CFC Application Supporting Statement (2007 Applications)

JUSTIFICATION STATEMENT

Title of Information Collection: Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Charity Application

A. Justification

1. All recognized 501(c)(3) voluntary health and welfare organizations must meet the requirements of Executive Order 12353 (March 23, 1982), 47 FR 12785 (March 25, 1982), 3 CFR 1982 Comp., p. 139, Executive Order 12404 (February 10, 1983), 48 FR 6685 (February 15, 1983), Public Law 100-202, and Public Law 102-393 (5 USC 1101 note) to be eligible for the privilege of soliciting contributions from Federal employees in the annual CFC. The current regulations, 5 CFR 950, published in the Federal Register on Friday, November 24, 1995 are attached. The Office of Management and Budget is currently reviewing revisions to these regulations, which were published in the Federal Register on Thursday, June 29, 2006. The 2007 CFC application is based on proposed changes to the regulations.

2. Organizations wishing to participate in the campaign must file an application of certification with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) annually to prove that they meet the eligibility requirements before receiving approval to participate. Without this information, OPM cannot make these determinations. Local charitable organizations must submit an application to their respective Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC), the entity that oversees the campaign locally, for the same privilege to participate in the local campaign.

3. The collection of information does not involve the use of automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques. The Office of CFC Operations is committed to implementing procedures in the application process in areas where it will reduce the burden of completing and processing the application. In 2007, OPM will offer PDF-fillable versions of the CFC application, in addition to Word, for the first time. OPM plans to design an automated application for future campaigns.

4. Duplication is minimized because applicants need only make one application to apply in each campaign.

5. The information does not involve small business or other entities.

6. OPM and LFCCs would be unable to make eligibility determinations for each annual campaign if the application was submitted less frequently. CFC regulations require that participating charities apply on an annual basis.

7. No such special circumstances exist for this information collection.

8. The notice to the public of the proposed issuance of regulations was published in the June 29, 2006 Federal Register, pages 37003 – 37014. The Office of CFC Operations (OCFCO) received comments on the proposal and made revisions based on the feedback. The revisions to the 2007 CFC application reflect changes to the CFC regulations.

9. Not applicable.

10. No assurance of confidentiality is provided to organizations applying to participate in the CFC for most of the information. With the exception of the audited financial statements, all information required is public information. Application documents are not released to the public without a Freedom of Information Act request.

11. We do not collect sensitive information with this information collection.

12. Each applicant is required to apply annually. Approximately 2,500 applications are completed annually, and we estimate that it takes approximately 3 hours per organization to provide the requested materials. The annual response burden is 7,500 hours.

13. Annual cost to respondents

• Preparation of applications

3 hours at $20 an hour ………. $60

• Misc. photocopying, typing,

mailing, and overhead ……… $50

TOTAL $110

$110 x 2,500 applicants ………. $275,000

14. Annual cost to the Federal government:

• Staff review of applications:

1400 hours at $40 per hour ………. $56,000

• Misc. photocopying, typing,

mailing, and overhead ………. $1,500

TOTAL $57,500

15. The annual reporting and recordkeeping hour burden has increased since the previous submission due to the increased number of applicants. The annual cost to respondents has not changed.

16. In accordance with 5 CFR § 950.801, the Director of OPM determines a specific 60-day calendar period, which will be issued as part of an annual calendar of events. The 2007 application will be January 31, 2007, which is consistent with previous years. The calendar will also state that the national/international eligibility list will be distributed to all local campaigns by July 31. Future application deadlines may change.

17. The Office of CFC Operations does not wish to display the form’s expiration date on the face of the form. The national/international applications (Forms 1646 A and B) have submission deadlines determine by the Director of OPM. The local applications (Forms 1646 C and D) have deadlines that are determined by each local campaign. Applications received beyond the deadline are not accepted. Inclusion of the expiration date on the form may mislead the applicant as to when the application must be submitted.

18. There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

B. Collection of Information for Statistical Methods

This information does not employ statistical methods.