ss nflp data form

Supporting Statement
Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) – Program Specific Data Form

A. JUSTIFCATION
1.

Circumstances of Information Collection

This is a request for OMB approval of a new form, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)
Program Specific Data Form, used to collect information from schools of nursing to apply for
a student loan fund. The program is operated out of the Bureau of Health Professions in the
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This form has been in use without
approval. The program was unaware that the information collection requirements
necessitated OMB approval. In the process of moving from a paper to an online submission
the violation was discovered and the program immediately began the process for OMB
submission.
Legislative Purpose
The HRSA estimates that by 2020, the demand for nurses will exceed the supply by
1,016,900 million to meet the health care needs of our society (HRSA, What is Behind
HRSA's Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortage of Registered Nurses?, 2006). The inability
of schools of nursing to recruit and retain qualified nursing faculty has directly impacted the
nursing shortage in the U.S. Without enough educators, nursing programs are forced to turn
away qualified and interested candidates. The National League for Nursing’s (NLN) 2006
Faculty Census Survey shows an increased vacancy rate. The estimated number of budgeted
unfilled, full-time positions in 2006 is 1,390. This represents a 7.9 percent vacancy rate for
baccalaureate and higher degree programs, an increase of 32 percent since 2002. There is a
5.6 percent vacancy rate for associate degree programs, an increase of 10 percent since 2002
(NLN, Nurse Educators 2006). In effect, a serious lack of institutional faculty capacity is
limiting how many new nurses will emerge from the pipeline.
The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is authorized under Title VIII of the Public
Health Service Act, Section 846A, as amended by the Nurse Reinvestment Act,
Public Law 107-205 to increase the number of qualified nurse faculty. The HHS,
acting through HRSA, may enter into an agreement with schools of nursing and make
an award to establish and operate a distinct NFLP loan fund. The NFLP loan fund is
used by the applicant school of nursing to make loans to eligible students pursuing an
advanced nursing degree program that will prepare the student to become qualified as
a nursing faculty. Applications to this program were first accepted for the 2003-2004
academic year. In fiscal year 2007, the NFLP was allotted $4.6 million by HRSA.
Funding for this program is expected to continue under future appropriations.
Under the NFLP, HHS makes an award to the institution in the form of a Federal Capital
Contribution (FCC). The institution uses the FCC to establish a distinct account called the
NFLP fund. The School must contribute an Institutional Capital Contribution (ICC) to the
NFLP fund equal to at least one-ninth (minimum) of the FCC award. The School has the
option of contributing a larger share to the NFLP fund.

2.

Purpose and Use of Information

The information collected from NFLP applicant schools is used for the purpose of making
award determinations. The data are used to ensure programmatic compliance with the
legislative authority and program guidance in the determination of awards to the schools.
The NFLP-Program Specific Data Form captures program-related information provided by
the applicant. The form provides the Federal Government with specific data from the
applicant which include: (1) the amount of the Federal funds requested by the applicant, (2)
the expected contribution from the applicant, (3) the student enrollment and graduation data
based on current and prospective NFLP loan recipients, (4) the graduate nursing education
programs supported under NFLP, (5) the program accreditation status, (6) the current tuition
and fee information for graduate nursing education programs, and (7) the projected NFLP
loan fund balance that may be considered as part of the award determination. The data
provided in the NFLP-Program Specific Data Form are essential for the formula-based
criteria used to determine the award amount to the applicant schools.
3.

Use of Improved Information Technology

NFLP applicants will be able access and submit an electronic copy of the NFLP-Program
Specific Data Form on the HRSA web site
4.

Efforts to Identify Duplication

The information requested in this form is specific to the NFLP applicant and unique to this
program. The information requested is not available from any other source.
5.

Involvement of Small Entities

The data collection does not have a significant impact on small businesses or other small
entities.
6.

Consequences if Information is Collected Less Frequently

The process for making NFLP awards occurs annually, prior to the academic school year. In
the absence of collecting these data, the review, selection and approval of funding for
qualified applicants cannot be carried out.
7.

Consistency with the Guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)

This information collection is consistent with 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8.

Consultation Outside the Agency

The notice required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d) was published in the Federal Register on March 27,
2008 (Vol. 73, No. 60, pages 16316-16317). No comments were received. Consultation and
review of the form was conducted outside of the agency with the following NFLP schools:
Dick Simmons

Accounting and Student Fiscal Services
University of Washington
Telephone: (206) 221-2610
Sharon Cameron
Campus Partners
Audit and Compliance Specialist
Telephone: (800) 458-4492 X2060
(Service agency for multiple NFLP schools)

9.

Remuneration of Respondents

Respondents will not receive any remuneration.
10.

Assurance of Confidentiality

The Program Specific Data form does not collect personally identifiable information on
individuals. The information requested on the form is aggregate level data only and does not
collect individual-level information.
11.

Questions of a Sensitive Nature

The data collection does not request sensitive information from the applicant.
12.

Estimates of Annualized Hour Burden

Estimates of respondent burden are as follows:
FORM

Number
Of Respondents

Responses Per
Respondent

Total
Responses

Hours per
Response

Total Burden
Hours

NFLP-Program Specific Data
From

150

1

150

8 hours

1200 hours

Total Burden

150

1

150

8 hours

1200 hours

The information requested from the applicant schools is estimated to average approximately
8 hours per respondent.
13.

Estimates of Annualized Cost Burden to Respondents

There are no capital, start up, or maintenance costs for the respondents.
14.

Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Government

The annualized cost to the government is for staff time to review the information submitted
by the schools, estimated at approximately 15% time for one FTE at a GS 13 level $12,444.
15.

Changes in Burden

This is a new activity.
16.

Time Schedule, Publication, and Analysis Plan

There are no plans for statistical analysis of the information or for publication of the data.
The deadline for submission of the application is expected to be the first week in February,
2009. The awards are finalized by July 1st each year. The information is used for
determination of awards to applicants and for monitoring program activity.
17.

Exemption for Display of Expiration Date

The expiration date will be displayed. No exemption is being requested.
18.

Certifications

This information fully complies with the guidelines set forth in 5 CFR 1320.9. The required
certifications are included in the package.