Justification for 0970-0356 non substantive increase in burden 7

Justification for Non-Substantive Program Change

This request is to increase the burden hours for OMB# 0970-0356, Formative Data Collections for Informing Policy Research, from 300 hours to 600 hours. Given the usefulness of this tool, demand for use has been higher than expected.

In addition, individual Information Collection lines (ICs) cannot be discontinued without discontinuing the entire clearance which means that the burden associated with current IC’s no longer in use cannot be freed up for other requests. Therefore, increasing the burden hours with this clearance does not actually impose additional burden on the public.

As with the original intent of this clearance, OPRE will use the additional burden hours to inform the development of OPRE research, to maintain a research agenda that is rigorous and relevant, and to ensure that research products are as current as possible, OPRE will engage in a variety of formative data collections in concert with researchers and practitioners throughout the field. OPRE envisions using a variety of techniques including semi-structured discussions, focus groups, telephone interviews, and in-person site visits, in order to integrate the perspectives of program operators, policy officials and members of the research community.