30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection-Development Information Solution, 28053-28055 [2021-10929]

Agencies

• Agency for International Development

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28053-28055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10929]


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Notices
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 25, 2021 / 
Notices

[[Page 28053]]



AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection-Development 
Information Solution

AGENCY: Bureau for Management, Office of Acquisition and Assistance, 
Policy Division, United States Agency for International Development 
(USAID).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) seeks 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information 
collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, USAID requests public comment on this collection from all 
interested individuals and organizations. The proposed information 
collection was published in the Federal Register on December 21, 2020, 
allowing for a 60-day public comment period. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. Comments are 
requested concerning whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of functions of the agency, 
including the practical utility of the information; the accuracy of 
USAID's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents.

DATES: Comments must be received no later than June 24, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for USAID.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for a copy of the Development Information Solution System 
Access Request Form, AID 545-11 (11/2020), to Marcelle Wijesinghe at 
202-916-2606 or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice regarding this proposed information 
collection was previously published at 85 FR 83027. Comments were 
received from four respondents. A discussion of the comments is 
provided below. The estimated burden was increased as the result of one 
comment. The Agency did not address comments unrelated to, or outside 
the scope of, the notice at 85 FR 83027.

Discussion of Comments

    Comment: The Agency received several questions about the timeframe 
of the pilot.
    Response: The pilot will start following OMB approval of the 
information collection. The pilot will terminate upon the effective 
date of the rulemaking to be conducted under RIN 0412-AA90. This 
information collection request will be updated in conjunction with the 
rulemaking to cover the full range of digital information for which 
submission will be required into DIS.
    Comment: The Agency received two questions asking which contractors 
and recipients will be included in the pilot and the affected 
geographic locations.
    Response: The Agency plans to require submission of indicator 
information into DIS under awards issued by the following Pilot 
missions: El Salvador Bilateral, El Salvador Regional, Ethiopia, Nepal, 
Peru, Rwanda, South Africa Bilateral, South Africa Regional, Vietnam, 
Guatemala, Libya, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Philippines and Zimbabwe. The 
Agency will provide guidance to permit contractors and recipients 
implementing awards issued by other missions to request access to DIS 
and submit indicator information on a voluntary basis. This guidance 
for the voluntary submission of indicator information will not have the 
force or effect of law. The burden estimates are based on the Agency's 
awards worldwide that are most likely to contain requirements for the 
submission of indicator information.
    Comment: One comment asked how the success of the pilot would be 
measured.
    Response: The success of the Pilot will be measured primarily by 
the ability of contractors and recipients to log in and enter data and 
whether the contracting officer's representative (COR)/agreement 
officer's representative (AOR) reviewed and approved the content.
    Comment: One comment asked how USAID would ensure data quality of 
the information entered into DIS.
    Response: CORs and AORs will be responsible for reviewing and 
approving the indicator information submitted by contractors and 
recipients.
    Comment: One comment asked how implementers would know which 
activities to report to DIS.
    Response: A special requirement will be added to new and existing 
awards that are issued by the pilot missions, if the award has 
requirements for indicator information. When award deliverables include 
relevant performance indicators of the activity's outputs and outcomes, 
the contractor or recipient will be required to submit the following 
indicator information into DIS: (1) Indicator data, disaggregated by 
key categories of interest, including geographic location at a level 
that is feasible and useful for management purposes; and (2) Indicator 
narratives, including when the deviation between the target and actual 
value is greater or less than 10 percent. If the award does not contain 
separate requirements for indicator information, then the requirement 
to submit such information to DIS is not applicable.
    Comment: One comment asked if access is limited to two persons per 
award.
    Response: While the Agency estimated that two persons per award 
would obtain access to DIS to submit indicator information, affected 
contractors and recipients may request access for the number of 
employees they determine necessary to meet the submission requirements.
    Comment: Two comments asked how the Agency will determine which 
contractors and recipients are currently collecting indicator data and 
deviation narrative.
    Response: The Agency has no centralized mechanism to determine 
which awards contain requirements for indicator data or deviation 
narrative, which are requirements unique to each award. The 
determination will therefore

