  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 

										

						Renewal

INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUEST

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Technology Performance and Product Information to Support Vendor
Information Summaries

ICR Number 2154.03, OMB Control Number 2050–0194

March 2008

 TOC \f 

 TOC \f D 

PART A OF THE SUPPORTING STATEMENT tc "PART A OF THE SUPPORTING
STATEMENT" 

1.	Identification of the Information Collection tc "1.	Identification of
the Information Collection" 

	1(a)	Title of the Information Collection  tc "1(a)	Title of the
Information Collection " \l 2 

Technology Performance and Product Information to Support Vendor
Information Summaries (Renewal), EPA Number 2154.03 OMB Control Number:
2050-0194

	1(b)	Short Characterization (Abstract)  tc "1(b)	Short Characterization
(Abstract) " \l 2 

	The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Homeland
Security Research Center (NHSRC) is helping to protect human health and
the environment from adverse impacts resulting from intentional acts of
terror. With an emphasis on decontamination and consequence management,
water infrastructure protection, and threat and consequence assessment,
NHSRC scientists and engineers are working to develop tools and
information that will help detect the intentional introduction of
chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants in buildings or
water systems, the containment of these contaminants, the
decontamination of buildings and/or water systems, and the disposal of
material resulting from cleanups.

	An important facet of the NHSRC mission is identifying, testing, and
evaluating technologies to support water utility operators, emergency
responders, and consequence managers. EPA lacks a well documented array
of technological tools to adequately address all of the monitoring,
detection, decontamination, and treatment tasks associated with
remediating contaminated facilities and drinking water supply systems.
EPA is aware that significant 

research, development, and commercialization efforts are underway by the
private sector, but EPA needs to manage the information concerning the
myriad of technology choices faced by its customers. 

	EPA has initiated this effort to develop brief vendor information
summaries of available technologies relevant to the detection and
decontamination of drinking water systems, building materials, building
structures, and indoor air that may become contaminated with chemical,
biological, or radiological contaminants. These summaries will be based
upon vendor-generated or provided information including any independent,
validated test data generated by governmental or other organizations and
provided to EPA through this ICR.

EPA will produce 4-10 page summaries on each of the technologies for
which vendors voluntarily agreed to submit the requested information.
These summaries will be shared with EPA and other emergency response
personnel, building and facility managers, and water utility operators.
The information provided by technology developers and vendors will also
be used by the NHSRC’s Technology Testing and Evaluation Program
(TTEP) to identify technologies that may be suitable candidates for
testing and evaluation and to track those technologies under development
that may eventually be ready for rigorous testing and evaluation.

	Developers and vendors with applicable technologies are being searched
through all available mechanisms. Once identified, the developer or
vendor is sent a letter requesting the submission of specific
information pertinent to the performance, operation, maintenance, and
cost of the technology (see attachment). 

	The submission of information is voluntary. Because the summarized
information will be publically available, technology vendors/developers
will be discouraged from submitting confidential business information,
proprietary information, or any sensitive business information.

2.	Need For and Use of the Collection tc "2.	Need For and Use of the
Collection" 

 

	2(a)	Need/Authority for the Collection  tc "2(a)	Need/Authority for the
Collection " \l 2 

	The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Act (Bioterrorism Act) of 2002 is the legislative mandate for EPA’s
work in water security. This law, coupled with executive directives and
the Agency’s own strategic plan for homeland security, guides the
Agency’s research and technical support activities to protect water
infrastructure. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive on Critical
Infrastructure Identification, Prioritization, and Protection (HSPD-7)
reinforces EPA’s role as the sector-specific lead for water
infrastructure. It also assigns the responsibility of coordinating the
overall national effort to protect critical infrastructure and key
resources of the United States to the Department of Homeland Security.
As the sector-specific federal lead for protecting the nation’s
drinking water and wastewater infrastructures, EPA plays a critical role
in the homeland security arena.

	The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development’s National Homeland
Security Research Center (NHSRC) mission includes identifying, testing,
evaluating, and reporting on technologies that help decision-makers
prepare for, detect, contain, and decontaminate chemical, biological,
and radiological attacks directed against buildings, outdoor areas, and
water treatment systems. EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response (OSWER) is EPA’s lead office on Federal cleanup actions
authorized under the National Contingency Plan.  Past attacks and
on-going threat scenario analyses of potential terrorist incidents of
national significance have illustrated vulnerability in EPA’s
emergency response preparedness. Mainly, EPA lacks a well documented
array of technological tools to adequately address many of the
monitoring, detection, and decontamination tasks associated with
remediating contaminated facilities and drinking water supply systems. 
EPA is aware that significant unstructured research and development is
being performed in the private sector, and multiple technological tools
that are either directly applicable or can be adapted for the
decontamination tasks have been developed 

and are being marketed. The information collected through this ICR
bundles the needs of the following programs:

ORD, NHSRC: Identify response technology gaps and priority areas for
testing and evaluation through the Center’s Technology Testing and
Evaluation Program (TTEP).

