Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is requesting an emergency approval for form EIB 03-02, Application for Medium Term Insurance or Guarantee, in order to enhance the identification and classification of small businesses, as well as minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned businesses. The Bank will subsequently proceed with the regular authorization request for this form as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of this collection is to gather information necessary to make a determination of eligibility of a transaction for Ex-Im Bank assistance under its medium-term guarantee and insurance program. The Export-Import Bank has made a change to the report to have the financial institution provide specific information (industry code, number of employees and annual sales volume) needed to make a determination as to whether or not the exporter meets the SBA's definition of a small business. The financial institution already provides the exporter's name and address. These additional pieces of information will allow Ex-Im Bank to better track the extent to which its support assists U.S. small businesses. The other change that Ex-Im Bank has made is to require the financial institution to indicate whether the exporter is a minority- owned business, women-owned business and/or veteran-owned business. Although answers to the questions are mandatory, the company may choose any one of the three answers: Yes/No/Decline to Answer. The option of ``Decline to Answer'' allows a company to consciously decline to answer the specific question should they not wish to provide that information. The form can be viewed at: http://www.exim.gov/pub/pending/eib03- 02.pdf