Statement of Determination

STATEMENT OF DETERMINATION

Middle East Focus Groups and Survey

1. In accordance with title 5, CFR 1320.13, the senior official, or designee, of the Department of Defense has determined that this collection of information is needed prior to the expiration of the time periods under title 5, CFR 1320, and that it is essential to the mission of the agency. The agency cannot reasonably follow the normal clearance procedures under title 5, CFR 1320, due to the immediate need to collect information while the potential for civil violence in Yemen, the country of interest for this information collection, has diminished.

2. The Office of the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (DCAPE), is submitting the subject requirement for emergency review and approval. The information collection is being initiated at a time of relative peace in Yemen, but this country has experienced active conflict since April 2015. Recent events suggest that some stability has returned to the country, as Yemeni government forces have pushed Huthi rebels out of their strongholds in the south. We, therefore, are asking for emergency consideration in order to implement the survey as soon as it is possible or stable enough to do so.

3. The information that is requested is the minimum necessary and is a one-time collection.