OMB - Supporting Statement - PVO Registry - 0412-0035 - 06-02-2008

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR APPROVAL UNDER

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

JUSTIFICATION

1. Since 1939, Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs) have been active in humanitarian work overseas and have a rich history of cooperation with the U.S. Government. Growing cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. and international private voluntary community mirrors the U.S. Government’s belief that the programs of these agencies embody the traditional ideas of the American people. The PVO Registry originated on the eve of World War II as a means for the U.S. Government to monitor the overseas relief activities of American agencies in warring countries. Over the years, the PVO Registry has been streamlined, and registration is now officially cited as the prerequisite for U.S. and international PVOs seeking to apply for funding from USAID. The Office of Development Partners (ODP) is the designated office responsible for maintaining the PVO registration. Presently, ODP reviews PVO registration applications, approves and registers PVOs and maintains and updates the registration information annually from hard copy documents. The support contractor also maintains electronic files and publishes occasional documents based on the registration files. In an effort to further streamline the PVO Registry, reduce cost and the paperwork burden, USAID is developing an online database (to eliminate paper copies of OMB 0412-0566 -OMB 0412-0035) for the approval and collection of new and annual registration information from PVOs. The online system will be titled, USAID Private Voluntary Organization – Registration OnLine Sytem (USAID PVO/ROLS). The system will allow PVOs to log in and submit new or annual information electronically. USAID personnel will be able to review, correct and approve the information submitted. Overall, this system will provide electronic online replacement to the current paper-based system used for data collection for new and annual PVO respondents. The online pilot system is scheduled to be launched by August 1 and go live by September 30, 2008.

2. Six hundred and seventeen PVOs are registered with USAID and forty percent receive USAID funding. Registration provides a resource for USAID officials to access descriptions of each PVO's activities and administrative data which is provided to USAID by each PVO during the annual registration process and is not listed on procurement rosters. The PVO Registry is a central clearinghouse for information on PVOs working in countries where otherwise the U.S. Government would not have knowledge of the activities.

3. AID Form 1550-2 and AID Form 200-1 were developed for use on a computerized information processing system and will be utilized to captured data of initial and annual respondents electronically to further reduce the burden of registrants.

4. Registration of PVOs is the sole purview of USAID and the Office of Development Partners (ODP). Registration generates current administrative and basis financial data on registered PVOs. The information is disseminated to USAID/Washington and USAID overseas Missions, the PVO community, Congress, and the general public.

5. Some of the PVOs registered with USAID are considered “small entities.” Smaller PVOs are given much consideration whenever revisions are made to simplify the PVO Registry. The reporting burden for smaller PVOs with less revenue and program expenditures is proportionately no greater than that for a larger PVO.

6. Annual registration of PVOs is the sole purview of USAID and ODP, and the collection of data resides with USAID. There is no duplication of the collection of information. A less frequent collection of information would mean that the Agency would be unable to fulfill its request for current information on its PVO partners in developing countries.

7. This is not applicable, because, information is collected in a manner consistent with guidelines in 5CFR 1320.6.

8. ODP has received no objections regarding the online system.

9. This is not applicable because respondents are not given gifts or payments.

10. There is no requirement for confidentiality in the information collected for PVO registration. PVOs are informed that under the Privacy Act, this information is available fro public disclosure.

11. This is not applicable, because respondents are not asked any questions of a sensitive nature, such as questions concerning sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

12. Presently there are 617- PVOs required to submit report annually. It will take approximately one to two hours to register online. Small PVOs with support and revenue less than $50,000 should be able to register online in one hour or less. Larger PVOs tend to require the maximum appropriated number of hours. The cost for each respondent (the PVO) is estimated at $37.08. (Based on $37.08/hour). There is no additional burden on the PVO.

13. There are no additional, burdensome costs associated with this reporting requirement. The staff personnel maintain requested data as part of the regular

function for salaried positions. The respondents will need a computer and

internet access. Presently, all 617 registered PVOs have internet access.

14. The annual estimated cost to the U.S. Federal Government is $31,584.23.

Based on: Salary of technical data analyst @ $51.19/hr/ (one hour) x 617

PVOs.

15. Request for approval for the continue use of data from AID Form 1550-2 (OMB

0412-0035) and AID 200-1 (OMB 0412-0566) converted to electronic

collection.

16. Information is collected from respondents (PVOs) based on fiscal year end. The

heaviest reporting periods are June and December. The data obtained from

online registration will be verified prior to being included in the PVO online

registry available to the public on an annual base in January of each year.

17. Collection data will be displayed in an electronic data screen module.

18. There are no exceptions.