Workforce Data Quality Initiative Solicitation for Grant Applications Justification

Generic Solicitation for Grant Applications

Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for the Workforce Data Quality Initiative

Abstract:

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL or the Department), announces the availability of approximately $6 million from funds made available through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 DOL appropriation for Training and Employment Services for grants to State Workforce Agencies (SWA) to expand the Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI). The Department has reserved up to 3 percent of this round’s total grant funding (a maximum amount of $180,000) to provide technical assistance to assist grantees in developing and implementing their WDQIs.

Electronic availability:

This grant solicitation is available on the grants.gov Web site. Based on past DOL experience, the Department anticipates 75 percent of responses will be submitted electronically.

Small Entities:

This information collection will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Assurances of confidentiality:

These grant solicitations do not offer applicants assurances of confidentiality.

Special circumstances:

This information collection complies with 5 CFR 1320.5.

Burden:

Based on past experience, the DOL expects to receive approximately 30 applications. Public reporting burden for the information collection is estimated to average 20 hours per response for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

30 applications x 20 hours = 600 hours.

In addition to the application, each grantee will be required to submit quarterly financial, performance, and narrative reports to ETA. Those information collection requirements will be cleared under a separate Control Number.

The average hourly earnings in the professional/business services industry, estimated at $39.13, is used to monetize this burden. See The Employment Situation—January 2012, DOL, Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/empsit_02032012.pdf at 32.

600 hours x $39.13 = $23,478

The DOL associates no other burden costs with this information collection.

Total burden: 30 respondents, 30 responses, 600 hours, $0 other cost burden.

Supporting Statement B; Statistical Methods

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

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