitations.

II. Method of Collection

Recordkeeping requirement. No information is provided to BIS.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0694-0096.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 84,001,108.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 second to 1 minute.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 248.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

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 shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 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.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.