Agency information collection activities: Submission for OMB review; comment request,

[Federal Register: August 18, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 159)]

[Notices]

[Page 44262-44263]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr18au98-88]

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the FTC has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below, involving a survey of rent-to-own customers, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.

The FTC published a Federal Register notice soliciting comments from the public concerning the information collection requirements of the survey and providing the information required by 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv). See 63 FR

[[Page 44263]]

25044 (May 6, 1998). Three organizations submitted comments that address concerns about the need for and the methodology of conducting the proposed survey. The Supporting Statement submitted to OMB discusses these comments in detail. The Supporting Statement and other documentation, including copies of the survey questionnaire, are available from the Bureau of Economics at the address provided below. This is another opportunity for the public to submit comments.

DATES: Comments on the proposed study must be submitted on or before September 17, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of the information collection, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the following addresses: Edward Clarke, Senior Economist, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 3228, Washington, DC 20503. Further information, comments, and requests for the proposed collection of information (supporting statement and questionnaire) should be directed to James M. Lacko, Deputy Assistant Director, Division of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580. Telephone: (202) 326-3387. E-mail: JLacko@FTC.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FTC proposes to survey rent-to-own customers in order to evaluate their experiences with rent-to-own transactions. The FTC will use this information to gain an understanding of the rent-to-own industry and consumer experiences with the industry, to assess potential consumer protection problems in the industry, and to inform possible future FTC policy. The FTC will collect this information on a voluntary basis and the identities of respondents will remain confidential.

The FTC proposes to contract with a survey firm to identify 300 to 500 rent-to-own consumers and to obtain briefly information about their experience with the rent-to-own industry. A screening process will identify rent-to-own survey respondents from a preexisting random digit dialing survey. Given the low (roughly 2%) incidence rate of rent-to- own customers within the general population, the FTC estimates that approximately 20,000 people will be screened in order to obtain a sample of 300 to 500 customers.

The FTC will pretest the survey questionnaire on no more than 50 respondents to ensure that all questions are easily understood. The pretest will take approximately 10 minutes for each respondent, for a total of 8 hours. The final survey will involve 300-500 respondents, again for approximately 10 minutes each, for a total of 83 hours. Because a response from an individual will take no more than 10 minutes and will be voluntary, the cost burden per respondent will be negligible.

Pre-test questionnaire: Approximately 10 minutes x 50 people = 8 hours.

Screening: One initial question within a random survey of 20,000 people (other topics are also submitted from third party entities). Approximately 30 seconds x 20,000 people = 167 hours.

Questionnaire response: Approximately 300-500 consumers x 10 minutes = 83 hours.

Total burden hours: Approximately 260.

Cost to Respondents: Negligible. Debra A. Valentine, General Counsel.

[FR Doc. 98-22155Filed8-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6750-01-M