SUPPORTING STATEMENT
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic Development Administration
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
OMB CONTROL NO. 0610-0101
A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) mission is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.
The Economic Development Administration was established under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended, (42 U.S.C. § 3121) to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress.
In fulfilling its mission, EDA is guided by the basic principle that distressed communities must be empowered to develop and implement their own economic development and revitalization strategies. Based on these locally- and regionally-developed priorities, EDA works in partnership with state and local governments, regional economic development districts, public and private nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes. EDA helps distressed communities address problems associated with long-term economic distress, as well as sudden and severe economic dislocations including recovering from the economic impacts of natural disasters, the closure of military installations and other federal facilities, changing trade patterns, and the depletion of natural resources.
This submission is an extension, revises the seven categories, and selection process. These changes do not affect the hours or cost. In particular, the selection panel was enlarged from two to three at-large members and economic development practitioners are from the nonfederal community.
The nominations will be accepted for seven categories:
Excellence in Urban or Suburban Economic Development
Excellence in Rural Economic Development
Excellence in Environmental and Energy Economic Development
Excellence in University-led Strategies to Enhance Economic Development
Excellence in Economic Diversification Strategies responding to economic dislocations, including economic dislocations caused by natural disasters and military base realignment and closure actions to Enhance Economic Development
Excellence in Community and Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship
Excellence in Historic Preservation-led Strategies to Enhance Economic Development
(Previous categories were: (1) Excellence in Urban or Suburban Economic Development;
(2) Excellence in Rural Economic Development; (3) Excellence in Enhancing Regional Competitiveness; (4) Excellence in Economic Adjustment Strategies; (5) Excellence in Technology-led Economic Development; (6) Excellence in Community and Faith-Based Social Entrepreneurship; and (7) Excellence in Innovation.)
This competition is open to all types of nonprofit organizations, nonfederal government bodies, and universities and colleges. The award selections are made by a panel of economic development practitioners, academics, and government representatives. The award is strictly honorary and carries no monetary benefit. To fulfill EDA’s information dissemination objectives, award recipients are invited to share their experience when the award is presented. Material from the nomination forms is not disclosed publicly. Participation in the competition is voluntary.
As part of the development of the Award for Excellence in Economic Development, EDA has designed a short nomination form. The nominees submit the form to EDA to be screened for completeness and complete forms will be forwarded to the selection panel for review.
In order to make Award determination, EDA must collect two kinds of information: (a) information identifying the nominee and contacts within the organization being nominated; and (b) information explaining why the nominee should receive the award. Use of the nomination form standardizes and limits the information collected as part of the nomination process. This makes the competition fairer and eases any burden on applicants and reviewers alike. In addition, EDA needs an official of the nominated organization to sign the document, certifying that the organization is entering the competition voluntarily, their statements are true, and the nominee understands the rules of the competition.
2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will 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 will be used by the selection panel to determine applicants that meet the preannounced selection criteria. The selection panel is chosen by the Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and may include:
one representatives of the nonfederal economic development practitioner community;
one member from academe;
two representatives of EDA; and
three at-large members.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology.
The nomination process is over for FY 2008, and EDA will not accept nominations until the second quarter of FY 2009. For FY 2009, EDA’s nomination form will be available for downloading from EDA’s website, and EDA will use electronic (e.g. Web-based) or advanced submission techniques.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.
The nomination application form is the only way to apply for the award. EDA developed the award in consultation with professional associations that represent local governments and nonprofit organizations eligible for the award. There is no comparable award already offered.
5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.
For-profit organizations are not eligible for the award. The requirements of the nomination form are minimal and do not impose any special burden on small organizations.
6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
Without this information, EDA would be unable to determine the recipients of the Awards.
7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
There are no special circumstances.
8. Provide the information 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 that 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.
A Federal Register Notice soliciting public comments was published on February 21, 2008
(Vol. 73, pg. 9522). No comments were received.
As noted above, EDA developed the award program in consultation with numerous professional organizations that represent the potential nominees. EDA also reviewed the award process of other organizations such as the Excellence in Government Award of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Malcolm Baldridge Award of the Department of Commerce, and the Fannie Mae Foundation Awards for Community Development.
9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No gifts or payments are made to respondents. The award recipients receive a plaque or other commemorative item.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
The identity of nominees, information included in their nomination, selection scores, and content of deliberations used to select finalists and recipients will not be disclosed. This is stated in the nomination package.
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 are no questions of a sensitive nature.
12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.
EDA estimates that completion of the form will take approximately 3 hours. EDA anticipates 100 nominations, for a maximum burden of 300 hours. In support of their nomination, applicants may request up to three outside reviewers to submit recommendations letters.
Each letter is limited to two pages in length and is expected to take less than an hour to complete, totaling 300 hours, which burden is incurred by the recommenders, not to the nominees, and not included in the burden hour calculation.
Assuming $40 per hour in labor costs for professional staff, completing the form should cost each applicant approximately $120 ($40/hr x 3 hours). Based on the figures above, there could be another $40 cost per nomination incurred by parties preparing recommendation letters.
Assuming the maximum of 100 nominees, EDA anticipates the maximum total cost for nonfederal individuals to be $16,000 ($120 + $40= $160 x 100)
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record-keepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in #12 above).
Non-labor costs for mailing, phone calls, etc. are expected to be less that $20 per nominee, or $2,000 in total. There are no filing fees.
14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
Awards are made using a three-step process: initial screening for completeness; selection of finalists; and selection of winners. The annualized costs of each are outlined below.
Screening for completeness: Each nomination is to be screened by EDA staff for completeness before being passed along to the selection panel. This is expected to require one-quarter hour per nomination. Assuming an average cost of $40 per hour for professional staff, that would be $10 per nomination. We received 100 nominations in 2008.
Selection of finalists: EDA estimates each nomination will require approximately one-third of an hour to evaluate per reviewer. EDA further anticipates that each nomination will be reviewed by one federal employee in the first round. Assuming an average cost of $40 per hour for professional staff, that would be $13.33 per nomination, or $13.33 x 21 nominations = $280.
Selection of winners: The top three nominees in each of the seven categories advance as finalists. Using the announced criteria, the selection panel ranks the finalists for consideration by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. The Assistant Secretary then selects the winners. Each of these is anticipated to take an additional one-half hour. At $67.23 per hour, that would require an additional $706 (21 x 0.5 x $67.23).
Total Cost to Government: $986.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB 83-I.
The adjustment is due an increase of respondents/responses (100) than estimated in previous submission (50), and burden hours (150 to 300).
16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.
EDA will not publish the results of the collected information.
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.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the
OMB 83-I.
Not applicable.
B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
This collection will not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Kenneth M. Kukovich |
| File Modified | 2008-06-26 |
| File Created | 2008-06-26 |