TTA PPT Justification

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS

 

A. Justification

A1.  Need for Information Collection

The Corporation for National and Community Service (the Corporation) awards grants to states, institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and U.S. Territories to operate AmeriCorps State, AmeriCorps National, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps VISTA, and Senior Corps programs. This information collection comprises the questions that AmeriCorps program and Senior Corps project participants will answer before after participating in training sessions.

A2.  Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.

Participants respond to the questions included in these instructions in before and after participating in training for Senior Corps and AmeriCorps on Performance Measurement, and program and fiscal compliance. The pre and post tests will be administered at training events.

 

 A3.  Minimize Burden: Use of Improved Technology to Reduce Burden

The Corporation is exploring technology based solutions to training that include pre and post test options. Pending availability of funds, the Corporation hopes to select a solution for this in the coming fiscal year. Until that time, the pre and post tests will be administered on paper at training events.

A4.  Non-Duplication

There are no other sources of information by which the Corporation can meet the purposes described in A2 (above).

 

A5.  Minimizing economic burden for small businesses or other small entities.

This collection of information does not impact small businesses because the pre and post tests are designed for grantees and project staff, and small businesses are not eligible to apply for projects and grants. To the degree possible, the Corporation is only asking for the information absolutely necessary to measure progress towards the Corporation’s training goals.

A6.  Consequences of the collection if not conducted, conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

 

The Corporation will use this information to determine the effectiveness of grantee and project training, and will be unable to do so if not conducted.

A7.  Special circumstances that would cause information collection to be collected in a manner requiring respondents to report more often than quarterly; report in fewer than 30 days after receipt of the request; submit more than an original and two copies; retain records for more than three years; and other ways specified in the Instructions focused on statistical methods, confidentially, and proprietary trade secrets.

There are no special circumstances that would require the collection of information in any other ways specified.

A8.  Provide copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the Agency’s notice. Summarize comments received and actions taken in response to comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

The 60 day Notice soliciting comments was published on January 16, 2013 on page 3407. Three comments were received, which included 3 questions asking how CNCS intends to use the data and another question asking if CNCS will require commissions to use the same information collection to assess commission sponsored trainings. In addition, a corrected answer was submitted for one of the questions on the sample assessment instrument. Requirements for external parties, including state commissions, to participate in this information collection, will be outlined in future requests for proposal and notices of funding opportunity.

 

 A9.  Payment to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts to respondents

  

A10.  Assurance of Confidentiality and its basis in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The authority for collecting information from you in this application is contained in 42 U.S.C 12592 and 12615 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 as amended, and 42 U.S.C 4953 of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 as amended. The principal purpose for requesting this personal information is to assess the impact of training provided to grantees and stakeholders of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Routine uses may include disclosure of the information to federal, state, or local agencies pursuant to lawfully authorized requests. The information may also be provided to appropriate federal agencies and Department contractors that have a need to know the information for the purpose of assisting the Department’s efforts to respond to a suspected or confirmed breach of the security or confidentiality or information maintained in this system of records, and the information disclosed is relevant and unnecessary for the assistance. The information will not otherwise be disclosed to entities outside of the Corporation for National and Community Service without prior written permission. Effects of Nondisclosure - The information requested is not mandatory.

A11.  Sensitive Questions

 

The information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

 

A12. Hour burden of the collection

We expect approximately 10,000 respondents to respond to these pre and post training questions. The frequency of response will not be greater than annually, and should not exceed 5 minutes per respondent for each pre and post training survey. There is no estimated annual hour burden outside of the customary and usual business practices.

 

A13. Cost burden to the respondent

None.

 

A14. Cost to Government

There are no additional costs to the Government.

A15. Reasons for program changes or adjustments in burden or cost.

Not applicable.

 

 A16.  Publication of results

Not applicable because the responses to this information collection will not be published. 

 

A17.  Explain the reason for seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

Not applicable.

 

 A18.  Exceptions to the certification statement

There are no exceptions to the certification statement in the submitted ROCIS form.

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