OW, OGWDW, Water Security Division - Water and Wastewater Security
Product Guide: Technical information on market-ready technologies for
drinking water system protection.

OSWER - Readily available technology summaries for use by first
responders to determine appropriate technologies available for use and
to make informed purchase decisions.

	2(b)	Practical Utility/Users of the Data  tc "2(b)	Practical
Utility/Users of the Data " \l 2 

	The information collected from technology vendors will serve as an
important, objective reference for EPA’s on-scene coordinators, the
nation’s water utility operators, and those responsible for
decontamination after a terrorist attack. Users of technologies are
faced with the daunting task of sorting through an often confusing mass
of information provided by a vendor. Much of it is presented in the form
of sales brochures and anecdotal information. It is difficult and time
consuming for the user to extract the important technical nuggets out of
product literature. Users are often faced with making quick decisions
about which technology or technologies should or should not be used and
do not have the luxury of time for wading through vendor-provided
information.  This information collection and review will result in
technology information summaries that will be easily accessible to
potential users. The summaries will be used to share the pertinent
pieces of performance information so that the user can quickly match a
technology to a given task.

	

	The information collected also serves another purpose in supporting the
NHSRC’s Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP).  The purpose
of TTEP is to test, evaluate, and report on the performance of
commercially available homeland security-related technologies. TTEP will
use the information collected as the basis for inviting technology
vendors to have their technology evaluated.

	EPA is producing 4-10 page summaries on each of the technologies for
which vendors agree to submit the requested information (as defined in
4(b)). These summaries will be shared with the Environmental Response
Team and the Emergency Response Technology Workgroup, advisors and
decision makers, respectively, on national technology purchase
decisions.  Summaries will also be supplied directly to U.S. EPA’s
Federal On-Scene Coordinators and technical personnel supporting the
Agency’s cleanup efforts through their online information systems. 
Additionally, information will be provided to other federal agencies
that are involved in supporting the government’s counterterrorism
efforts.  Specifically, raw information and the final reports will be
shared with the Department of State/Department of Defense managed
Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) and the Department of Homeland
Security’s SAFETY Act Program Office.

	Water utilities, whether operated privately or by a municipality, are
trying to identify technologies that they can use to protect the public
they serve. Although the utility operators are not typically faced with
decision making under crisis, they are faced with the same confusing
mass of information that technology vendors typically provide. Utility
operators will use the information collected under this activity to
identify technologies for establishing contaminant warning systems, for
treating contaminated water, and for decontaminating distribution
systems after an attack. EPA’s Water Security Division has already
established the Security Product Guide (    HYPERLINK
"(http://www.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/guide/index.html)" 
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/watersecurity/guide/index.html)  for use by
water utilities. The technology information summaries will be linked to
this site so that they are easily available to the users and so that it
will not require going to a separate web site to review the summaries.

	

3.	Nonduplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria tc "3.
Nonduplication, Consultations, and Other Collection Criteria" 

	3(a)	Nonduplication  tc "3(a)	Nonduplication " \l 2 

	EPA has performed an exhaustive review encompassing EPA, Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of
Energy (DOE), and other organizations, to identify specific programs,
projects, or reports (referred to as programs) collecting information on
technologies similar to what is to be sought through this ICR. The
purpose was to avoid duplication of efforts and, to the extent possible,
reduce the reporting burden by collecting information that is already
available, and contacting vendors solely for the unavailable portions.
In addition, EPA contacted selected individuals at these agencies to
solicit follow-up information. EPA has produced a tool to track the
information in these programs (Homeland Security Technology Roadmap),
including the types of technologies reviewed, status, and the type of
information they contain. More than 40 specific programs were identified
and will be tapped for the information they already contain. However,
significant information gaps continue to exist as many of the programs
collect only basic information (such as company and product names), or
information on products beyond the scope of EPA’s needs under this
effort (such as emergency communications equipment). 

