SUPPORTING STATEMENT
National Drug Intelligence Center
SENTRY Synthetic Drug Early Warning and Response System
OMB No. 2010-1105-0087
JUSTIFICATION
Title IX Section 9078 of Public Law 102-396, established the National Drug Intelligence Center, with the responsibility to coordinate and consolidate drug intelligence from all national security and law enforcement agencies. Under the 2004 National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan, NDIC was designated the lead agency for an early warning and response system. The purpose of the collection is for NDIC to fulfill its responsibilities in this capacity.
SENTRY was developed to proactively assess and monitor new, emerging issues related to the abuse, availability, transportation, and/or distribution of synthetic drugs such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy), and methamphetamine. This system also is intended to monitor prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, botanical substances and extracts, and chemicals and products involved in the manufacturing of synthetic drugs.
SENTRY authorized users are members of targeted groups from Federal, state, and local law enforcement; health and human services/providers including a variety of treatment professionals (i.e., physicians specializing in drug abuse issues, medical service personnel, emergency medical technicians); education providers (i.e., teachers, administrators, school resource officers, school nurses); and chemists who are approached, at conferences where SENTRY is exhibited and/or briefed to conference attendees, to provide data to SENTRY. Persons from those targeted groups submit a registration form that is reviewed by NDIC personnel and used to generate a user account. Direct submissions from authorized users of SENTRY are voluntary and precipitated by the authorized user accessing and entering information that they believe is new or unusual for the geographical area where the user is based or from the perspective of the authorized user’s employment or role. After an authorized user has logged into the SENTRY Landing Page, a navigation link titled, Submit Information, launches a form where data related to the submission can be typed. Each authorized user provides information at their personal convenience or alternately, may e-mail the information to a SENTRY team member or administrator for entering into SENTRY. Other open source information also is logged into the system by SENTRY administrators.
Data obtained from SENTRY will support the implementation of effective strategies to mitigate the impact of synthetic drugs in the United States. The information is available via individual submissions through a Geographic Information System (GIS) map and through DrugAlert Watch and DrugAlert Warning Reports. The GIS map and DrugAlert Watch and DrugAlert Warning Reports are available to members of the general public on the National Drug Intelligence Center’s (NDIC) public-facing website. This system is intended to provide interested parties and others affiliated with prevention, treatment, law enforcement authorities, and policymakers with information to assist in developing plans for allocating resources in the fight against illegal drugs. The information from the initial groups will present a broad-based picture of possible trends related to various facets of illicit drug attributes.
The SENTRY application is a component of the NDIC e-Government Initiative (NEI). The use of the SENTRY system provides the most efficient means for collecting and processing the required data. Providing electronic submission as the sole method of response is reliable based on the technical capabilities of the members of targeted groups who are invited to submit information to the system. In the course of their daily activities, members of these groups typically use computers to enter information.
There is no similar information available currently that can be used for this purpose.
This collection of information does not have an impact on small businesses or entities.
The use of this information provides several benefits to both the provider and NDIC. The information received is analyzed and may be included in an intelligence product that is shared, thus providing a sense of potential illicit drug activity. Each authorized user of SENTRY and members of the general public have access to the individual submissions through a GIS map. In addition, DrugAlert Watch and DrugAlert Warning Reports are posted to NDIC’s public-facing website for viewing by members of the general public. SENTRY authorized users receive an e-mail alert each time a DrugAlert Watch or DrugAlert Warning Report is issued. This provides interested parties and others affiliated with prevention, treatment, law enforcement authorities, and policymakers with information to assist in developing plans for allocating resources in the fight against illegal drugs.
There are no special circumstances applicable to this information collection.
By notice in the Federal register on August 16, 2010 at 75FR157, the National Drug Intelligence Center notified the public that it was collecting information for the SENTRY Synthetic Drug Early Warning and Response System. The notice allowed for a 60-day public comment period. The NDIC has received no public comments.
NDIC does not provide payment to respondents.
There is some assurance of confidentiality. The submission form includes a check box “Do NOT identify my agency/organization as the submitter of the information within the SENTRY GIS map. (Note: Your name will NEVER appear in the GIS map.)” As part of the quality control processes, this box is checked/activated for each submission.
Responses to questions may contain law enforcement sensitive information. Sensitive information will be included in the analytical process but not be referenced in the final public document.
Annual Reporting Burden
Number of Respondents 300
b. Number of Responses per Respondent 1
c. Total Annual Response 300
d. Hours per Response 0.25
e. Total Annual Report Burden 75
f. Total Public Cost $1,175
The collection of information is estimated to average 0.25 hour per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed and completing and reviewing the information collection.
Total Annual Reporting Burden
Total annual reporting burden hours is .75. This figure was derived by multiplying the number of respondents (300) x frequency of response (1) x 0.25 hours per response. The estimate time for response is a conservative estimate. The technology available to the respondent will further reduce response time.
Public Cost
The estimated public cost if $1,175. This is based on the number of respondents (300) x 0.25 x $15.00 per hour.
Capital or start-up costs associated with this information collection are $162,265. There is no fee charge associated with this information collection.
Annualized Cost Analysis
Printing/Mailing Cost $ 0
Collections and Processing/Staff Support Costs $115,000
Total Cost to Government $115,000
Government Cost
The estimated cost to the Government is $115,000. This figure includes an estimate of one full time equivalent staff position for one year to provide information technology, analytical, and clerical support (estimated at $100,000 to include overhead) and cost of verification and follow-up activities performed by NDIC Intelligence Analysts (estimated at $15,000 based on 300 hours (1.0 hours x 300 respondents) at $50 per hour.
This is a proposed extension with change of a previously approved collection under OMB Number 1105-0087.
NDIC intends to incorporate the submissions logged into the system into quarterly and annual reports. No quarterly or annual reports have yet been generated. In addition, appropriate Watch and Warning Bulletins are produced as warranted, typically as we receive information that we believe needs to gain a wider audience and are available to all respondents and the public. To date, six (6) DrugAlert Watch Reports have been produced. The titles and dates of production are:
-Salvia Divinorum (March 2, 2010)
-Opium Tea (March 2, 2010)
-BZP/TFMPP Combination Tablets Marketed as MDMA (April 7, 2010)
-Mephedrone (April 27, 2010)
-Possible Heroin/Fentanyl Combinations – Street Name: Kill or Keel
(May 13, 2010)
-Use of Synthetic Cannabinoid Products by Teens and Young Adults Increasing (May 18, 2010)
NDIC has no objections to displaying the expiration date of this information collection.
NDIC does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection. See attached Item 19 of Form 83-I.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | feltodf |
| Last Modified By | Lynn Bryant |
| File Modified | 2011-01-04 |
| File Created | 2011-01-04 |