Award for Excellence in Economic DevelopmentRequest for Comments

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

Award for Excellence in Economic Development--Request for

Comments

ACTION: New collection, comment request.

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The Department of Commerce (DoC) has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following Emergency

information collection under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act

(44 U.S.C. Chapter 5).

Agency: Economic Development Administration (EDA).

Title: Award for Excellence in Economic Development

Agency Form Number: Not Applicable.

OMB Approval Number:

Type of Request: New.

Burden: 150 hours.

Average Hours Per Response: 3.

Number of Respondents: Approximately 50 respondents.

Needs and Uses: EDA provides a broad range of economic development

assistance to help distressed communities design and implement

effective economic development strategies. Part of this assistance

includes disseminating information about best practices and encouraging

collegial learning among economic development practitioners. EDA has

created the Award for Excellence in Economic Development to recognize

outstanding economic development activities of national importance. In

order to make Awards for Excellence in Economic Development, EDA must

collect two kinds of information: (a) Information identifying the

nominee and contacts within the organization being nominated and (b)

information explaining why the nominee should be given the award. The

information will be used to determine those applicants best meeting the

preannounced selection criteria. Use of a nomination form standardizes

and limits the information collected as part of the nomination process.

This makes the competition fair and eases any burden on applicants and

reviewers alike. Participation in the competition is voluntary. The

award is strictly honorary.

Affected Public: State, local or Tribal Government and not-for

profit organizations.

Frequency: Annually.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain benefits.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-7340.

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained

by calling or writing Linda Engelmeier, DoC Forms Clearance Officer,

(202) 482-3272, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 5027, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information

collection should be sent within 10 days of publication of this notice

to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office

Building, Washington, D.C. 20503.

Dated: November 23, 1999.

Madeleine Clayton,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 99-31004 Filed 11-29-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-34-P