	3(b)	Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB  tc "3(b)
Public Notice Required Prior to ICR Submission to OMB " \l 2 

	On February 12, 2008 EPA sought comments on this renewal ICR (73 FR
8040).  EPA received no comments.

	3(c)	Consultations 

 tc "3(c)	Consultations " \l 2 

	

	The consultations shown below were obtained as part of the 2005 ICR
process.  No substantive changes to the program or respondent universe
over the last three years has occurred; therefore, no further
consultations were obtained.

Thomas R. Archibald, President/CEO

HazTech Systems, Inc.

800-543-5487 or 209-966-8088

    HYPERLINK "http://www.hazcat.com"  www.hazcat.com  

MicroCat/WMD Kit

Mr. Archibald indicated that he found responding to the request
straight-forward and clear. He worked closely with EPA contractor staff
to ensure that all the topics were addressed. 

Dr. Jonathan Shein

Executive VP, Sales & Marketing

NITON LLC

800-875-1578 x 313

978-670-7460 x 313

    HYPERLINK "http://www.niton.com"  www.niton.com 

Dr. Shein was asked to review a draft of the cover letter and the
corresponding attachments that were ultimately sent to vendors. He
stated “The document appears quite comprehensive. I personally
wouldn't think it a problem to answer these questions, especially since
the website would provide me as a vendor with potential exposure to
users that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. From NITON's
perspective, it would be of value to add a brief part on report
generation and data integrity (how easy is it to document the results
achieved with the analyzers, and is it possible for users of the
equipment to modify the data, either accidentally or intentionally).”
His suggestions were added to the final package

Kevin M. Morley

Regulatory Analyst

American Water Works Association

202-628-8303

Mr. Morley works closely with the nation’s water utility operators. He
was asked to review the vendor letter and the corresponding attachments.
He felt that the information collected under this ICR and shared with
the water utilities would be very valuable and useful for protecting
water systems and supplies.

Ms. Wendy Howe

Director

Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act
Office

Department of Homeland Security

202-772-9887

Ms. Howe has been briefed about this information collection activity on
two occasions. The SAFETY Act program collects very detailed information
from technology vendors but is unable to share it outside of DHS. Ms.
Howe agreed to encourage vendors to supply their SAFETY Act submittal to
EPA to, in part, satisfy our information collection needs. She found the
letter and the attachments useful and encouraged EPA to move ahead with
the effort.

Mr. Lance Brooks

Chemical Countermeasures Portfolio

DHS, OST. PPB

202-254-5768

Mr. Brooks has been briefed about this information collection activity
on numerous occasions. He has been instrumental in sharing the names and
contacts of vendors whose technologies may 

be good candidates for testing under TTEP and for having their existing
information available through this information collection activity.

	The following paragraphs describe the specific outreach activities that
EPA staff performed during the questionnaire development period.  These
activities were intended to provide EPA with feedback on issues such as
questionnaire format, terminology, and technical quality. 

	In addition to these personal contacts, the information collection
staff also provided briefings for members of EPA’s Emergency Response
Technical Workgroup (ERTG), EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs and
Toxic Substances (OPPTS), and EPA’s Office of Water during the
development of the information collection materials. NHSRC continues to
nurture a working relationship with the On-Scene Coordinators to ensure
that the information collected and distributed is adequately addresses
their needs.

	The information collection activities were also briefed to the
Distribution System Research Consortium (DSRC). The consortium meets
twice a year to address research and technical support issues around
distribution systems. Members include representatives from the
Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the
U. S. Geological Survey, among others.

	3(d)	Effects of Less Frequent Collection  tc "3(d)	Effects of Less
Frequent Collection " \l 2 

	This information collection activity is not conducted according to a
periodic or episodic schedule. A master list of technology vendors is
being compiled and vendors will be contacted in 

batches of 10 to 15 vendors at a time. Vendors will be invited to review
their submittal on an annual basis to determine if the existing
information needs to be revised and updated. It is 

expected that most of the possible vendors will have been contacted and
have their reports prepared by the third quarter of FY09. 

	3(e)	General Guidelines  tc "	3(e)	General Guidelines " \l 2 

	This information collection activity complies with the eight
stipulations identified in the guidance.

	3(f)	Confidentiality  tc "	3(f)	Confidentiality " \l 2 

	The cover letter specifically states that proprietary or confidential
business information will not be accepted because all the information
the Agency collects under this information collection activity will be
made available to the public. 

	3(g)	Sensitive Questions  tc "3(g)	Sensitive Questions " \l 2 

	No sensitive questions pertaining to private or personal information,
such as sexual behavior or religious beliefs, are being asked in the
information request letter. 

