PRA Supporting Statement Annual report 10-2009

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR

PAPER REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

Annual Report

OMB # 1405-0151

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US. Department of State (DOS) administers the Exchange Visitor Program (J-Visa) under the provisions of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended. This Program requires U.S. local, state and federal government agencies and public and private organizations to report annually on a variety of educational and cultural exchange activities.

The Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report Form provides a means for sponsor organizations to report a summary of exchange visitor activity and an accounting of the number of Forms DS-2019 used. It also provides a means for assisting the Department in maintaining appropriate oversight of the Exchange Visitor Program.

This collection of information utilizes one form: Form DS-3097 – Annual Report

2. The Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report Form (DS-3097) is used by Department of State designated sponsors (U.S. local, state and federal government agencies and private sector for-profit and not-for profit organizations) to annually report their activities and program effectiveness to the Department of State. Approximately 1,460 annual reports are received each year. The information provided is used to monitor and maintain appropriate oversight of how the sponsors conduct their exchange visitor programs.

3. The Department is working with the Department of Homeland Security in moving toward the development of an electronic form. Currently sponsors can obtain an annual report of statistical information on their program from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), but must print the report, sign it and mail it to the Department. The Department has been working in close cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security to meet the legislative mandate established by Subtitle D, Section 641 of the Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) (P.L. 104-208), whereby the Attorney General was mandated to develop an electronic system to collect and submit information on non-immigrants entering the United States on F, J, and M visas.

It is expected that when the collection of electronic signatures is in place in SEVIS, the annual report process will also move to a completely electronic format. This will enable us to better serve the public and will reduce administrative and financial burdens on the Department of State for the reproduction costs and time necessary to obtain the reports by mail and fax. The ability to provide information electronically will also reduce the administrative and financial burdens on the sponsors when submitting their annual report. The Department is revising the Form DS-3097 to meet the new electronic requirements in SEVIS. The availability to collect electronic signatures and to submit the annual report through SEVIS is expected to be in place in 2010.

4. Designated sponsors are required to file this form on an annual basis. This information is not otherwise available.

5. This collection does not have significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or other small entities.

6. If the collection of information is not conducted, the Department could not administer the Exchange Visitor Program effectively. We would not be aware of details of existing sponsor program activities that now enable us to effectively assist sponsors in conducting viable exchange programs and monitoring activities to ensure that they are operating their exchange programs in compliance with the governing regulations (22 CFR Part 62). In addition, there would be no means for a designated sponsor to reconcile the use of Form DS-2019.

7. There are no special circumstances. The collection of information indicated on the annual report form is an annual submission, filed either on an academic, calendar or fiscal year basis, as directed by the Department in its letter of designation.

8. We received four public comments. One had no relevance to the Form DS-3097. The other three comments relates to the collection of information and the method of collection. The comments applaud the Department’s movement to allowing submission of the annual report through SEVIS. With the availability of electronic signatures, we expect the submission of the annual report process to be completely electronic by the end of 2010. The electronic submissions will also assist the Department in compiling data for all exchange visitor categories and sponsors. Such data may be posted or shared in the future. Other comments revolved around the questions in the narrative portion. These questions come directly from the annual report regulations set forth in 22 CFR 62.15. No changes will be made at this time.

9. Respondents are not provided with any gifts or payments.

10. There is no assurance of confidentiality provided.

11. There are no questions of a sensitive nature included in the data required on the Exchange Visitor Program Annual Report (Form DS-3097).

12. The number of responses expected for the Form is approximately 1,460 annually. This form takes approximately 2 hours to complete. The total burden hour is 2,920.

13. There is no additional cost to the respondents as the Department is continuing with the same information and procedures already required in the existing annual report regulations. As this data collection is an element of program administration, other costs that may potentially be incurred are not included as such costs are part of customary and usual business practices or are related to regulatory compliance requirements not associated with this information collection.

14. It is estimated that the annualized cost to the Federal Government is confined to the salary and benefits of Department officials responsible for the administrative oversight of the 1,460 designated sponsors submitting this information. Ten employees (GS-9 to GS-14) with an average hourly wage of $35.00 will spend approximately five percent of their time, or 100 hours, processing the forms (acknowledging receipt, tracking, reviewing reports, and filing) which yields an annual cost of $3,500.00 (100 hours x or @ $35.00 hourly wage). Costs for equipment, overhead, printing or other costs associated with the processing of this information collection are expected to be negligible.

15. The Department has revised the burden hours for Form DS-3097 to reflect the additional reporting of information and gathering of supporting documentation necessary for regulatory compliance. The estimated hourly burden has been increased to two hours for a total burden hour of 2,920.

16. The Department does not plan to publish the information.

17. The Department will display the OMB expiration date.

18. The Department is not requesting any exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.

2. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.

Items 1-5 are not applicable. This collection does not employ statistical methods.