Supporting_Statement

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR OPM FORM 1300, FORMERLY THE PRESIDENTIAL
MANAGEMENT FELLOWS (PMF) PROGRAM ONLINE APPLICATION AND RESUME
BUILDER, REASSIGNING TO THE PMF NOMINATION FORM
Justification:
1.

Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Include
identification of any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.
Under the provision of Executive Order 13318 of November 21, 2003 (copy attached), the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) administers the Presidential Management Fellows
(PMF) Program [formerly the Presidential Management Intern Program]. The Executive Order
authorizes OPM to provide appropriate program related procedures for the recruitment,
nomination, screening, placement, and continuing career development of outstanding men and
women from a variety of advanced degree programs and academic disciplines. Applicants must
demonstrate an exceptional ability for, as well as a clear interest in and commitment to,
excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. Regulations
governing the administration of the program are found at 5 CFR 362 (attached). Other
associated regulations which address the PMF Program are found at 5 CFR 213.3102; 5 CFR
315.201; and 5 CFR 315.708. Additional minor references to the PMF Program are found in 5
CFR 297.501; 5 CFR 537.104; and 5 CFR 550.703.
The Executive order and the PMF regulations require a formal nomination from the applicant’s
school. The Nomination Official must be the Dean, Chairperson, or Academic Program
Director from the applicant’s graduate program. Per OMB’s request last year, the PMF
Program Office has migrated from its in-house online application and resume builder to a
vacancy announcement approach via USAJOBS; the former collection was referred to as the
OPM Form 1300. We would like to transfer this form identifier to the newly created
Nomination Form where applicants must print upon submission of their application on
USAJOBS and deliver to their school’s Nomination Official for consideration. If the
Nomination Official decides to nominate said applicant, he/she would fill out the nomination
form and fax to OPM by the October 31, 2006, deadline. The data collection is now based on
the school’s Nomination Official to fill out the nomination form and fax it in.

2.

Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.
The information collected is used by OPM’s PMF Program Office to obtain applicant data and
official school nominations in support of a nationwide competitive selection process. Notices
will be sent to educational institutions at the beginning of each academic year announcing the
application period. Traditionally, the annual open season for applying to the PMF Program
starts September 1st, closes approximately 4 to 6-weeks later, and stipulates a nomination
deadline of October 31st.
Students must complete a graduate degree (master's, law, or doctoral-level degree) from a
qualifying college or university. In order to be considered for the Program, the student must be
officially nominated by their school's Dean, Chairperson, or Academic Program Director,

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otherwise known as the Nomination Official, using this OPM-provided fax-back nomination
form. The application is to be completed and submitted electronically online via a vacancy
announcement on USAJOBS. The “PMF Nomination Form” (the new OPM Form 1300) is to
be printed and delivered to the applicant’s Nomination Official for further consideration. Upon
completion of a competitive process, the applicant’s Nomination Official would render a
decision on whether or not to nominate. If the Nomination Official desires to nominate an
applicant, he/she would then fill out the nomination form and fax to OPM by the October 31,
deadline. Those applicants formerly nominated become nominees. Nominees are then
reviewed and invited to participate in a structured assessment center process. Selection as a
PMF Finalist is based on a review of the nominee’s application and the assessment center
results.
Participating agencies are informed of the list of Finalists and can access the Finalists’ resumes
online. Resumes are electronically available and secured, requiring agencies to register online
for access. Those applicants not nominated or not selected as Finalists would still have the
ability to seek other Federal Government job opportunities by utilizing the resumes they built on
USAJOBS.
3.

Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological collection techniques or other
forms of information technology e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and
the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection.
The PMF Nomination Form, OPM Form 1300, is a fax-back teleform. The teleform is designed
for our fax server software to recognize the fax being submitted is a nomination for an applicant
to the PMF Program. Technical staff will review the transmission to assure the Nomination
Official has signed the form and then assures linkage to the applicant’s application. The
nomination form is used by Nomination Officials who complete a competitive nomination
process at the school level and desire to nominate an applicant. If the Nomination Official does
not desire to nominate the applicant, he/she is instructed to not sign the form nor fax it.