4.	The Respondents and the Information Requested tc "4.	The Respondents
and the Information Requested" 

	4(a) 	Respondents/NAICS  tc "4(a) 	Respondents/SIC " \l 2 

	Most of the vendors are categorized as analytical laboratory instrument
manufacturing (NAICS code 334516) 1.  This includes environmental
technology vendors, laboratory analytical 

1    HYPERLINK "http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naicstab.htm" 
http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/naicstab.htm 

instrument manufacturers (e.g., analytical chemistry and sample
collection), sensor manufacturers, signal processing vendors, and test
kit manufacturers. 

	4(b)	Information Requested  tc "	4(b)	Information Requested " \l 2 

		

(i)	Data items, including record keeping requirements

	This information collection activity does not require the respondent to
keep any records. 

The data items being collected are identified in the attachment.

(ii)	Respondent Activities

The letter will be sent to a contact within the company that was
identified through a preliminary search (web, literature, and word of
mouth) by EPA. The respondent will need to:

Review the instructions provided in the cover letter

Identify a point of contact

Collect and assemble the information necessary to address the criteria
identified in the attachment to the cover letter

Organize the information into a coherent package

Transmit the information to EPA by mail or by email (O&M cost for
postage, computer, and photocopying)

Answer follow up questions for clarification (O&M cost for use of
telephone)

Review and comment on draft summary (O&M cost for postage, computer, and
photocopying)

Answer follow up questions for clarification (O&M cost for use of
telephone)

	

Once the information is received and reviewed by EPA, the respondent’s
point of contact may need to be contacted for clarification or for
additional information or both.

	After EPA condenses the information into a 4 to 10 page summary, a
draft copy will be provided to the respondent for review to ensure that
there are no significant errors or omissions.

	

	The attachment to the cover letter includes many data items that the
respondent should already possess. It is anticipated that the respondent
will have all this information available and accessible for compilation
and submittal to EPA. The data items identified should have been
generated through the respondent’s customary and usual business
practices; however, compiling the data to satisfy the Agency’s request
is unique and will require the respondent to devote staff time to the
effort.

 5.	The Information Collected - Agency Activities, Collection,
Methodology and Information Management tc " 5.	The Information Collected
- Agency Activities, Collection, Methodology and Information Management"


	5(a)	Agency Activities  tc "5(a)	Agency Activities " \l 2 

	The Agency activities associated with the preparation of technology
information summaries will consist of the following:

Prepare letter and send to respondent;

Perform an initial review of  the submittal for completeness;

If the package is incomplete, contact the respondent for clarification;

Perform a detailed review of the information and compile a 4 to 10 page
summary;

Review the summary;

Provide a draft of the summary to the respondent for comment;

Reconcile respondent comments; and

Produce final summary.

	5(b)	Collection Methodology and Information Management  tc "5(b)
Collection Methodology and Information Management " \l 2 

	In collecting and analyzing the information associated with this ICR,
EPA will use personal computers and applicable database and word
processing software to manage the information. EPA will ensure the
accuracy and completeness of collected information by reviewing each
submittal. EPA will also provide a draft copy of the summary to the
respondent for review and comment.  A complete vendor information
submission package will be kept on file by the Office of Research and
Development. The information will not be entered into a database and
stored electronically. Technology information summaries will be
available online through the Water Security Division’s Security
Product Guide and separately through the Response Technology Ready
Reference web site.

	5(c)	Small Entity Flexibility  tc "5(c)	Small Entity Flexibility " \l 2


	This information collection activity is voluntary, not compulsory. EPA
has attempted to streamline the information collection to minimize the
amount of time the respondent will need to devote to compiling the items
identified in the attachment to the cover letter. The Agency’s intent
is to minimize the information collection burden to all businesses
regardless of size. If a respondent believes that it is too time
consuming, they are under no obligation to provide any 

information. The respondent will still be identified on the above
mentioned web sites, but the user of the web site will be referred to
the vendor for specific information.

	5(d) 	Collection Schedule  tc "5(d) 	Collection Schedule " \l 2 

	

	This information collection activity is not conducted according to a
periodic or episodic schedule. A master list of technology vendors is
being compiled and vendors will be contacted in batches of 10 to 15
vendors at a time. The respondent will be mailed a letter requesting
that specific information be sent to EPA within 30 days of receipt.
Vendors will be invited to review 

their submittal on an annual basis to determine if the existing
information needs to be revised and updated. It is expected that most of
the vendors will have been contacted and have their reports prepared by
the third quarter of FY09. 

