Information Collection; Learning From Tribal Governments' Experiences With American Rescue Plan Programs, 88771-88772 [2024-26012]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 217 (Friday, November 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88771-88772]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26012]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 3090-XXXX; Docket No. 2024-0001; Sequence No. 15]


Information Collection; Learning From Tribal Governments' 
Experiences With American Rescue Plan Programs

AGENCY: Office of Evaluation Sciences; Office of Government-wide Policy 
(OGP), General Services Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments regarding a request for a new 
OMB clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the 
Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a new 
information collection request regarding new data collection activities 
conducted by OES. The objective of this project is to record and 
amplify key lessons learned from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 
(ARP) programs that provided dedicated funding for Tribal governments. 
This project will include in-depth evaluations of three selected ARP 
programs that supported Tribal governments during the pandemic. We will 
conduct a set of qualitative, descriptive studies that aim to 
understand Tribal governments' awareness of, access to, and allocation 
of ARP-funded programs and resources.

DATES: Submit comments on or before January 7, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by ``Information Collection 3090-
XXXX; Learning from Tribal Governments' Experiences with American 
Rescue Plan Programs'' to https://www.regulations.gov.
    Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for 
``Information Collection 3090-XXXX; Learning from Tribal Governments' 
Experiences with American Rescue Plan Programs''. Select the link 
``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds with ``Information Collection 
3090-XXXX; Learning from Tribal Governments' Experiences with American 
Rescue Plan Programs''. Follow the instructions provided at the 
``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if 
any), and ``Information Collection 3090-XXXX; Learning from Tribal 
Governments' Experiences with American Rescue Plan Programs'' on your 
attached document. If your comment cannot be submitted using 
regulations.gov, call or email the points of contact in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate 
instructions.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite ``Information 
Collection 3090-XXXX; Learning from Tribal Governments' Experiences 
with American Rescue Plan Programs'' in all correspondence related to 
this collection. Comments received generally will be posted without 
change to regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business 
confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your 
comment(s), please check regulations.gov, approximately two-to-three 
business days after submission to verify posting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Blair Read, Portfolio Lead, Office of 
Evaluation Sciences, at telephone 617-459-5428 or via email to 
[email protected] for clarification of content.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The Office of Evaluation Sciences (OES) at GSA has a mission to 
build and use evidence to better serve the public. The goal of this 
study is to look across several American Rescue Plan-funded programs 
that provided dedicated funding for Tribal governments. ARP represented 
the largest ever infusion of resources into Native nations by the 
federal governments. In some instances, the ARP was the first time 
Tribal governments and federal program teams worked together on a 
dedicated and direct transfer of program funds, requiring rapid 
innovation and experimentation in program design and intergovernmental 
partnership. Thus, it is vital to record and amplify key lessons 
learned, in order for the federal government to be better-positioned to 
support Native nations in future crises.
    Through three data collection methods (interviews, focus groups, 
and a survey), we seek to learn about and report on the experiences of 
Tribal government employees or representatives, and the broader 
communities served by Tribal governments, as it relates to programs 
funded by ARP for which those Tribal governments were eligible.
    With this effort, we seek to understand and highlight successes and 
challenges in learning about, applying for, and implementing these 
programs. This effort will be led by a Tribal Engagement Fellow and 
will be rooted in community engagement to ensure that the studies are 
informed by the priorities and perspectives of Tribal governments. The 
study aims to address the following research questions:
     What are Tribes' experiences with accessing ARP-funded 
programs?
     What are Tribes' experience with implementing ARP-funded 
programs?
    As case studies, we will focus on three different ARP-funded 
programs in Tribal communities programs as case studies. From this 
data, we will produce 1-3 descriptive reports that share learnings 
about Tribal governments' experiences with specific programs. These 
summaries of the interviews, focus groups, and survey data will be 
included in a series of public facing reports, which will seek to 
highlight areas of success and lessons learned for improving federal 
agency support for Tribal nations going forward. In addition, we plan 
to produce a report that will synthesize these findings. It

[[Page 88772]]

will include broader insights and shared learnings across these 
studies.
    Respondents: Representatives from Native nations who were involved 
in applying to or implementing the ARP-funded programs.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    The estimates below are calculated based on three data collection 
activities: 24 60-minute interviews (8 per program), 9 two-hour focus 
groups with 5 participants (3 per program), and a brief survey (100 
respondents) of approximately 15 questions. These research activities 
will take place across the three ARP-funded programs included in our 
study. Respondents will only be asked to participate in one data 
collection activity.
    Respondents: 169.
    Responses per Respondent: 13.
    Total Annual Responses: 2,250.
    Hours per Response: 0.11.
    Total Burden Hours: 239.

C. Public Comments

    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary, whether it will have practical 
utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection 
of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and 
methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, 
through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the 
information collection documents from the Regulatory Secretariat 
Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing [email protected]. Please 
cite OMB Control No. 3090-XXXX, Title, in all correspondence.

Lois Mandell,
Director, Regulatory Secretariat Division, General Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-26012 Filed 11-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-TZ-P