Supporting Statement: Susan Harwood Training Grant Program

Solicitation for Grant Applications,

Susan Harwood Training Grant Program

Supplemental Justification

Supplemental Supporting Statement A: Justification

This request seeks OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act for the unique information collection requirements in the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, will announce the availability of approximately $10.5 million in grant funds authorized by Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the “OSH Act”) (29 U.S.C. 670). We expect to fund approximately 80 grants, ranging from $50,000 to $165,000 each. Applicants may apply for up to $165,000 depending on the type of grant.

Four separate solicitations will be made under the Susan Harwood Training grant program. Two funding opportunity announcements will be announced simultaneously for new Targeted Topic Training and Capacity Building grants. Two additional funding opportunity announcements for Targeted Topic Training Follow-on and Capacity Building Developmental Follow-on grants will be issued as closed announcements. Only FY 2015 Targeted Topic Training and Capacity Building Developmental grants with satisfactory performance will be eligible to apply for the closed solicitations.

The purpose of the Susan Harwood Training Grant program is to provide funding to nonprofit organizations for training and education programs for workers and employers on the recognition, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in the workplace, and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Target audiences for the training and education programs include small businesses and underserved low-literacy, and temporary workers in high-hazard industries.

Applications will include the following information collections:

1. Form SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance

2. Application Summary

3. Program Abstract

4. Technical Proposal

5. Organizational Chart

6. Other Narrative Attachments

7. Form SF-424A – Application for Federal Assistance

8. Detailed Project Budget

9. Indirect Cost Allocation Agreement

10. Evidence of Non-Profit Status

11. Non-federal Resource Contribution

12. Form SF-424B – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

13. Combined Assurance (ED-80-0013)

14. Project/Performance Site Location(s)

Electronic availability:

These grant announcements will be available on the grants.gov Web site. Electronic submission of grant applications is required. Therefore, 100 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 announcements do not offer applicants assurances of confidentiality.

Special circumstances:

These FOAs imply no special circumstances.

Burden:

During the last three years, OSHA has received an average of 175 grant applications a year. The Agency estimates that it takes staff members for each applicant organization 56 hours to complete an application, including the narrative and budget components. OSHA divides the 56 hours per application between professional staff and clerical staff as follows:

Average Number of Applications 2013-2015: 175	Professional Staff	Clerical Staff	Combined Totals
Burden Hours	38	18	56
Wage Rates1	$57.702	$27.363
Cost	$2,193	$493
Total Burden Hours (x 175)	6,650	3,150	9,800
Total Cost ( Total Cost x 175)	$383,775	$86,275	$470,050

OSHA associates no other burden costs with this information collection. In addition to the application, each grantee will be required to submit quarterly financial and program reports to OSHA. Those information collection requirements will be cleared under a separate control number.

Therefore, the annual burden hours and cost of this paperwork requirement are:

Burden Hours: 9,800 hours

Cost: $470,050

Supplemental Supporting Statement B: Statistical Methods

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

1The Agency is using the same wage rates of certain employees employed under the Federal Government’s General Schedule (see footnotes 2 and 3).

²The basis for the hourly wages for professional staff is the 2016 government pay scale for a Chicago area GS-13, step 10 ($57.70). Usually PhDs, certified safety professionals, certified Industrial Hygienists, and other professional staff submit applications.

³The basis for the hourly wages for clerical staff is the 2016 government pay scale for a Chicago area GS-7, step 10 ($27.36). Clerical elements are performed by secretaries and accounting staff.

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