[[Page 28054]]

be made by the relevant CO/AO on an award-by-award basis.
    Comment: One comment questioned whether the burden hour is correct 
given all deliverable and other submission requirements imposed upon 
contractors and grantees.
    Response: The burden hour is only taking into account the awards 
most likely to contain requirements for indicator information, since 
indicator information is the only information required to be submitted 
to DIS under the pilot.
    Comment: One comment asked how many contractors and grantees are 
included in the pilot.
    Response: We have not calculated the number of contractors and 
recipients in the Pilot, because the burden is calculated based on the 
number of awards.
    Comment: One comment asked how many awards will be included in the 
pilot.
    Response: The information collection has two components: The one-
time DIS Access Request, and the quarterly Indicator Information 
Submission. We estimate that approximately 1,184 awards will be 
affected annually for the purpose of requesting DIS access. We estimate 
that approximately 2,809 awards will be impacted annually for the 
purpose of submitting indicator information. Approximately 400 of these 
awards are issued by the 15 missions participating in the Pilot. 
However, the burden estimates are based on the number of Agency awards 
worldwide that are most likely to contain requirements for the 
submission of indicator information, to allow contractors and 
recipients with awards issued by non-Pilot missions to request access 
to DIS and to submit indicator information to DIS on a voluntary basis.
    Comment: Two commenters asked questions related to whether the 
requirement to submit indicator information into DIS would affect or 
supersede other requirements to submit indicator information and how 
the indicator data submitted into DIS would affect indicator data 
reported under other award terms and conditions.
    Response: The pilot will not affect requirements related to USAID's 
Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) and the Development Data 
Library (DDL), nor will it supersede deliverable or reporting 
requirements in current awards. However, the initial design of DIS will 
contain links to the DEC and DDL systems so that contractors and 
recipients can fulfill DEC and DDL submission requirements while 
navigating the DIS interface. As these system development efforts 
mature, USAID ultimately intends to provide a single web address 
through which to submit digital information as required by their 
awards, rather than having to meet multiple submission requirements 
across multiple systems.
    Comment: Two comments were received regarding the estimated 
reporting time per quarter. One comment asked how much time USAID 
estimated was required per award per quarter. The second comment 
advised that USAID had underestimated the burden hours required for 
indicator submission and recommended that the burden be revised to 150 
minutes, rather than 15 minutes, per submission of indicator 
information. The recommendation was based on an estimated average of 10 
indicators per award and an average response burden of 15 minutes per 
indicator (15 minutes x 10 indicators equals 150 minutes, or 2.5 
hours).
    Response: USAID agreed with the recommendation and revised the 
estimated burden from 15 minutes per quarter per award to 2.5 hours per 
quarter per award, increasing the annual burden hours from 2,809 to 
28,090.
    Comment: Several comments were submitted noting that the 60-day 
notice contained different information from information regarding DIS 
that USAID has made publicly available through its website.
    Response: Most of these comments are beyond the scope of the 60-day 
notice because the Frequently Asked Questions are about the broader 
capabilities of DIS and planned future use, rather than the narrow 
subset of indicator information to be submitted under the pilot. 
Comments we determined relevant to the pilot have separate responses 
within this discussion.
    Comment: One comment asked whether baselines and targets in DIS are 
the same as in the award.
    Response: The targets and baselines are agreed between CORs/AORs 
and contractors/recipients, when the award requires an Activity 
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan. The target and baseline data 
will be entered into DIS by USAID.
    Comment: Two comments asked whether implementers will be required 
to load data associated with their activities.
    Response: DIS already contains basic award information from USAID's 
Global Acquisition and Assistance System. Contractors and recipients 
will enter indicator data and narratives, including on the deviation 
between indicator targets and actuals during the pilot.
    Comment: One comment asked what approvals AORs/CORs will provide 
through DIS and how this affects delegations in the AOR/COR delegation 
letter.
    Response: It is the responsibility of CORs and AORs to review and 
approve the indicator data and narratives submitted by contractors and 
recipients. We do not anticipate any changes to the delegations in the 
AOR/COR delegation letters as this review and approval is within the 
scope of the delegated duties.
    Comment: One comment asked whether partners would assign geographic 
locations for activities during the Pilot.
    Response: For awards in the Pilot, when award deliverables and 
reporting include indicator data, the contractor or recipient may be 
requested to provide disaggregated results of geographic information at 
the national or, if collected, at the sub-national level.
    Comment: One comment asked whether a DIS access form is relevant to 
the Pilot.
    Response: Contractors and recipients will need to request access to 
DIS using either the Development Information Solution System Access 
Request Form, AID 545-11 (11/2020) or, when available, an electronic 
form integrated into DIS.
    Comment: Two comments asked about the relationship between DIS and 
other data collections specific to missions, bureaus, and offices.
    Response: USAID Operating Units will be required to migrate their 
data from current legacy systems into DIS as the new Agency-wide 
solution. Missions that have existing databases, data repositories, or 
applications used to manage their program Monitoring and Evaluation 
(M&E), may choose to migrate their data over to DIS. Plans for the 
decommissioning of any affected Mission legacy systems will be 
discussed as DIS is deployed to the Missions.
    Comment: Two comments asked what other reporting systems will be 
eliminated or changed, and if there will be rulemaking for the changes 
in reporting systems.
    Response: No USAID Agency-wide official reporting systems will be 
eliminated with the implementation of DIS. In tandem with the DIS 
pilot, USAID is pursuing the rulemaking process to reduce the total 
number of portals through which USAID contractors and recipients are 
required to submit digital information to USAID. USAID anticipates 
consolidating existing DEC and DDL submission requirements as part of 
this rulemaking process. More information on the proposed rule can be 
found at:

[[Page 28055]]

https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201904&RIN=0412-AA90.
    Comment: One comment said that the RIN cited in the 60-day notice 
for future rulemaking had been withdrawn and asked about the status of 
the rulemaking.
    Response: The rule with RIN: 0412-AA90 has not been withdrawn; it 
is still in the unified agenda.
    Comment: Two comments asked for more information regarding the 
rulemaking under RIN 0412-AA90, including how the information 
collection would be updated during rulemaking.
    Response: This information collection request will be updated in 
conjunction with the rulemaking to cover the full range of digital 
information for which submission will be required into DIS. Please see 
the forthcoming notice of proposed rulemaking for additional 
information about the rulemaking under RIN 0412-AA90 and submit 
comments or questions following the instructions in that notice.
    Comment: One comment noted technical difficulty in setting up 
login.gov accounts.
    Response: Contractors and recipients should contact their AORs/CORs 
regarding technical difficulties. The login.gov ``help center'' is also 
an available resource.
    Comment: One comment noted poor alignment between DIS and the 
indicators contained in monitoring and evaluation plans required under 
awards, and recommended greater flexibility for input fields in DIS.
    Response: DIS should align with the indicators contained in 
approved monitoring and evaluation plans, when such plans are required 
under awards. Contractors and recipients should contact their CORs/AORs 
regarding any disparities.
    Comment: One comment noted character limitations for the input 
fields for deviation narrative were too restrictive.
    Response: USAID's DIS team will consider this feedback for future 
system enhancement.
    Comment: One comment noted that the reporting window in DIS to 
submit indicator data has not been long enough.
    Response: Contractors and recipients should contact their CORs/AORs 
regarding access issues.

Purpose

    USAID is implementing the Development Information Solution (DIS) 
Pilot to consolidate reporting, improve efficiencies, and facilitate 
evidence-based decision-making. The purpose of this information 
collection is to require USAID contractors and grant recipients who 
collect indicator data under their award terms to: (1) Submit 
information to request access to the DIS, and (2) to submit indicator 
information to the DIS, which is collected under special award 
requirements unique to each award. In order to request access to the 
DIS, contractors and recipients of grants and cooperation agreements 
will need to submit the following information to USAID using either the 
Development Information Solution System Access Request Form, AID 545-11 
(11/2020) or, when available, an electronic form integrated into DIS: 
Name, contact telephone number, name of organization, Login.gov 
username (which is the address used for Login.gov access), award 
number, award expiration date, the activities for which access is 
requested, and a signature and date to acknowledge agreement to the 
listed Rules of Behavior. We estimate that two persons may request 
access for each award that requires the collection of indicator data.
    Contractors and recipients will use the access to DIS during the 
pilot to submit indicator data and narratives, including on the 
deviation between targets and actuals, when required as a subset of 
performance reporting under special award requirements. We estimate 
that indicator information will be submitted to DIS quarterly. As the 
DIS pilot progresses, USAID will use information from the pilot to 
inform rulemaking under Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 0412-AA90, 
which will require contractors and grant recipients to submit digital 
information required under awards through the DIS, replacing other 
current methods of submission. This information collection request will 
be updated in conjunction with the rulemaking to capture digital 
information submission requirements for information collected under 
other standard award terms.

Overview of Information Collection

    (1) Title of Information Collection: USAID Development Information 
Solution Pilot.
    (2) Type of Review: A New Information Collection.
    (3) Title of the Form: Development Information Solution System 
Access Request Form, AID 545-11 (11/2020).
    (4) Respondents: USAID contractors and grant and cooperative 
agreement recipients.
    (5) Estimated Number of Annual Responses-DIS Access: 2,368.
    (6) Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours-DIS Access: 1,184.
    (7) Estimated Number of Annual Responses-Indicator Information: 
11,236.
    (8) Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours-Indicator Information: 
28,090.
    (9) Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 13,604.
    (10) Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 29,274.

Instructions

    All comments must be in writing and submitted through the method(s) 
specified in the Addresses section above. All submissions must include 
the information collection title. Please include your name, title, 
organization, postal address telephone number, and email address in the 
text of the message. Please note that comments submitted in response to 
this Notice are public record. We recommend that you do not submit 
detailed personal information, Confidential Business Information, or 
any information that is otherwise protected from disclosure by statute.

    Dated: May 19, 2021.
Mark Walther,
Senior Procurement Executive.
[FR Doc. 2021-10929 Filed 5-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-P