rocisombTACONFREPORTsupportstatement

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

Technical Assistance Provider Conference Planning and Conference Cost Quarterly Reporting Form

A. Justification

1. Statutorily-Mandated Need for Information

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) implements the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership against domestic violence, dating, violence, sexual assault and stalking. At present, OVW administers one formula grant program and eleven discretionary grant programs. These grant programs fund States, local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations to help communities across America develop innovative strategies to respond to violence against women. Since 1995, OVW’s Technical Assistance Program (TA Program) has provided OVW grantees and subgrantees with training, expertise, and problem–solving strategies to meet the challenges of addressing violence against women and to enhance the success of local projects they are implementing with VAWA funds. TA Providers hold conferences and events where valuable technical assistance is provided to OVW grantees. Pursuant to Department of Justice requirements and section 218 of the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2008 (Title II, Division B, Public Law 110-161), OVW is required to submit quarterly reports to the Inspector General regarding the costs and contracting procedures for each conference held by the Department for which the cost to the government was more than $20,000. Specifically, Section 218 requires information on the subject of and number of participants attending that conference; a detailed statement of the costs to the Government relating to that conference, including the cost of any food or beverages, the cost of any audio-visual services, and a discussion of the methodology used to determine which costs relate to that conference; and a description of the contracting procedures relating to that conference, including whether contracts were awarded on a competitive basis for that conference and

a discussion of any cost comparison conducted by the Department of Justice in evaluating potential contractors for that conference.

2. Use of Information

OVW will use the information collected from TA providers to comply with its quarterly reporting requirements outlined in the previous section.

3. Use of Information Technology

The collection of information will involve the use of automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

4. Duplication of Information Request

There is no other mechanism by which OVW collects detailed information from TA providers on a quarterly basis about the number of participants attending that conference; a detailed statement of the costs to the Government relating to that conference, including the cost of any food or beverages; the cost of any audio-visual services; a discussion of the methodology used to determine which costs relate to that conference; and a description of the contracting procedures relating to that conference, including whether contracts were awarded on a competitive basis for that conference and a discussion of any cost comparison conducted by the Department of Justice in evaluating potential contractors for that conference.

5. Impact on Small Businesses

There is no impact on small businesses.

5. Consequences to Federal Programs or Policy

During OVW-sponsored conferences, TA providers have held many, many hours of important training for OVW grantees and subgrantees and offered critical technical assistance on behalf of OVW grantees and subgrantees. OVW TA providers enhance the effectiveness of the OVW grantees and subgrantees’ activities by providing direct assistance to them so they can implement more successfully the local projects they are supporting with VAWA grant funds. This technical assistance is adaptable to the inevitable changes in the field and economical in its size and scope. It is important for OVW to collect information about the activities of its TA providers to ensure that funded projects are cost-effective and that grantees and subgrantees are receiving the training, materials and technical assistance necessary to improve the response to violence against women.

5. Special Circumstances

There are no special circumstances as identified in the specific instructions for a supporting statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.

5. Federal Register Publication

OVW has consulted with persons outside the agency who have advised that the data proposed to be collected is available, the collection of such data on a quarterly basis is not burdensome, the form is clear, and that the information is routinely kept by TA providers receiving funds under the TA Program. OVW has solicited public comment on this form in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. A 60 day notice was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2008 (Federal Register, Volume 73, Number 40374) and a 30-day notice was published in the Federal Register on September 18, 2008 (Federal Register, Volume 73, Number 54166).

5. Payment or Gift to Respondents

There will no payment or gift to respondents.

5. Confidentiality

This information collection will not involve any personal information about specific individuals. Confidentiality is not assured.

11. Specific Questions

The quarterly reporting form will not contain any questions of a personal, sensitive nature such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

12. Hour Burden of the Collection of Information

This quarterly reporting form is not overly burdensome. OVW is seeking basic information that is routinely kept by the TA providers in the normal course of their grant-funded activities. OVW estimates that it will take approximately 15 minutes for a TA provider to complete the form. OVW developed this estimate based on the fact that information of this nature is already routinely kept by TA providers. The quarterly reporting form will be completed by approximately 100 OVW TA providers on a quarterly basis. There will be 400 annual responses and it is estimated that it will take TA providers no more than 15 minutes to complete the reporting form. Thus, the annual reporting and recordkeeping hour burden is 100 hours. TA providers are informed about the reporting requirements during the call for concept papers process and during the award process.

13. Cost Burden of the Collection of Information

OVW does not believe that there is any annual cost burden on respondents or record-keepers resulting from the completion of this form.

13. Annualized Costs to the Federal Government

OVW does not believe that there are any annualized costs to the Federal Government resulting from the collection of this information beyond those costs associated with the routine managing, monitoring, and oversight of the TA Program.

13. Program Changes or Adjustments

There are no program changes or adjustments for the estimates identified in Section 13 and in Section 14.

13. Published Results of Information Collection

There will be no complex analytical techniques used in connection with the publication of information collected under the request. OVW does not contemplate publishing the results of the information collection.

17. Display of the Expiration Date of OMB Approval

OVW will display the expiration date of OMB approval in the upper right hand corner of the reporting form.

18. Exception to the Certification Statement

OVW is not seeking any exception to the certification statement identified, Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions, of OMB Form 83-I.

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