Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request, 65298-65300 [2013-25825]

Agencies

• Corporation for National and Community Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 211 (Thursday, October 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65298-65300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25825]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review, Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has

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submitted a public information collection request (ICR) entitled 
AmeriCorps State and National Grantee Progress Report for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable 
supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling CNCS, Carla 
Ganiel, at (202) 606-6773 or email to cganiel@cns.gov. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call 1-800-
833-3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through 
Friday.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the 
information collection activity, to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for the 
Corporation for National and Community Service, by any of the following 
two methods within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal 
Register:
    (1) By fax to: (202) 395-6974, Attention: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk 
Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service; or
    (2) By email to: smar@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB is particularly interested in 
comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of CNCS, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
     Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments

    A 60-day Notice requesting public comment was published in the 
Federal Register on July 22, 2013. This comment period ended September 
20, 2013. Seven entities provided comments. Individual comments and the 
disposition of each are addressed below.
    Three commenters asked which grantees and subgrantees complete 
which version of the GPR and whether separate sets of instructions are 
needed for state commissions. Commission subgrantees and national 
grantees that were new or recompete applicants during the 2013 
competition are subject to the new GPR instructions. All other 
subgrantees and national grantees are subject to the old instructions 
as revised in this clearance. Commissions that have both types of 
subgrantees on the same prime grant will complete two separate progress 
reports, one for each type of grantee. Starting with the 2014 grant 
year, all subgrantees and national grantees will use the new 
instructions.
    The following chart illustrates which 2013 grantees and subgrantees 
are subject to which set of GPR instructions:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Type of applicant       Old GPR          New GPR
         Type of grantee                in 2013          instructions     instructions            Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National........................  New or recompete...  ...............               X   .......................
                                  Continuation.......               X   ...............  .......................
State Subgrantee................  New or recompete...  ...............               X   Commission completes
                                                                                          one prime GPR for this
                                                                                          set of subgrantees.
                                  Continuation.......               X   ...............  Commission completes
                                                                                          one prime GPR for this
                                                                                          set of subgrantees.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CNCS will continue to use one set of instructions for all grantees. 
The reporting screens are nearly identical for state commissions and 
national grantees, more so than in the previous iteration of the GPR, 
which had a single set of instructions.
    Five commenters stated that the burden of the new GPR is higher 
than the old GPR and that the burden is higher for state commissions 
than it is for national grantees. While the change in the way MSYs are 
reported will increase burden, we believe that this is balanced by the 
reduction in the number of demographic indicators and, for state 
commissions, a decrease in burden associated with providing 
explanations regarding formula subgrantees, which is no longer 
required. Also, automated completion checks will not allow incomplete 
progress reports to be submitted which will result in less back and 
forth between CNCS and grantees. Lastly, CNCS has decided to collect 
MSY data at the strategic plan level only, not at the performance 
measure level, to minimize burden.
    CNCS acknowledges that the level of burden is higher for some 
commissions with a large number of subgrantees or multiple prime grants 
than for other commissions and national grantees. Based on comments and 
the inclusion of the final GPR due at grant closeout, CNCS has 
increased the burden estimate.
    Four commenters focused on the timeline and testing of the new GPR. 
CNCS cannot delay the new GPR. Very little new information is required 
to complete this report. Although the demographic indicators have been 
revised, all new indicators are optional. No changes have been made to 
mandatory demographic indicators or to the information collected in the 
performance measures section of the GPR. The narrative questions 
require synthesis of information about program activity that is readily 
available through routine monitoring and technical assistance that is 
already being conducted. The due date of the end-of-year GPR will not 
change. Three rounds of user acceptance testing were completed by 
AmeriCorps program staff in June and July 2013.
    Three commenters focused on changes in the demographics tab 
concerning what is being collected and the utility of some indicators. 
The demographic indicators have been revised so that they are 
consistent with the CNCS strategic plan and the Serve America Act.
    Three commenters focused on the Member Service Year (MSY) tab and 
the burden associated with reporting MSYs and member activity. 
Reporting MSYs and member activity at the level of strategic plan 
objective, rather than focus area, is critical for CNCS to understand 
the value of its investment relative to its strategic plan. Member 
counts at the strategic objective level allow CNCS to state how many 
members are performing activities under each strategic plan objective. 
CNCS has chosen not to collect MSY and member

[[Page 65300]]

activity data at the performance measurement level, thereby reducing 
burden.
    Six commenters focused on CNCS's expectation that programs aim to 
achieve 100% retention, reliance on data from the portal, and the 
mechanisms for providing comments on this data. The data in the 
performance indicator tab (enrollment, retention, 30-day enrollment and 
30-day exit data) will refresh for each reporting period. In response 
to comments, CNCS will only require this tab for the end-of-year GPR 
due in October 2014 and each year thereafter, and the instructions have 
been updated to reflect this change. CNCS will request an IT 
enhancement to add a warning to the performance indicators tab that the 
data cannot be refreshed once it has been populated. CNCS recognizes 
that retention rates may vary among effective programs depending on the 
program model. CNCS will continue to request explanations for any 
retention rate below 100%. Text boxes are provided for grantees to 
comment on data from the portal that requires explanation.
    Three commenters focused on requiring explanations for incomplete 
data (performance indicators and performance measures) in the mid-year 
GPR. CNCS will not include the performance indicators tab in the mid-
year GPR. We have updated the instructions for the mid-year GPR with 
instructions to enter ``NA'' in the outcome explanation fields as it is 
a system requirement that some text be entered in these fields.
    Two commenters focused on changes in the performance measurement 
data collected. The performance measure section of the new GPR requires 
no data that was not collected in the old GPR.
    One commenter suggested that CNCS should collect performance 
measurement data as percentages rather than numerical values. Whole 
numbers are required so that data can be aggregated across programs.
    Five commenters stated that instructions for narrative questions 
are not clear to state commissions. We have added additional 
information in the instructions to clarify how state commissions should 
address the narrative questions.
    Description: CNCS is seeking approval of AmeriCorps State and 
National Grantee Progress Report, which is used by grantees to provide 
information for CNCS staff to monitor grantee progress and to respond 
to requests from Congress and other stakeholders.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: AmeriCorps State and National Grantee Progress Report.
    OMB Number: 3045-0101.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: AmeriCorps State and National Grantees.
    Total Respondents: 154.
    Frequency: Biannual with one final report required at grant 
closeout.
    Average Time per Response: 9 hours per submission.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,234.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.

    Dated: October 25, 2013.
William Basl,
Director, AmeriCorps State and National.
[FR Doc. 2013-25825 Filed 10-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P