83 FR 1278 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 7 (January 10, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1278-1279]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00267]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 
20549-2736

Extension: 
    Form PF, SEC File No. 270-636, OMB Control No. 3235-0679

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (``Paperwork Reduction Act''), the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is soliciting 
comments on the collection of information summarized below. The 
Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to 
the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for extension and 
approval.
    Rule 204(b)-1 (17 CFR 275.204(b)-1) under the Investment Advisers 
Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) implements sections 404 and 406 
of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the 
``Dodd-Frank Act'') by requiring private fund advisers that have at 
least $150 million in private fund assets under management to report 
certain information regarding the private funds they advise on Form PF. 
These advisers are the respondents to the collection of information.
    Form PF is designed to facilitate the Financial Stability Oversight 
Council's (``FSOC'') monitoring of systemic risk in the private fund 
industry and to assist FSOC in determining whether and how to deploy 
its regulatory tools with respect to nonbank financial companies. The 
Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission may also use 
information collected on Form PF in their regulatory programs, 
including examinations, investigations and investor protection efforts 
relating to private fund advisers.
    Form PF divides respondents into two broad groups, Large Private 
Fund Advisers and smaller private fund advisers. ``Large Private Fund 
Advisers'' are advisers with at least $1.5 billion in assets under 
management attributable to hedge funds (``large hedge fund advisers''), 
advisers that manage ``liquidity funds'' and have at least $1 billion 
in combined assets under management attributable to liquidity funds and 
registered money market funds (``large liquidity fund advisers''), and 
advisers with at least $2 billion in assets under management 
attributable to private equity funds (``large private equity 
advisers''). All other respondents are considered smaller private fund 
advisers.
    The Commission estimates that most filers of Form PF have already 
made their first filing, and so the burden hours applicable to those 
filers will reflect only ongoing burdens, and not start-up burdens. 
Accordingly, the Commission estimates the total annual reporting and 
recordkeeping burden of the collection of information for each 
respondent is as follows:
    (a) For smaller private fund advisers making their first Form PF 
filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 23 hours for 
each of the first three years;
    (b) For smaller private fund advisers that already make Form PF 
filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 15 hours for 
each of the next three years;
    (c) For large hedge fund advisers making their first Form PF 
filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 610 hours for 
each of the first three years;
    (d) For large hedge fund advisers that already make Form PF 
filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 560 hours for 
each of the next three years;
    (e) For large liquidity fund advisers making their first Form PF 
filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 588 hours for 
each of the first three years;
    (f) For large liquidity fund advisers that already make Form PF 
filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 280 hours for 
each of the next three years;
    (g) For large private equity advisers making their first Form PF 
filing, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 67 hours for 
each of the first three years; and
    (h) For large private equity advisers that already make Form PF 
filings, an estimated amortized average annual burden of 50 hours for 
each of the next three years.
    With respect to annual internal costs, the Commission estimates the 
collection of information will result in 92 burden hours per year on 
average for each respondent. With respect to external cost burdens, the 
Commission estimates a range from $0 to $50,000 per adviser.
    Estimates of average burden hours and costs are made solely for the 
purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and are not derived from a 
comprehensive or even representative survey or study of the costs of 
Commission rules and forms. Compliance with the collection of 
information requirements of Form PF is mandatory for advisers that 
satisfy the criteria described in Instruction 1 to the Form. Responses 
to the collection of information will be kept confidential to the 
extent permitted by law. The Commission does not intend to make

[[Page 1279]]

public information reported on Form PF that is identifiable to any 
particular adviser or private fund, although the Commission may use 
Form PF information in an enforcement action. 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.
    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Commission, including whether the information has practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (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. Consideration will be given to 
comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this 
publication.
    Please direct your written comments to Pamela Dyson, Director/Chief 
Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549; or send an email 
to: [email protected].

    Dated: January 5, 2018.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-00267 Filed 1-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P