[Federal Register: December 31, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 251)]
[Notices]               
[Page 72346]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31de98-166]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Fiscal Service

 
Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: 
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System in an Electronic Data Interchange 
Environment Survey

AGENCY: Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Financial Management Service, 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 a proposed information collection. By this notice, the Financial 
Management Service solicits comments concerning a voluntary survey to 
learn ways to help entities comply with electronic payment requirements 
using the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System in an Electronic Data 
Interchange Environment.

DATES: All comments should be received on or before March 1, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Financial Management Service, 
3361-L 75th Avenue, Landover, Maryland 20785.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Elizabeth Oldenburn, Financial Program 
Specialist, Financial Management Service, Room 522B, 401 14th Street, 
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20227, (202) 874-6835.

SUPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c) (2)(A)), the Financial Management Service 
solicits comments on the collection of information described below.
    Title: Electronic Federal Tax Payment System in an Electronic Data 
Interchange Environment Survey.
    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Abstract: The Financial Management Service (FMS) and its 
contractor, Logistics Management Institute, plan to conduct a one-time 
survey which will obtain information about the potential Electronic 
Data Interchange (EDI) trading partners for the Electronic Federal Tax 
Payment System (EFTPS). An EDI payment application would allow 
taxpayers or tax payment service providers to send multiple tax 
payments, or single tax payments for multiple taxpayers, in one payment 
transaction.
    Prior to developing an EDI payment application in EFTPS, FMS would 
like to determine if there is interest in using such an option within 
the tax payment community. If sufficient interest exists, FMS wants to 
design the EDI payment application to meet the needs and technical 
capabilities of the EFTPS trading partners. The survey will gauge 
interest in using EDI as an EFTPS payment option and will determine the 
trading partners' needs and expectations for EFTPS in an EDI 
environment.
    The Internet is also being considered as an EFTPS payment and 
enrollment option. The survey will also gauge interest in using the 
Internet as a payment vehicle for EFTPS, as well as for enrolling in 
EFTPS by filling out an on-line application form.
    The survey will provide quantitative research information from 
approximately 3,520 respondents in the tax payment community including 
businesses, payroll processors, tax preparers, state governments, and 
financial institutions. FMS and its contractor estimate that the survey 
will take an average of fifteen (15) minutes to complete. Respondent 
participation is voluntary. The results of the survey will be used to 
determine if sufficient interest exists to support development of an 
EFTPS EDI payment option. Also, the survey will help FMS to design the 
new payment options to meet the needs and technical requirements of EDI 
trading partners, as well as to develop a marketing (media) plan which 
will serve as the basis for a marketing campaign to encourage the use 
of a new EFTPS payment mechanism(s).
    Current Actions: New collection.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,520.
    Estimated Time Per Respondent: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 880 hours.
    Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and 
Budget approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. 
Comments are invited on: (a) whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (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; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of 
operation, maintenance and purchase of services to provide information.
Bettsy H. Lane,
Assistant Commissioner, Federal Finance.
[FR Doc. 98-34480 Filed 12-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-35-M