Comment Request for OMB Review of an Extension of the Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Price and Background Surveys, 24321-24322 [E8-9733]

Agencies

• Office of Personnel Management
• Personnel Management Office

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 86 (Friday, May 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24321-24322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9733]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Comment Request for OMB Review of an Extension of the Nonforeign 
Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Price and Background Surveys

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 24322]]

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) seeks comments on its intention to 
request an extension of two currently approved information collections. 
OPM uses the two collections, a Price Survey and a Background Survey, 
to gather data it uses to determine cost-of-living allowances the 
Government provides to certain Federal employees in Alaska, Hawaii, 
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. OPM conducts Price Surveys in the Washington, DC, area on an 
annual basis and once every 3 years in each allowance area on a 
rotating basis. Prior to these surveys, OPM conducts Background Surveys 
that are similar to the Price Survey, but much more limited in scope. 
OPM uses the results of the Background Surveys to prepare for the Price 
Surveys.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Charles D. Grimes III, Deputy 
Associate Director for Performance and Pay Systems, Strategic Human 
Resources Policy Division, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 
7300B, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200; fax: (202) 606-
4264; or e-mail: COLA@opm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 5941 of title 5, United States Code, 
authorizes Federal agencies to pay cost-of-living allowances (COLAs) to 
white-collar Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees stationed in 
Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands. Executive Order 10000, as amended, delegates 
to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to administer 
nonforeign area COLAs and prescribes certain operational features of 
the program. OPM conducts Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance 
Price Surveys and Background Surveys in each allowance area and in the 
Washington, DC, area to determine whether, and to what degree, COLA 
area living costs are higher than those in the DC area.
    Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the Nonforeign 
Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Price Survey and Background Survey will 
expire on August 31, 2008. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
plans to request OMB approval for a 3-year extension of these currently 
approved information collections and is seeking comments prior to 
submitting the collections to OMB for review.
    Comments are particularly invited on whether: (1) These collections 
of information are necessary for the proper performance of OPM 
functions, (2) they will have practical utility, (3) our estimate of 
the public burden of these collections of information is accurate and 
based on valid assumptions and methodology, and (4) there are ways in 
which we can minimize respondent burden of the collections of 
information through the use of appropriate technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey on 
(202) 606-8358, fax (202) 418-3251, or e-mail mbtoomey@opm.gov. Please 
include a mailing address with your request.

Overview of Information Collections

    Title: Nonforeign Area Cost-of-Living Allowance Price Survey and 
Background Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 3206-0199.
    Summary: OPM uses the COLA Price Survey to collect price data in 
survey areas located in the nonforeign allowance areas and in the 
Washington, DC, area. The allowance areas are located in Alaska, 
Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the 
U.S. Virgin Islands. OPM conducts Price Surveys annually in the DC area 
and once every 3 years in the allowance areas on a rotating basis. OPM 
uses the COLA Background Survey to collect information to identify the 
services, items, quantities, outlets, and locations OPM will survey in 
the Price Surveys. OPM also uses Background Surveys to collect 
information on local trade practices, consumer buying patterns, taxes 
and fees, and other economic characteristics related to living costs. 
OPM conducts Background Surveys annually on a limited basis.
    Need/Use for Surveys: The COLA Price Survey is necessary for 
collecting living-cost data OPM uses to determine COLAs received by 
General Schedule, U.S. Postal Service, and certain other Federal 
employees in the allowance areas. OPM uses the survey results to 
compare prices in the allowance areas with prices in the Washington, 
DC, area and to derive COLA rates where local living costs 
significantly exceed those in the DC area. The COLA Background Survey 
is necessary to determine the continued appropriateness of items, 
services, and businesses selected for the annual price surveys. OPM 
uses the information collected under the Background Survey to identify 
items to be priced and the outlets at which OPM will price the items in 
the Price Surveys.
    Respondents: OPM will survey selected retail, service, realty, and 
other businesses and local governments in the allowance areas and in 
the Washington, DC, area. OPM will contact approximately 2,000 
establishments in each annual Price Survey and approximately 100 
establishments in each annual Background Survey. Participation in the 
surveys is voluntary.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: Based on experience, OPM 
estimates that the average Price Survey interview takes approximately 6 
minutes, for a total burden of 200 hours. Also based on experience, OPM 
estimates that the average Background Survey interview will take 
approximately 6.5 minutes, for a total burden of 11 hours.

Office of Personnel Management.
Howard Weizmann,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8-9733 Filed 5-1-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P