v2OMB Support WAP Emergency ICR REVISED 100609

Supporting Statement:

Survey on Progress with Implementing the

Weatherization Assistance Program

OMB Control Number: (NEW)

The Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) is submitting for emergency clearance of an Information Collection Request from the Office of Management and Budget for contract staff to make telephone calls to the States and the Community Action Agencies to collect this information.

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

WAP has been assigned a significant role in the Recovery Act. The successful execution of this program is an important part of achieving the goals of the Recovery Act. DOE needs an interim information update to manage risks, monitor activities and to respond to requests on the progress of Recovery Act and FY 2009 funds in a timely manner. All of the information required is necessary to determine program compliance and set parameters for Program goals in 10 CFR 440.

The Recovery Act represents a more than 20 fold increase in WAP funding compared to base FY09 appropriations. The purpose of this funding is to quickly stimulate the economy, increase jobs in the weatherization industry and help low income families reduce energy bills at a time of great economic stress. To ensure that the goals of providing rapid stimulus are achieved, DOE has reduced the grant period for Recovery Funds from the normal five year grant to three years. Consequently, grantees and subgrantees must spend a larger amount than they ever have received at a quicker pace than ever before.

The successful implementation of the Davis Bacon Act is viewed by DOE as clearing the major obstacle pointed to by the Weatherization network as a barrier to the spending of Recovery Act funds. Thus, DOE believes that the pace of spending should be significantly greater than at any time in the history of the program. Unfortunately, DOE does not have current data to substantiate this and, more importantly, does not have the information needed to effectively identify problems that may negatively impact the achievement of Recovery Act goals.

DOE believes that it cannot wait for data on a quarterly basis in order to effectively monitor the use of Recovery Funds and respond quickly to identified problems. Thus, DOE has an immediate need for information in the following areas: 1) the number of homes weatherized; 2) the numbers of auditors, crews, and quality control inspectors hired since the passage of the Recovery Act/or planned new hires; 3) the level of spending of Recovery Act Funds; and, 4) assistance needed in order to more effectively implement WAP at this critical time. This is a one time collection.

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.

All information collected will be used by DOE to determine program production and answer congressional, budget and public inquiries. Program management requires this information to effectively monitor the use of Recovery Funds and respond quickly to identified problems.

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.

A database tool will be used to collect and compile information received from survey questions.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

The Weatherization Assistance Program is the only federal program that provides weatherization services to low income Americans. The questions and collection tool have been developed to with a consistent format for the collection of program information.

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

Small Businesses are not impacted.

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.

It is important that DOE can assess the program’s progress particularly in light of resolving what was a major obstacle to implementation, identify needs for assistance and resolve issues or barriers to achieving our goals now. We cannot wait for the normal clearance process. If we wait, there is significant risk that the weatherization service for low-income families will be delayed into the winter and that they will not benefit from reduced energy bills during this time of great economic stress.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

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 5CFR 320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken in response to the comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside DOE.

The Department has requested an emergency waiver of the 60-day Federal Register Notice and Request for Comments concerning this collection.

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

There are no payments, gifts or remuneration for submission of any of the information.

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

There is no identifiable confidential information being requested.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

There is no collection in this package that involves questions of a sensitive, personal or private nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the 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.

This is a one time collection. This data collection will be organized as a two stage process:

1. Grantees – DOE will call the 50 states and ask each state to collect and provide data on their activities and data from all of their subgrantees according to the submitted questionnaire. If states do not have this data or cannot quickly obtain the required information from subgrantees, DOE will call subgrantees directly in those states. The hours of burden for the initial state survey are estimated to be two (2) hours. The maximum number of respondents for the first stage of collection is fifty (50) state agencies.

2. Subgrantees - For those states that cannot provide subgrantee data, DOE will call a sample of local agencies that represent the majority of distributed WAP funding. The maximum hours of burden for this survey are estimated to be four (4) hours. DOE estimates that approximately 25 percent of subgrantees received the bulk of WAP funding. Therefore, the maximum number of respondents for the second stage of collection is two hundred fifty (250) local agencies.

The burden was estimated using extrapolation methods of known time needed to use the WINSAGA tool to develop and enter similar data.

Program Participants	# of Respondents		Hours		Subtotal		Annually
Stage 1. - Grantees (states)	50	x	2	=	100		100
Stage 2. - Subgrantees (local agencies)	250	x	4	=	1000		1000
TOTAL*	300				1100		1100

* Total burden hours estimate the maximum possible burden for this one time collection.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information.

The estimated total annual cost burden is $33,000.

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

The estimated total annual cost burden is $75,000.

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

This is a new collection; therefore there are no program changes or adjustments.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.

This package contains no collections whose results will be published for statistical use.

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.

The Department is not seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collections contained in this package.

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 identified in item 19. “Certification for

Paperwork Reduction Act submissions” of OMB form 83-I.

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