 6.	Estimating the Burden and Cost of the Collection

	This information collection will necessitate the involvement of four
general labor categories for each respondent:

Legal staff

Management

Technical staff

Clerical staff

	There are no third-party reporting requirements associated with this
information collection activity.

	

6(a)	Estimating Respondent Burden

For the purpose of estimating respondent burden, these are the tasks
anticipated for each labor category:

	

	Legal staff  – 	perform initial review of the letter; a review of the
respondents information submittal package; review the draft summary and
technical staff comments

	Management –	perform initial review of the letter; a review of the
respondents information submittal package; review the draft summary and
technical staff comments

	Technical staff –	perform initial review of the letter; collect and
organize information into a coherent package; spend time on the phone
clarifying response 

			(after response submittal and after review of summary); if necessary,
provide additional supporting documentation (after response submittal
and after review of summary) and review draft summary

	Clerical staff –	provides clerical support such as typing comments
for technical staff, sending emails, and packaging and shipping
information.

	The estimated hours associated with these tasks is included in Table
6-1. No comments were received from the public during the comment
period. Therefore, the hours were estimated after discussions with the
individuals previously mentioned (Section 3(c)) as well as discussions
with the EPA and contractor technical staff working on this information
collection. 	

6(a)	Estimating Respondent Costs

(i)	Estimating Labor Costs

	The labor rates and categories available in the Labor Department’s
Employer costs for Employee Compensation are not directly applicable to
this information collection. The labor cost estimates used for this
information collection are based on previous discussions with the
individuals previously mentioned and the EPA and contractor technical
staff working on this 

information collection. The hourly rates used in Table 6-1 are
comparable to approximately half those of the average GSA Schedule
Professional Engineering Services contractor labor categories.

(ii)	Estimating Capital and Operations and Maintenance Costs

	Respondents will not incur capital costs in responding to this
information collection. The O&M costs to respondents are very small and
include photocopying, postage, telephone system usage (principally long
distance telephone call charges and a portion of the costs of
maintaining 

a phone system), and the use of existing computers for typing letters,
and collecting and managing the information provided to the Agency in
response to this information collection. The O&M costs are identified in
Table 6-1. They were derived in the same manner as the labor categories
and costs.

(iii)	Capital/Start-up vs. Operating and Maintenance (O&M) Costs

	See Section 6(a)(ii).

(iv)	Annualizing Capital Costs

	Not applicable to this information collection action.



Table 6-1

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden and Cost

Information Collection Activity Tasks	Hours and Costs per Respondent
Total Hours and Costs

	Legal

$125/hr	Mgr

$105/hr	Tech.

$70/hr	Clerical

$35/hr	Respond

hr/yr	Labor

$/year	Capital/Startup

Cost	O&M Cost	Number of Respond.	Total

hrs/yr	Total Labor $/yr	Total O&M $/yr

Review the instructions provided in cover letter	0.5	0.5	0.5

1.5	$150.00	$0.00	$0.00	70	105	$10,500	0

Collect information

	3

3	$210.00	$0.00	$0.00

210	$14,700	0

Assemble and organize information

	2	1	3	$175.00	$0.00	$0.00

210	$12,250	0

Review package for completeness	0.5	0.5	0.5

1.5	$150.00	$0.00	$0.00

105	$10,500	0

Transmit information to Agency



0.5	0.5	$17.50	$0.00	$2.00b

35	$1,225	140

Answer follow up questions for clarification

	1

1	$70.00	$0.00	$1.00c

70	$4,900	70

Review and comment on draft summary	1	1	1

3	$300.00	$0.00	$1.00a

210	$21,000	70

Transmit comments to Agency



0.5	0.5	$17.50	$0.00	$1.00a

35	$1,225	70

Answer follow up questions for clarification

	1

1	$70.00	$0.00	$1.00b

70	$4,900	70

Subtotal	2	2	9	2	15	$1160.00	$0.00	$6.00	Annualized Totals	1050	$81,200
$420



b Postage, computer, photocopying 		c Telephone system use

	6(c)	Estimating Agency Burden and Cost

	This information collection will necessitate the involvement of the
following general labor categories:

	EPA

Management

Technical staff

	Contractor

Management

Technical staff

Clerical

	Table 6-2 contains a detailed estimate of the Agency and contractor
labor hours and costs associated with this information collection
activity. The estimates are based on the information requests that were
sent to technology vendors (respondents) during the 180-day emergency
ICR period. There are no start-up or capital costs. Operations and
maintenance costs for the contractor staff are included in the
fully-loaded hourly costs identified in the table. 



