USAID Revisions to ADS 201 Evaluation Report Requirements, 18292 [2023-06317]

Agencies

• Agency for International Development

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 18292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06317]


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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 59 / Tuesday, March 28, 2023 / 
Notices

[[Page 18292]]



AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT


USAID Revisions to ADS 201 Evaluation Report Requirements

AGENCY: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Foreign Assistance Transparency and Accountability Act 
(2016) and The Foundations for Evidence Based Policy-Making Act (2019) 
enhance the transparency, accuracy, and reliability of USAID program 
and activity evaluations and processes of data collection and 
reporting. To comply with these Acts, USAID is currently revising the 
policy associated with its Evaluation Report Requirements. The 
requirements collect information from evaluators to establish the 
validity of research methodologies, standardize the presentation of 
research, ensure accuracy, and identify any conflicts of interest that 
could create bias or influence data analysis, findings, or 
recommendations. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as 
amended, USAID is soliciting comments for this collection.

DATES: USAID intends to issue the policy revisions in mid-2023. 
Comments are due May 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 60 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 60-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tania Alfonso, [email protected], 
202-712-0144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USAID, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the 
general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on 
the proposed survey.
    Title of Collection: USAID Revisions to ADS 201 Evaluation Report 
Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: XXXXXX.
    Type of Review: A new information collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: USAID evaluation contractors.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 130.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,730.
    Abstract: After a contractor is hired to evaluate a program or 
activity, USAID issues to the contractor three standardized information 
collection forms that are designed to ensure compliance with data 
quality and reporting standards as outlined in USAID's Automated 
Directives System (ADS) 201 and its annexes, including: one of three 
optional Evaluation Design Matrices; an Evaluation Report Template to 
be used for the submission of the final, and; a Disclosure of Conflicts 
of Interest to be completed by the contractor's team leaders and 
researchers. The Evaluation Design Matrix provides a structured format 
for the contractor to present the overall approach and methodology for 
the contracted evaluation. Specifically, the optional form asks 
contractors to detail key research questions, sources of information, 
scope and methodology, and study limitations in the form of a table. 
The Evaluation Report Template guides the evaluator in submitting a 
final draft of the research report, including requiring the use of 
appropriate branding and marking on the cover page, style and 
formatting of the report, and required information and order of 
sections. Finally, external evaluators and evaluation team members are 
required to complete and submit to USAID a Disclosure of Conflicts of 
Interest form to disclose all relevant facts regarding real or 
potential conflicts of interest that could lead reasonable third 
parties with knowledge of the relevant facts and circumstances to 
conclude that the evaluator or evaluation team member is not able to 
maintain independence and, thus, is not capable of exercising objective 
and impartial judgment on all issues associated with conducting and 
reporting the work. USAID uses the data from the collection of 
information in these three types of forms for internal decision-making 
and external reporting requirements to the U.S. Congress. Copies of the 
information collection forms can be found in USAID's Learning Lab in 
the Evaluation Toolkit. The data collected in the required forms will 
be available to the public when the Final Report is posted on the 
Development Experience Clearinghouse.
    USAID and the Office of Management and Budget are particularly 
interested in comments that:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. 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;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. 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, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

Tania Alfonso,
PPL/LER, Program Cycle Supervisory Team Lead, USAID.
[FR Doc. 2023-06317 Filed 3-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-P