1625-0004
USCG Academy Application and Supplemental Forms
Supporting Statement
for
1625-0004
A. Justification
Explain circumstances that make collection of information necessary.
The appointment of permanent commissioned officers in the regular Coast Guard from the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) is authorized by 14 USC 211. The authority to operate the USCGA is contained in 14 USC 181. The regulation and administration of the USCGA is the responsibility of the Superintendent, subject to the direction of the Commandant of the Coast Guard under the general supervision of the Secretary of Homeland Security. One of the Superintendent’s responsibilities is to ensure that qualified individuals from the public at large have every opportunity to compete for a cadet appointment. The USCGA Application and Supplemental Forms (High School Transcript, English Instructor Evaluation, Math Instructor Evaluation, Coach or P.E. Instructor Evaluation, and Physical Fitness Examination Scoring Form) ensure the collection of information necessary to select the best applicants.
Indicate how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose information is to be used.
These forms enable men and women between 17 and 22 years old to apply for an appointment as Cadet, U.S. Coast Guard at the USCGA. Application is made yearly from August to March and is available to the general public through the USCGA website at www.uscga.edu. Without this application, the public would have no method of applying for an appointment to the USCGA since information collected from these forms is not available through any other source.
Describe whether, and to what extent the collection of information involves the use of automated or other collection techniques.
The USCGA application is completed online by the applicant and downloaded by the USCGA. Data from the application is imported directly into our applicant database, eliminating the need for scanning or manual entry. The application is also printed for board review and storage.
The USCGA supplemental forms are downloaded or printed by the applicant and distributed to various school officials to complete and return to student, who ultimately mails all forms to the USCGA. At this time, the supplemental forms cannot be made electronic because they must be given to multiple third parties. The receipt of these forms, and a limited amount of data from them, is manually entered into our applicant database.
Describe efforts to identify duplication.
This information is not available from any source except the individual, their high school, and individual academic instructors. Additionally, the USCGA is the only entity authorized to obtain this information from the public for admissions selection to the USCGA. The application is designed for efficient operation and reduces the amount of information (e.g., Name, SSN) that must be entered repeatedly.
Does collection of information impact small businesses?
This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses or other small entities.
Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if collection is not conducted.
If the USCGA were not allowed to collect this information it could no longer receive applications or review applicants for cadet appointments. The USCGA would be unable to enroll new classes and the Coast Guard’s officer corps would be dangerously reduced.
Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner.
This information collection is conducted in manner consistent with the guidelines in 5CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, soliciting comments on the information collection.
A 60 day Notice was published in the Federal Register to obtain public comment on this collection. (See [USCG-2008-0170], March 26, 2008, 73 FR 16027). The USCG has not received any comments on this information collection.
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.
Successful respondents who meet all the application and selection criteria would receive an appointment as Cadet, U.S. Coast Guard and orders to attend the USCGA for four years. With the exception of a one-time entrance deposit of $3,000.00, the selected applicants attend the USCGA with appropriate military pay/benefits and at no further financial burden to them. They are obligated to serve in the Coast Guard for five years upon graduation from the USCGA.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
The information obtained from the USCGA application and supplemental forms falls under the Privacy Act/Freedom of Information Regulations; applicants are informed of this in writing.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.
There are no questions of sensitive language.
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
Number of respondents, frequency, hour burden as follows:
Online Application (OA) 1.00 hrs x 4000 = 4000
High School Transcript (HST) 0.30 hrs x 2000 = 600
English Instructor Eval (EIE) 0.25 hrs x 2000 = 500
Math Instructor Eval (MIE) 0.25 hrs x 2000 = 500
Coach/PE Instructor Eval (PE) 0.25 hrs x 2000 = 500
Physical Fitness Exam (PFE) 1.00 hrs x 2000 = 2000
Total number of hours = 8100
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers.
Cost figured at $5.00 per hour per student and $25.00 per hour per teacher filling out forms on personal time.
OA (0.80 hrs x $5.00) x 4000 = $ 16,000
HST (0.05 hrs x $5.00 + 0.25 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $ 13,000
EIE (0.05 hrs x $5.00 + 0.20 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $ 10,500
MIE (0.05 hrs x $5.00 + 0.20 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $ 10,500
PE (0.05 hrs x $5.00 + 0.20 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $ 10,500
PFE (1.00 hrs x $5.00 + 1.00 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $ 60,000
Total hours value = $104,500
Postage, Envelopes, and Printing = $10.00 x 2000 = $20,000
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government.
Development/Management of online application by contractor = $25,000
USCGA staff members to input/transfer data = 2 x $14.00/hr x 400 hrs = $11,200
Printing of application for review/storage = 36,000 sheets x $0.01/sheet = $ 360
Total Cost = $36,560
15. Explain the reasons for any changes or adjustments reported in items 13 or 14.
The removal of the Mid-Year Transcript from the supplemental forms is a program change which reduces the total annual cost burden to both respondents and record keepers. Switching our contractor, from The College Board to Paskill Stapleton and Lord, for development/management of the online application increased the annualized cost to the USCGA. Overall, this collection of forms is easier for the respondents to complete and the record keepers to process than in the past.
In addition, USCGA has
made adjustments to the ethnicity/race question. The changes
are reflected in the provided USCGA Online Application. We now
ask the Hispanic/Latino (Yes/No) question and then the race question
using the five standard answers (African American or Black, Asian,
Native American or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander); we also allow a
"Choose Not To Respond"
answer for both questions. In the previously approved
collection, the USCG was also requested to submit a change request
upon the changes to the ethnicity/race question in Part One of the
application. This change request was not submitted because USCG
wanted to submit these changes when adding the online
application as a part of the revision to the collection of
information.
16. Outline plans for tabulation and publication.
This information collection will not be published for statistical purposes.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons.
USCG will display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,"of OMB Form 83-I.
USCG does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | omb revision |
| Author | LCDR P. E. Muir |
| Last Modified By | Tyrone Huff |
| File Modified | 2008-12-09 |
| File Created | 2008-12-09 |