Table 6-2

Estimated Annual Agency Burden and Cost

Information Collection Activity Tasks

	Agency Hours and Costs	Contractor Hours and Costs	Total Hours and Costs

	Mgr

$70/hr	Tech.

$60/hr	Agency

hr/yr	Agency

$/yr	Mgr

$175/hr	Tech.

$120/hr	Clerical

$45/hr	Contractor

hr/yr	Contractor

$/yr	Number of Respond.	Total

hrs/yr	Total 

$/yr

Prepare letter and send to respondent	0.25	0.50	0.75	$47.50	0.25	0.50
0.25	1.00	$115.00	70	122.5	$11,375.00

Perform initial review of submittal for completeness

	0.00	$0.00

3.00

3.00	$360.00

210	$25,200.00

Contact respondent for clarification

	0.00	$0.00

1.00

1.00	$120.00

70	$8,400.00

Review and evaluate information

	0.00	$0.00

5.00

5.00	$600.00

350	$42,000.00

Prepare draft 4 to 10 page summary

	0.00	$0.00

15.00	3.00	18.00	$1,935.00

1260	$135,450.00

Internal review of draft summary

2.00	2.00	$120.00	2.00

	2.00	$350.00

280	$32,900.00

Send draft to respondent for review and comment

	0.00	$0.00

	0.25	0.25	$11.25

17.5	$787.50

Review respondent comments

1.00	1.00	$60.00	1.00	1.00

2.00	$295.00

210	$24,850.00

Contact respondent for clarification

	0.00	$0.00

1.00

1.00	$120.00

70	$8,400.00

Reconcile comments and produce final summary

1.00	1.00	$60.00

3.00	1.00	4.00	$405.00

350	$32,550.00

Review and release final summary	1.00	2.00	3.00	$190.00	1.00	2.00

3.00	$415.00

420	$42,350.00

Bi-weekly teleconferences to discuss status

0.10	0.10	$6.00	0.10	1.00

1.10	$137.50

84	$10,045.00

Subtotal	1.25	6.60	7.85	$483.50	4.35	32.50	4.50	41.35	$4,863.75
Annualized Totals	3444	$340,462.50



	

	6(d)	Estimating the Respondent Universe and Total Burden and Costs

	Tables 6-1 and 6-2 include these totals.

	6(e)	Bottom Line Burden hours and Cost Tables

	Tables 6-1 and 6-2 include these totals.

	6(f)	Reasons for Change in Burden

	No substantive changes to the program over the last three years have
occurred; therefore, there is no change in burden.	

	6(g)	Burden Statement

	The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average 15 hours per response.
 Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by
persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide
information to or for a Federal agency.  This includes the time needed
to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply
with any previously applicable instructions and 

requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.  An
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.  The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations
are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15.    

	

	To comment on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of
the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing
respondent burden, including the use of automated collection techniques,
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-ORD-2008-0067, which is available for public viewing at the
Office of Research and Development (ORD) Docket in the EPA Docket Center
(EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington,
DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  The
telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the
telephone number for the Office of Research and Development Docket is
(202) 566-1752.  An electronic version of the public docket is available
through http://www.regulations.gov.  Use   HYPERLINK
"http://www.regulations.gov"  www.regulations.gov  to submit or view
public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the public
docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are
available electronically.  Once in the system, select “search,” then
key in the docket ID number identified above.  Also, you can send
comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503,
Attention: Desk Office for EPA.  Please include the EPA Docket ID No.
(EPA-HQ-ORD-2008-0067) and OMB control number (2050-0194) in any
correspondence. ATTACHMENT 1

Information Request Cover Letter with Attachment

	

Dear       :

	The purpose of this letter is to invite your company to participate in
a technology information collection activity being coordinated by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Homeland
Security Research Center (NHSRC). This information collection activity
is part of a project called the Response Technology Ready Reference
(RTRR). The purpose of RTRR is to gather existing technology performance
information, summarize it, and have it available to technology users. 

	The Agency is actively participating in the ongoing national efforts to
ensure the safety and security of select portions of the nation’s
critical infrastructure – specifically focusing on water treatment
infrastructure and the decontamination of buildings, structures, and
outdoor areas.  A critical facet of the Center’s overall homeland
security mission is identifying, testing, and evaluating technologies.