4.

Describe efforts to identify duplication.
By asking applicants to apply via a vacancy announcement on USAJOBS, only one application
is accepted. The applicant will be asked to upload or link their USAJOBS online resume to the
announcement. If the applicant is not ultimately considered a Finalist, he/she may utilize their
USAJOBS resume to seek other Federal employment outside the PMF Program. Duplication is
minimized.

5.

If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe
the methods used to minimize the burden.
Not applicable.

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6.

Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection were
conducted less frequently.
The collection of this information is essential to facilitate a nominee’s participation in the PMF
Program and the annual selection and placement of PMF Finalists into Federal agencies.

7.

Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be
conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6.
Not applicable.

8.

If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the
Federal Register of the agency notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments
on the information collection prior to OMB.
Not applicable. (Seeking emergency clearance.) Attached is a copy of the Federal Register
Notice seeking emergency clearance last year as a result of new PMF regulations that took
affect June 20, 2005.

9.

Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents other than
remuneration of contractors or grantees.
Not applicable.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the

assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
Students will be required to apply via a vacancy announcement on USAJOBS. The vacancy can
be found by conducting a search on USAJOBS, as well as a link on the PMF website.
Traditionally, the PMF Program Office has partnered with USAJOBS to post a banner on the
USAJOBS homepage to attract as many eligible applicants as possible.
Upon submission of the application, the applicant is required to print the “PMF Nomination
Form” to provide to his/her respective Nomination Official. The nomination form consists of
two pages: Page 1 provides instructions for the applicant and Nomination Official, while
identifying the Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements; Page 2 is the actual nomination form
collecting applicant and Nomination Official data to render a nomination decision and fax to
OPM for consideration.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature such as sexual

behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.
This information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered
private.

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12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Based on application rates from the 2 years the OPM Form 1300 has been available online (as
the collective online application and resume builder), we estimate 3,500 to 4,000 applications
will be received and processed in the 2006/2007 open season for PMF applications.
The revised OPM Form 1300 will now serve as a nomination form where applicant and
Nomination Official data will be collected to render a nomination. We estimate applicants and
Nomination Officials will need a combined 30 minutes to review and complete the nomination
form and fax to OPM for further consideration.
The annual estimated burden for completing the nomination form is 2,000 hours. By migrating
to a vacancy announcement approach, the estimated burden is significantly reduced.
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers

resulting from the collection of information.
There is no cost to the applicant.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also provide a

description of the method used to estimate cost which should include quantification of
hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff)
and any other expenses that would not have been incurred without the paperwork burden.
Annual maintenance costs are expected to be $##,### to partner with the USAJOBS program
office to host the vacancy announcement and provide the nomination form, and to provide staff
support during the application cycle.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of

the OMB Form 83-I.
Although the number of PMF applicants has risen considerably over the past several years, our
previous projections of the number of applicants completing the automated PMF Program
application have proven to be too high. For three years the PMF Program Office utilized an inhouse, online application process. By migrating to a vacancy announcement approach via
USAJOBS, the need to host and maintain the previous process is no longer applicable. This will
ultimately save the PMF Program Office time and expense in managing such a process in-house.
There is some expense in having staff review submission of nomination forms to assure formal
nomination and to also adjudicate any claims to veterans’ preference.
16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation

and publication.
Not applicable. The results of this information collection are not published.

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17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the

information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
Not applicable. We are requesting emergency clearance and an expiration date of October 31,
2006. We will follow-up with a regular 30-day clearance process to obtain the maximum of 3years’ approval from OMB, while only changing the dates in the proceeding years.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification

for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,” of OMB Form 83-I.
No exceptions.

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