NASA DEVELOP.Supporting Statement.2016

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

TITLE OF INFOMRATION COLLECTION: NASA DEVELOP National Program

TYPE OF INFOMRATION COLLECTION: Existing Collection in use without an OMB Control Number

PART A: Justification

1. EXPLAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION NECESSARY.

NASA’s founding legislation, the Space Act of 1958, as amended, directs the agency to expand human knowledge of Earth and pace phenomena and to preserve the role of the United States as a leader in aeronautics, space science, and technology. High achievement in STEM education through the expanded use of Earth science data is essential to the accomplishment of NASA’s mission.

The NASA 2014 Strategic Plan, Goal 2 is to advance the understanding of Earth and develop technologies to improve the quality of life on Earth. Objective 2.2 of the Strategic Plan states: Advance knowledge of Earth as a system to meet the challenges of environmental change, and to improve life on our planet.  

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Applied Sciences Program promotes and funds efforts to discover and demonstrate innovative and practical uses of Earth observations, formulate new applications, integrate Earth observations and related products in practitioners’ decision making, and transfer the applications.

This information collection, sponsored by the NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Applied Sciences Program, supports Objective 2.2 by enabling individuals from the public and private sectors to submit applications to participate in NASA’s DEVELOP Program, which is conducted over a ten week period.

The DEVELOP Program cultivates partnerships and extends NASA Earth Science research and technology to benefit society.

2. INDICATE HOW, BY WHOM, AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE THE INFORMATION IS TO BE USED.

NASA accepts applications to the DEVELOP Program three times per year for the spring, summer, and fall terms.

The NASA DEVELOP National Program Office (NPO) uses this information to assess applicant eligibility and qualifications for the DEVELOP Program. Selection criteria includes the candidate’s eligibility, qualifications, and location preference.

The information is used for the onboarding process, to include including verification and validation of identity for physical access (badging to cross NASA security perimeters), access to NASA systems and applications (as needed). The information collected is also used to assign individuals to research teams.

The NASA DEVELOP NPO also uses the information collected to submit reports to NASA HQ on program activity, such as program participants by state, academic levels, and gender.

The information is collected by NASA’s DEVELOP National Program Office, responsible for managing the application, selection, and payment processes for all participants.

Interested individuals apply to participate in DEVELOP through NASA’s web-based online application system, titled the “DEVELOP National Program Application,” at http://develop.larc.nasa.gov/.

Applicant information is collected when an interested individual creates an account in the application system and enters and saves their information. Applicant information includes name, contact information, DEVELOP location preference, education information, work experience, interests and skills, responses to essay questions, and information and preferences for transportation and housing for access to a DEVELOP location. Once they have completed the required fields, applicants must save and submit the application.

The DEVELOP Program is promoted through several NASA websites, including the Applied Sciences Program and DEVELOP Program websites, as well as multiple partner organizations, participant interactions, and through conferences and meetings. Additionally, DEVELOP representatives conduct program awareness events at academic, state, local, and military organizations across the nation throughout each year.

3. DESCRIBE WHETHER, AND TO WHAT EXTENT, THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION INVOLVES THE USE OF AUTOMATED, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL COLLECTION TECHNIQUES OR OTHER FORMS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

Currently, the DEVELOP National Program only accepts applications submitted through the DEVELOP National Program application site http://develop.larc.nasa.gov/

In 2014, the DEVELOP National Program Office launched the completed web-based application. Interested individuals provide information electronically through a secure online process. Collecting the data electronically enables NASA to secure, maintain, and access the required applicant information more efficiently and cost effectively. The successful use of information technology through the implementation of the DEVELOP online system eliminated the submission of paper applications, which resulted in substantial savings in time and resources for the applicants and for NASA.

Prior to the implementation of the online application system, DEVELOP received more than 1,000 paper applications annually, which were mailed to the DEVELOP National Program Office. The completed application packet totaled 15-20 pages. Interested individuals paid the postage fees associated with the submittal of their paper application. The NASA Develop program office converted the applicant packages to electronic files and securely distributed them for review/consideration to the DEVELOP locations nationally. The DEVELOP National Program Office processed on average 20,000 pieces of paper annually. This was a very labor intensive process requiring the labor hours of multiple individuals.

DEVELOP purges information for applicants who are not accepted after the following term application window closes. Information for accepted applicants is retained and destroyed in accordance with NASA Records Retention Schedule (NRRS), Schedule 1 Item 68.C. Records are deleted/destroyed five years after the last activity with the file. The applicable NASA SORN is 10EDUA.

4. DESCRIBE EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATION.

DEVELOP is a unique NASA program, specific to the NASA Applied Sciences Capacity Building effort. There is no duplication involved. Questions in the DEVELOP application are unique to assess skill levels and interests in applying NASA Earth observations for societal benefit.

5. IF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION IMPACTS SMALL BUSINESSES

OROTHER SMALL ENTITIES.

There is no impact to small businesses or other small entities.

6. DESCRIBE THE CONSEQUENCE TO FEDERAL PROGRAM OR POLICY

ACTIVITIES IF THE COLLECTION IS NOT CONDUCTED OR IS CONDUCTED

LESS FREQUENTLY.

Without gathering the data collected through the online application system, NASA will not have the information required to plan and conduct NASA's DEVELOP Program.

NASA intends to collect this information three times a year in alignment with the DEVELOP application periods for the spring, summer, and fall terms. This is the least frequent data collection that will allow NASA to conduct the program.

7. EXPLAIN ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

There are no special circumstances. The collection of information is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6.

8. IF APPLICABLE, PROVIDE A COPY AND IDENTIFY THE DATE AND PAGE

NUMBER OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER OF THE AGENCY'S

NOTICE, REQUIRED BY 5 CFR 1320.8(d).