	The RTRR contains brief summaries of technologies that are offered for
use to emergency responders, consequence managers, and water utility
operators in responding to a chemical, biological, or radiological
attack or for use in response to an unintentional release of
contaminants. This information also serves as a ready reference of
technologies that may be appropriate for testing and evaluation under
the Agency’s Technology Testing and Evaluation Program (TTEP).  The
brief summaries capture key information about commercially available
technologies that are relevant to the detection and decontamination of
water treatment infrastructure, building materials, building structures,
outdoor areas, and indoor air that may become contaminated with
chemical, biological, and radiological warfare agents.  These summaries
are based upon vendor-provided data and information including, when
available, validated test data generated by governmental or other
organizations.

	This invitation requests your company to supply detailed technical
information to help us more fully understand the capabilities of the
TECHNOLOGY NAME and to summarize the information for the technology
users mentioned previously.  Attachment 1 identifies the types of
information and data we would like to include in each summary.  We would
appreciate your providing this information to us and identifying a
technical point of contact that EPA can communicate with concerning
questions or clarifications about the submittal. This is a voluntary
program and the government will not be responsible for costs your
company may incur in responding to this request.

	For this submission, please do not submit any proprietary information,
confidential business information, or other information that you do not
wish to be made public.  The technology information summary report to be
prepared under this effort, along with selected supporting
documentation, will be available on a web site for dissemination to the
public through such means as a web site or direct mailings.

We plan to complete an information summary for your technology within
four weeks of receipt of your complete response to the items identified
in Attachment 1. Please provide information on your technology by DATE.
A member of the review team will be assigned to your technology to work
with you in compiling your information, and will contact you in the
interim should information gaps be identified.  We will provide you with
the opportunity to review the summary report before it is finalized. 

	Please email the name, address, telephone and fax number, and email
address of your technical point of contact and any questions you might
have.  Please e-mail materials to Batelle (point of contact to be
determined) or send them to the following address:

Battelle

505 King Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43201-2693

	If you have questions about this request, please contact Shannon Serre,
EPA, NHSRC at 919-541-3817 or serre.shannon@epa.gov.

					Sincerely,

					    /s/

					Jonathan Herrmann

					Director

					National Homeland Security Research Center

  SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement: The
public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 15 hours per response.  Send
comments on the Agency's need for this information, the accuracy of the
provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods for minimizing
respondent burden, including through the use of automated collection
techniques to the Director, Collection Strategies Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (2822T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW,
Washington, D.C. 20460.  Include the OMB control number 2050-0194 in any
correspondence.  Do not send the information requested above to this
address.

ATTACHMENT 2

Detection Technologies for Biological and Chemical Threats

Criteria for Technology Assessment

Background Information:  The following criteria are intended for use in
assessment of products/technologies used for detection of biological
agents and toxins in indoor air.  These criteria also will have
applicability to products/technologies used for detection of chemical
warfare agents and industrial chemicals.

Category 1 - Product and Vendor Information 

1.	Product Name and Classification

2.	Company Information 

3.	Company Representative

4.	Individual Submitting Application

5.	Commercial Availability – Discusses whether the product is
currently commercially available.  

Category 2 - Product Description 

1.	Product Description – Detailed description of the product;
including operation, functions, intended use, size, dimensions, and
weight.

2.	Method of Detection – Description of the principles of operation.

3.	Intended User(s) – Types of individuals who will use the product
(for example, first responders, HazMat, military personnel, plant
engineers, skilled laborers, etc.).

4.	Utility Requirements – Description of the electric, water,
telephone, internet, and other utility requirements for the product.

5.	Durability – Ability to withstand wear and tear, based on
engineering design and materials of construction (also considering
conditions or factors that could reduce the operating lifetime.)

6.	Application(s) – Specify the area in which the product is designed
to operate (for example, ducts, rooms, plenum, air returns, piping, or
in process).

7.	Accessories – Description of accessories required for proper use of
the “base model” as well as optional accessories.  

8.	Decontamination – Description of the method for decontaminating the
product following use.

9.	Portability – Ability to transport the product.  Takes into account
whether the product requires installation to operate and special
licensing or other requirements for transport or shipping.  Includes
information about whether unit can be carried by hand or needs a vehicle
for operation.

