The purpose is to provide information
to be used in the designation of service categories of individual
vessels for purposes of compliance with the Cargo Preference Act
under a MOU entered into by the USDA, USAID, and MARAD.
The purpose of this
collection of information is to allow MARAD to implement the terms
of an interagency memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU
requires all concerned vessel owners to send self-designation
requests to MARAD by October 1,2009, if they decide to do so. This
is necessary so that MARAD can publish a list of all
self-designations for public comment by October 7, 2009. Comments
must be received by October 17,2009, after which MARAD would have
15 days to disagree with a vessel owner's self-designation. This
brief time frame is necessary to MARAD's mission in implementing
the CPA in the context of long-standing litigation and -interagency
disagreements about interpretation of the CPA, which the MOU acts
to resolve.
New information is required to
administer the interagency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Regarding Procedures for Determining Service Categories for the
Purpose of the Cargo Preference Act (CPA).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.