FTMS OMB Supporting Statement-Final

United States Department of Energy

Supporting Statement

Foreign Travel Management System

OMB Control Number (NEW)

This supporting statement provides additional information regarding the Department of Energy (DOE) request for processing of the travel information collection, Foreign Travel Management System. The numbered questions correspond to the order shown on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Form 83-1, “Instructions for Completing OMB Form 83-1.”

A. Justifications.

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate action of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

Department of Energy (DOE) Order 551.1C, “Official Foreign Travel” dated June 24, 2008, as prescribed in 48 CFR 947.247-70 Foreign travel, mandates the proposed collection of information for DOE foreign travel. The order vests the responsible program Secretarial Officers with executive direction and management function, authority, and responsibilities of the accountability for all foreign travel conducted under their authority for both Federal employees and contractors. This collection will ensure DOE will be able to track travel expenses and expenditures and can be responsive to any inquires made by Congress, General Accounting Office, and/or the Office of Management and Budget for foreign travel conducted by the DOE.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

As a new collection, the information collected will be used by Programmatic Secretarial Officers, Program Managers, and Heads of Organizations to manage their program objectives in order to accomplish DOE’s missions, this system will ensure that all travel requests are tracked and Federal and DOE requirements are met and that travel costs are minimal and do not exceed allocated funds.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

All foreign travel information is collected through the Department’s centralized web-based Foreign Travel Management System (FTMS) at https://ftms.doe.gov which will reduce the burden of data collection.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

The Foreign Travel Management System (FTMS) is unique to DOE and there is no other system to our knowledge of its kind in existence. As a centralized web-based system, it collects federal and contractor travelers’ information for DOE at approximately 160 sites. There are no other centralized systems that gather this specific information which allows DOE Headquarters to have access at a moment’s notice to the whereabouts of its travelers when an emergency arises. This system was built based on DOE’s business requirements and is not available from any other source and is not duplicated elsewhere to our knowledge.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

As this collection applies only to DOE federal and contractor personnel, small businesses are not impacted by the collection of this data.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

If this collection is not conducted, effective oversight and management of Department foreign travel activities would not be possible. DOE conducts over 16,912 foreign trips annually, and it would be a major impact on the ability to accomplish DOE missions as the information collected is used to secure country clearances required by the Department of State, passports, and Visas which grants country clearance and the issuance of passports and visas. If the information is not collected, travel would not be granted and the missions and objectives the Department of Energy would not be accomplished.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines. (a) requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly; (b) requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it; (c) requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document; (d) requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records, for more than three years; (e) in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to product valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study; (f) requiring the use of statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB; (g) that includes a pledge of confidentially that is not supported by authority established in stature of regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; (h) requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secrets, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

There are none. The information collection is not being conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d). soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and described actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years – even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

The Department published a 60-day Federal Register Notice and Request for Comments concerning this collection in the Federal Register on September 18, 2008, volume 73, number 182, page 54154. In addition, the Department published a correction to the 60-day Federal Register Notice on November 3, 2008, volume 73, number 213, page 65300. The notice described the collection and invited interested parties to submit comments or recommendations regarding the collection. No comments were received.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other that remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No payment or gift to respondents is being proposed under this information collection.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

This is non-proprietary information; this is not applicable to business.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitude, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

No questions of a personally sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs are included in this information collection.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of collection of information. The statement should indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.

The estimate of hour burden of the information collection is as follows:

Total number of respondents is: 8,313

Total number of responses per respondent is: 2.0344

Total number of annual responses is: 16,912

Total reporting burden per response per hour is: 0.15

Total annual burden hours: 4,228

Frequency of response: Based on the number of trips taken by the respondent during the year.

The total number of burden hours was determined by averaging the amount of time it takes to collect and enter the information into the database by the respondent which could be the traveler or the travel arranger. The average time to enter a trip into the system is 15 minutes which includes securing approval of the travel which equates to 4,228 burden hours.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).

Not applicable. Zero cost to the respondents.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.

There is no additional Government cost. The request for and analysis of the data submitted are part of the job functions for the Government personnel involved.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Item 13 (or 14) of OMB Form 83-I.

No changes or adjustments. This is a new information collection.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The information contained in the response to the collection of information will not be published.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

Not applicable. DOE is not seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.