Category 3 - Performance Characteristics 

1.	Detected Compounds and/or Agents – List of chemical and/or
biological agents the unit is capable of detecting.

2.	Units of Measurement – Identify if the unit produces a qualitative
or quantitative result (or either, depending on configuration).  For
quantitative results, identify the unit of measurement as ppb, mg/m3,
CFU, Fg/L, or other unit.  For qualitative results, describe the
indicator (e.g., color change, plus/minus sign, noise) and the threshold
value.  Identify if there is an audible or visible alarm.

3.	Throughput or Measurement Rate – Identify the amount of time
required to set up, conduct analysis, and produce results (also noting
factors that affect the throughput or measurement rate).

4.	Standard Operating Procedure, Method, or User’s Manual – Is a
procedure for the operation of the unit documented and available?

Method Start-up – What steps, if any, are required to validate the
method for a specific application?  What steps should be used to verify
the proficiency of an operator?

Quality Control Procedures – Identify recommended QC checks and
frequency for normal operation

Instrument Calibration – Describe the process that is required to
calibrate the instrument in the field (if necessary).

5.	Performance Parameters – For the performance parameters below,
provide performance data using the method along with a brief description
of how the performance data were generated.

Accuracy

Precision

Bias

False positive/false negative rate

Upper and Lower Detection Limits

Linear Dynamic Range

Method/Instrument Sensitivity

Method Optimization and Ruggedness Testing

6.	Detector Saturation – Concentrations of agents or compounds that
may produce saturation or instrument flooding, and lead to false
negative readings.

7.	Operational Considerations – Information regarding operational
considerations that may affect product performance, including ranges of
temperature, humidity, dust, wind movement, and/or rain.  Also includes
information about operation in explosive atmospheres, near high voltage
wires, or other conditions.

8.	Potential Interferences – Potential cross sensitivities, spectral
interferences, or other potential interference that could affect product
performance; also noting ways to modify the method to remove or
compensate for common interferences.

Category 4 – Cost Information 

1.	Product Cost – The cost of the basic model and all required
accessories.

2.	Accessories Cost – Cost of required accessories and optional
accessories.

3.	Consumable Material Cost – Cost of consumable materials (for
example, solutions, sampling media) required for proper operation. 
Identify those consumables that are proprietary and include information
about their availability.

4.	Special Testing Cost – Cost of scheduled special testing (for
example, wipe testing).

5.	Calibration Cost – Cost of regularly scheduled manufacturer
calibration. 

6.	Training Cost – Cost of vendor-required or recommended training for
users/operators of the product.

7.	Warranty Information –Information about the warranty for the
product and accessories.

8.	Technical Service –Types of customer and technical service provided
to customers in the event that the instrument requires a repair.

Category 5 - Other Information 

1.	Personnel Requirements – Number and experience level of personnel
required to operate the unit.

2.	Training Requirements – Requirements or recommendations for
training personnel to be able to operate the product.

3.	Data Management  - Method of storing and managing data.  Includes
whether the product is programmable, manual, or automatic; how many sets
of data can be stored; whether or not there are any software
requirements; and ability to log data remotely.

4.	Storage and Handling – Description of how the unit should be
stored.

5.	Waste Generation – Description of waste streams generated from the
method their disposition.

6.	Routine Maintenance Requirements – Routine requirements for
maintenance.

7.	Independent Validation/Verification – Indication of availability of
independent evaluations or reviews (for example, industry review,
peer-review, scientific journals, military reviews, or independent
laboratory evaluations).  Includes information about testing with live
agent (if applicable).

8.	Recommended Corroborative or Supporting Data – The vendor should
suggest other analytical techniques that can be used to confirm or
corroborate the results of the method, and any supporting data (e.g.,
meteorological) that are required for interpretation of the results.  

Category 6 - Health and Safety Information 

1.	Personnel Hazard – Potential health hazard (acute or chronic), if
any, to personnel operating the device (e.g. electrical hazards,
explosion, radiation, exposure or chemicals). May also include
information about the proper personal protection equipment required
during use to ensure worker health and safety.

2.	Environmental Hazard – Degree of environmental hazard or impact
associated with direct contact to the product or its by-products.  

3.	Public Health Hazard – Potential health hazard (acute or chronic)
to the public (building visitors, occupants, and/or community) resulting
from the operation of the device. 

	

	

Information Collection Request	Part A of the Supporting Statement

Information Collection Request	Part A of the Supporting Statement

Information Collection Request	Part A of the Supporting Statement

Information Collection Request	Part A of the Supporting Statement

OMB CONTROL NO.: 2050-0194                                              
         EXPIRATION DATE: May 31, 2011

