SUPPORTING STATEMENT
A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Necessity of the Information Collection
The purpose of this request for review is for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to obtain clearance to collect the information needed to enroll participants in the international training programs of BLS. The BLS is one of the largest labor statistics organizations in the world and has provided international training in labor market information and price indexes since 1945. Each year, the BLS conducts training programs of 1 to 4 weeks duration at its training facilities in Washington, DC.
Each training program is designed to strengthen the participants' ability to collect and analyze economic and labor statistics. Typical participants are statisticians, economists, analysts and other data users from agencies of other nations; usually, they are from Ministries of Labor or Finance or from the statistical agencies. Training programs include lectures, discussions, and workshops; longer programs may include field trips.
The BLS is given broad authority under Title 29 of the U.S. Code “to acquire and diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with labor, in the most general and comprehensive sense of that word.” In carrying out the broad range of statistical activities assigned to the BLS, the Secretary’s (of Labor) Order 9-75 specifies that the Commissioner of Labor Statistics is delegated authority and assigned responsibility for providing advice, assistance and services to “other Department of Labor components, other departments of the executive branch of the Federal Government, State and local government jurisdictions, and other public and private agencies.”
29 U.S.C. 9 authorizes the Department of Labor, within the discretion of the Secretary of Labor, upon the written request of any person, to make special statistical studies relating to employment, hours of work, wages, and other conditions of employment. The BLS has broadly interpreted “special statistical studies” under 29 U.S.C.9 to include, among other things, statistical training.
The U.S. Agency for International Development determined that BLS may provide training in labor, price and productivity statistics to agencies of friendly, foreign governments and international organizations under Sections 607 and 627 - 630 of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961 as amended, 22 U.S.C. 2357.
2. Purpose of the Information Collection
Potential participants, their employers or sponsors complete the Training Application, a registration form, to provide their names, employers, titles, job duties, contact information, and other information required to determine the suitability of potential participants for the BLS international training and to enroll those who are deemed to be suitable. The approval of this collection of information will support the administrative duties of the BLS to register applicants for the training programs.
3. Use of Improved Technology
Applicants have the option of submitting their applications to attend the training sessions via fax or email, in addition to conventional mail.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
The information collected will not duplicate any existing information being collected by the BLS.
5. Minimizing Small Employer Burden
The information is collected from individuals; no small businesses or other small entities are involved.
6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection
In order for a person to be considered for training at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, he/she must complete this form, so that the Bureau has the necessary information to register a person in a program or programs.
7. Special Circumstances
There are no special circumstances. The data are collected in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.
Federal Register and Consultation Outside the BLS
One comment was received as a result of the Federal Register notice published in Volume 71, No. 157, on 08/15/2006. The following italicized paragraph briefly expresses the concern raised by the commenter. The BLS response is provided after the italicized paragraph.
Concern was expressed that U.S. taxpayers are paying for the statistical training of people from other countries.
The tuition for participation in the BLS international training programs is usually paid either by the trainees’ own employers (foreign government agencies) or by international organizations, such as the World Bank. In a limited number of cases, the U.S. Agency for International Development pays the tuition of the trainees. No BLS appropriated funds are used for this training.
The training provided by BLS encourages the adoption of U.S. statistical methods, which enhances the comparability of the data of other countries to U.S. data. Data comparability is essential for international economic analysis done by U.S. Government agencies, academic institutions and other organizations.
9. Payment to Respondents
No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
The collection form will display the following pledge:
This collection of information is authorized by Title 29 of the United States Code. Providing the information on this form is voluntary. The information you provide will be will be used to register you for training and for other administrative purposes. We estimate that it will take an average of 20 minutes to complete this form. If you have any comments regarding this estimate or any other aspect of the form, including suggestions for reducing the time needed to respond, send them to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, International Labor Statistics Center, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Room 2190, Washington, DC 20212. You are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
No sensitive data will be collected.
12. Estimate of Respondent Burden
Number of respondents: 100 applicants each year
Response time: 20 minutes each
Burden hours: 34 hours
Please note that most applicants are from countries other than the United States.
13. Estimate of Cost Burden
Capital start-up costs: $0
Total operation and maintenance and purchase of services: $0
There are no costs to the potential participants (applicants) other than the time it takes to complete the Training Application. Applicants complete the form based on personal knowledge and experience, which requires no record-keeping or other expenses. Please note that most applicants are from other countries.
Cost to the Federal Government
We estimate that it costs the Federal Government approximately $38.28 per training applicant or $3,828 for 100 applicants to process the Training Application.
15. Changes in Respondent Burden
None. This is a new collection of information.
16. Plans for Publication
The information collected will not be used for publication but, rather, for program operational purposes, including the determination of a potential participants’ suitability to attend a BLS training program, further contacts with individuals to acknowledge receipt of the applications, their acceptance into a training program, and other administrative purposes.
17. Request to Not Display Expiration Date
The BLS is not seeking approval to avoid displaying the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.
18. Exceptions to the Certification
There are no exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction act Submissions,” on the OMB Form 83-I.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | OEUS Network |
| Last Modified By | petrie_a |
| File Modified | 2006-11-17 |
| File Created | 2006-11-14 |