SUPPORTING STATEMENT
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic Development Administration
REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVED CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENTS
OMB CONTROL NO. 0610-0096
A. JUSTIFICATION
This request is to extend the OMB approval for this information collection.
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The mission of the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA provides investments that will help our partners across the nation (states, regions and communities) create wealth and minimize poverty by promoting a favorable business environment to attract private capital investment and higher skill, higher wage jobs through capacity building, infrastructure, research and technical assistance.
EDA may award assistance for construction projects through its Public Works and Economic Development Program, as well as its Economic Adjustment Assistance (EEA) Program.
The Public Works and Economic Development Program investments help support the construction or rehabilitation of essential public infrastructure and facilities necessary to generate or retain private sector jobs and investments, attract private sector capital, and promote regional competitiveness, including investments that expand and upgrade infrastructure to attract new industry, support technology-led development, redevelop brownfield sites and provide eco-industrial development. The EAA Program provides a wide range of technical, planning and infrastructure assistance in regions experiencing adverse economic changes that may occur suddenly or over time.
The Summary of EDA Construction Standards (commonly referred to as the ``bluebook'') and the Standard Terms and Conditions for Construction Projects, as well as any special conditions incorporated into the terms and conditions at the time of award, supplement the requirements that apply to EDA-funded construction projects.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.
The information is used by EDA personnel to monitor recipients' compliance with EDA's statutory and regulatory requirements and specific terms and conditions relating to individual awards. EDA also uses the information requested to analyze and evaluate program performance.
The information collected will not be disseminated to the public.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Whenever practicable, EDA accepts information via fax, email, or any means available to the applicant.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
EDA is unaware of any duplication with respect to this information collection. EDA periodically reviews its information collections to ensure that there is no duplication.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.
Not Applicable.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
EDA would not be able to fulfill its statutory mandate if the information collection is not conducted or conducted less frequently.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
Not Applicable.
8. Provide a copy of the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to the notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the 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.
On January 22, 2009, a Federal Register Notice (Volume 74, Number 13, Pages 3986-3987) was published to solicit public comments on this information collection. No comments were received.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No gifts or payments are provided to any respondent.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
There is no assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents of this information collection.
While information submitted by a respondent to EDA is generally subject to public disclosure, EDA does not publicly release confidential business information, including trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information, to the extent that such information is exempt from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). See 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4).
11. Provide additional justification for any question of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.
This collection of information does not request information of a sensitive nature.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
It is estimated to take 2 hours to complete this collection of information. At any one time, EDA has approximately 600 construction grants in the post-approval phase (i.e., the grant has been approved by EDA but not yet closed out). Since there are approximately 20 post-approval submissions associated with the average construction project and construction projects tend to last approximately 3 years, EDA estimates that, on average, a typical recipient of EDA construction assistance will submit 7 information collections related to this requirement each year. Therefore the annual hourly burden is estimated as follows:
600 open construction grants * 7 submissions/year/open construction grant =
4,200 responses/year * 2 hours/submission = 8,400 hours/year
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information (excluding the value of the burden hours in #12 above).
Not Applicable.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
EDA estimates that EDA personnel spend approximately 6 hours reviewing and responding to each submission. EDA values its employees’ time at $45/hour. Therefore, the estimate of annualized cost to the Federal government is as follows:
600 open construction grants * 7 submissions/year/open construction grant *
6 hours/submission * $45/hour = $1,134,000
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported .
The adjustment decreases in respondents/responses and burden hours are due to a decrease in the number of respondents experienced since the previous submission.
16. For collections whose collections will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.
Specific details of information collected from respondents will generally not be published. However, some of the information collected may be published in aggregate form as part of EDA’s annual report, Government Performance and Results Act reporting, EDA’s Balanced Scorecard or other summary reports.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that the display would be inappropriate.
Not Applicable. No forms are involved with this collection of information
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.
No exceptions are requested.
B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This information collection does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Supporting Statement for the Economic Development Administration’s |
| Author | jvertman |
| File Modified | 2009-05-28 |
| File Created | 2009-05-13 |