60-day Federal Register Notice: The notice was published on May 15, 2015 (FRN 15-031) on page number 28014-28015. No comments were received.

30-day Federal Register Notice: The notice was published on August 28, 2015, (FRN 15-072) Volume 80, No 167 on page 52342. No comments were received.

9. EXPLAIN ANY DECISION TO PROVIDE ANY PAYMENT OR GIFT TO

RESPONDENTS, OTHER THAN REMUNERATION OF CONTRACTORS OR

GRANTEES.

No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.

10. DESCRIBE ANY ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY PROVIDED TO

RESPONDENTS AND THE BASIS FOR THE ASSURANCE IN STATUTE,

REGULATION, OR AGENCY POLICY.

.

Applicants will be presented a privacy statement specific to this collection and a link to the NASA Web Privacy Policy. The notice will explain what information will be collected, under what authority, how the information will be used and by whom, and will provide a contact for updating or correcting their information.

The DEVELOP Program team follows NASA Privacy Procedural Requirements (NPR1382.1), and NASA Information Technology Security Handbooks when collecting, handling, storing, and accessing privacy data.

NASA civil service employees and contractors supporting NASA DEVELOP are required to complete Information Technology Security training annually, through which they learn of their responsibilities for safeguarding controlled unclassified information (CUI)/privacy data.

PII will be stored on a moderate-level server at NASA's Langley Research Center. Systems are protected through e-authentication and a NASA single sign-in password. All data collection servers are housed in a facility that has redundant power, expandable bandwidth, and physical security. Security measurer comply with NASA's privacy and security requirements.

The DEVELOP National Program management staff has access to all data entered. Any reporting provided to those outside of the system will be accomplished by the DEVELOP National Program system administrator. The system developer has full access to the application and databases using role-based access to protect the data. Passwords conform to NASA standards and are a minimum of twelve characters and must be a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.

11. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS OF A

SENSITIVE NATURE.

Participants will not be asked any questions considered to be of a sensitive nature.

12. PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF THE HOUR BURDEN OF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.

The burden table displaying respondent count, frequency of response, completion time, total burden time, and cost to participant per DEVELOP National Program instrument are provided below. In addition to general feedback received from participants over the years, we conducted informal testing of each instrument with nine people to generate these burden estimates. The burden estimate is not expected to vary widely.

Data Collection Source	Estimated Number of Reponses Annually		Estimated Time Per Response Per Instrument (in minutes)	Burden Hours
New Candidate Application (Participant)	900		60 minutes	900 hours
Previous Candidate Application (Participant)	150		30 minutes	75 hours
Candidate Academic Transcripts (Institution)	1,050		15 minutes	274.1
Candidate Academic Transcripts (Participant)	1,050		10 minutes	175 hours
Candidate Resume (Participant)	1,050		20 minutes	350 hours
New Candidate Letters of Recommendation (2 per candidate) (Reference)	1,800		20 minutes	600 hours
	6000	variable		2374.1

13. PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST BURDEN TO RESPONDENTS OR RECORDKEEPERS RESULTING FROM THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.

Data Collection Source	Estimated Number of Reponses Annually	Estimated Time Per Response Per Instrument (in minutes)	Annual Cost
New Candidate Application (Participant)	900	60 minutes	900 hours /$6,525
Previous Candidate Application (Participant)	150	30 minutes	75 hours / $543.75
Candidate Academic Transcripts (Institution)	1,050	Time is variable	$10,500 (@$10/transcript)
Candidate Academic Transcripts (Participant)	1,050	10 minutes	$1,268.75
Candidate Resume (Participant)	1,050	20 minutes	$2,537.50
New Candidate Letters of Recommendation (2 per candidate) (Reference)	1,800	20 minutes	$26,400

NOTE:

Total cost for reference providers is 600 * $44 = $26,400 (Based on May 2014 statistics from Bureau of Labor Statistics – atmospheric, earth science and space science professor annual salary is $44/hour)

Total cost for transcripts from institution is based on the charges for transcripts. Costs cover time required and depend on the level of automation at the institution. A sample of college websites yielded a range from $0 (free) to $40 with the mode and median cost being $10. Thus the total cost for the university portion of transcripts is 1,050 * $10 = $10,500

14. PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF ANNUALIZED COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Expense	FY15 -17
Annual Labor (Programmer/Developer, Support Staff, Overhead)	$30,000
Server Administration Labor (Engineer/Programmer, Support Staff, Overhead)	$5,000
Total Annualized Cost	$35,000

15. EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR ANY PROGRAM CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS REPORTED IN ITEMS 13 OR 14.

This is NASA’s first request for approval through OMB. Therefore, there are no program changes compared to previous reports.

16. FOR COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION WHOSE RESULTS WILL BE PUBLISHED, OUTLINE PLANS FOR TABULATION, AND PUBLICATION.

Information gathered is not collected for external publication and will not be tabulated. Complex analytical techniques will not be used. The DEVELOP National Program office may pull the data for various reports to the Agency for internal performance monitoring, to OMB, to Congress, or to others as directed by NASA.

17. IF SEEKING APPROVAL TO NOT DISPLAY THE EXPIRATION DATE FOR OMB APPROVAL OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTION, EXPLAIN THE REASONS THAT DISPLAY WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.

NASA will display the OMB control number and the associated expiration date.

18. EXPLAIN EACH EXCEPTION TO THE CERTIFICATION STATEMENT, "CERTIFICATION FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS."

The information collection encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9.

No exceptions are requested.

Ms. Lindsay Rogers, NASA DEVELOP National Program 757-864-7283

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