83 FR 6057 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 29 (February 12, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 6057]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02795]


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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:
    Rule 23c-1, SEC File No. 270-253, OMB Control No. 3235-0260.

    Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 350l-3520), 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 for extension and approval.
    Rule 23c-1(a) under the Investment Company Act (17 CFR 270.23c-
1(a)) permits a closed-end fund to repurchase its securities for cash 
if, in addition to the other requirements set forth in the rule, the 
following conditions are met: (i) Payment of the purchase price is 
accompanied or preceded by a written confirmation of the purchase 
(``written confirmation''); (ii) the asset coverage per unit of the 
security to be purchased is disclosed to the seller or his agent 
(``asset coverage disclosure''); and (iii) if the security is a stock, 
the fund has, within the preceding six months, informed stockholders of 
its intention to purchase stock (``six month notice''). Commission 
staff estimates that 91 closed-end funds undertake a total of 364 
repurchases annually under rule 23c-1.\1\ Staff estimates further that, 
with respect to each repurchase, each fund spends 2.5 hours to comply 
with the rule's written confirmation, asset coverage disclosure and six 
month notice requirements. Thus, Commission staff estimates the total 
annual respondent reporting burden is 910 hours.\2\ Commission staff 
further estimates that the cost of the hourly burden per repurchase is 
$305 (one half hour of a compliance attorney's time at $345 per 
hour,\3\ and two hours of clerical time at $66 per hour \4\). The total 
annual cost for all funds is estimated to be $111,020.\5\
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    \1\ The number of closed-end funds that undertake repurchases 
annually under rule 23c-1 is based on information provided in 
response to Item 9 of Form N-CSR from January 1, 2017 through 
December 31, 2017. Although 136 closed-end funds made disclosures 
regarding ``publicly announced'' repurchase plans in response to 
Item 9, not all repurchases are made pursuant to rule 23c-1. We 
estimate that approximately 30% of such closed-end funds have not 
made repurchases pursuant to rule 23c-1. Therefore, our estimate 
does not include all 136 funds that made disclosures of publicly 
announced repurchases under Item 9, but only a subset thereof (91 
funds). We also estimate that each of the 91 funds undertook an 
average of 4 repurchases annually (91 funds x 4 repurchases = 364 
repurchases annually).
    \2\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: 364 
repurchases x 2.5 hours per repurchase = 910 hours.
    \3\ The $345/hour figure for a compliance attorney is from 
SIFMA's Management & Professional Earnings in the Securities 
Industry 2013, modified by Commission staff to account for an 1800-
hour work-year and multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, firm 
size, employee benefits and overhead (includes a CPI inflation 
adjustment from the 2013 estimate).
    \4\ The $66/hour figure for a compliance clerk is from SIFMA's 
Office Salaries in the Securities Industry 2013, modified by 
Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour work-year and 
multiplied by 2.93 to account for bonuses, firm size, employee 
benefits and overhead (includes a CPI inflation adjustment from the 
2013 estimate).
    \5\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: 364 
repurchases x $305 per repurchase = $111,020.
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    In addition, the fund must file with the Commission a copy of any 
written solicitation to purchase securities given by or on behalf of 
the fund to 10 or more persons. The copy must be filed as an exhibit to 
Form N-CSR (17 CFR 249.331and 274.128).\6\ The burden associated with 
filing Form N-CSR is addressed in the submission related to that form.
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    \6\ In addition, Item 9 of Form N-CSR requires closed-end funds 
to disclose information similar to the information that was required 
in Form N-23C-1, which was discontinued in 2004.
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    The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the 
purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a 
comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of 
Commission rules and forms.
    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: February 7, 2018.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-02795 Filed 2-9-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P