Narrative of Changes

Narrative of Changes

The purpose of the Narrative of Changes is to clearly indicate changes to a collection since the previous approval.

Collection Title: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and Fire Prevention and Safety Grants-Grant Application Supplemental Information

OMB Control No.: 1660-0054

Expiration Date: February 29, 2016

Collection Instruments: FEMA Form 080-0-2, FEMA Form 080-0-2a, FEMA Form 080-0-2b, FEMA Form 080-0-3, FEMA Form 080-0-3a, and FEMA Form 080-03b

The following are the changes to the collection:

FEMA Forms 080-0-2, 080-0-2a, 080-0-2b have additional questions added due to the change in eligible applicants. State Fire Academies are now eligible under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program along with fire departments, Non-affiliated emergency medical service providers, and nonprofit organizations.

The title of this collection has changed from “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program-Grant Application Supplemental Information” to “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and Fire Prevention and Safety Grants-Grant Application Supplemental Information” to reflect more accurately the grant programs covered. Information sought under this submission will comprise of applications for Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants.

Supporting Statement:

Question 8a – Updated to reflect FRN publication information.

Question 10 – Updated to reflect current privacy information.

Question 12 – Number of forms respondents decreased. See Question 15 for explanation.

Question 14 – Costs to the Federal Government updated.

Question 15 – Burden hour decrease explained.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours and Costs
Type of Respondent	Form Name / Form Number	No. of Respon-dents	No. of Respon-ses per Respon-dent	Total No. of Responses	Avg. Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Annual Burden (in hours)	Avg. Hourly Wage Rate	Total Annual Respondent Cost
State, Local or Tribal Government	Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Application (General Questions and Narrative) / FEMA Form 080-0-2	10,000	1	10,000	9 hours	90,000	$49.50	$4,455,000.00
State, Local or Tribal Government	Activity Specific Questions for AFG Vehicle Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-2a	2,600	1	2,600	11 hours	28,600	$49.50	$1,415,700.00
State, Local or Tribal Government	Activity Specific Questions for AFG Operations and Safety Applications / FEMA Form 080-0-2b	7,400	1	7,400	4.6 hours	34,040	$49.50	$1,684,980.00
State, Local or Tribal Government	Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3	820	1	820	2.5 hours	2,050	$49.50	$101,475.00
Not-for-profit Institutions	Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3	180	1	180	2.5 hours	450	$49.50	$22,275.00
State, Local or Tribal Government	Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a	820	1	820	2.5 hours	2,050	$49.50	$101,475.00
Not-for-profit Institutions	Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a	130	1	130	2.5 hours	325	$49.50	$16,087.50
Not-for-profit Institutions	Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b	50	1	50	21.5 hours	1,075	$48.50	$52,137.50
Total		22,000		22,000		158,590		$7,849,130.00

• Note: The “Avg. Hourly Wage Rate” for each respondent includes a 1.4 multiplier to reflect a fully-loaded wage rate.

Itemized Changes in Annual Burden Hours
Data collection Activity/Instrument	Program Change (hours currently on OMB Inventory)	Program Change (New)	Difference	Adjustment (hours currently on OMB Inventory)	Adjustment (New)	Difference
Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Application (General Questions and Narrative) / FEMA Form 080-0-2				108,000	90,000	-18,000
Activity Specific Questions for AFG Vehicle Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-2a				47,300	28,600	-18,700
Activity Specific Questions for AFG Operations and Safety Applications / FEMA Form 080-0-2b				35,420	34,040	-1,380
Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3				4,250	2,050	-2,200
Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3				750	450	-300
Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a				4,250	2,050	-2,200
Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a				750	325	-425
Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b				410	1,075	665
Total(s)				201,130	158,590	-42,540

Explain:

There is a significant decrease in the number of respondents from 28,010 to 22,000. We attribute this decrease to a reduction in available funding, and, as a result, a reduction in the amount of awards granted. Programmatic changes, such as allowing State Fire Training Academies to apply as eligible entities and urban fire departments to apply for multiple vehicles, have increased the amount requested per recipient and reduced the amount of awards granted. This has decreased the interest in the funding opportunity amongst the numerous smaller sized recipients.

There was a mistake on the currently approved ICR regarding the estimated burden hours for Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b. The actually burden hours per respondent is 21.5 hours, not 41. This mistake has been corrected in this ICR. Also, there was an increase in Not-for-profit institutions respondents from 10 to 50 due to an increase in interest among research organizations. The actual increase in annual burden hours for Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b is from 215 to 1,075. This is an increase of 860 annual burden hours.

Another correction being made in this ICR involves the title of the collection device. The Activity Specific Questions for AFG Vehicle Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-2a and Activity Specific Questions for AFG Operations and Safety Applications / FEMA Form 080-0-2b were incorrectly titled. The titles have been corrected, and the mistake had no impact to the burden hours.

There is a decrease of 42,540 annual burden hours.

Itemized Changes in Annual Cost Burden
Data collection Activity/Instrument	Program Change (cost currently on OMB Inventory)	Program Change (New)	Difference	Adjustment (cost currently on OMB Inventory)	Adjustment (New)	Difference
Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Application (General Questions and Narrative) / FEMA Form 080-0-2				$5,234,544.00	$4,455,000.00	$779,544.00
Activity Specific Questions for AFG Vehicle Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-2a				$2,292,536.40	$1,415,700.00	$876,836.40
Activity Specific Questions for AFG Operations and Safety Applications / FEMA Form 080-0-2b				$1,716,736.56	$1,684,980.00	$31,756.56
Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3				$190,232.00	$101,475.00	$88,757.00
Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety (FPS) Applicants / FEMA Form 080-0-3				$23,100.00	$22,275.00	$825.00
Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a				$190,232.00	101,475.00	$88,757.00
Fire Prevention and Safety / FEMA Form 080-0-3a				$23,100.00	$16,087.50	$7,012.50
Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b				$41,387.50	$52,137.50	$10,750.00
Total(s)				$9,711,868.46	$7,849,130.00	$1,862,378.46

Explain:

There is a significant decrease in the number of respondents from 28,010 to 22,000. We attribute this decrease to a reduction in available funding and as a result reduction in the amount of awards granted. Programmatic changes, such as allowing State Fire Training Academies apply as eligible entities and urban fire departments to apply for multiple vehicles, have increased the amount requested per recipient and reduce the amount of awards granted. This has decrease the interest in the funding opportunity amongst the numerous smaller sized recipients.

There was a mistake on the currently approved ICR regarding the estimated burden hours for Research and Development / FEMA Form 080-0-3b. The actually burden hours per respondent is 21.5 hours not 41. This mistake has been corrected in this ICR. Also, there was an increase in Not-for-profit institutions from 10 to 50. The actual increase in annual cost burden for Research and Development/FEMA Form 080-0-3b is from $9,957.08 to $52,137.50. This is an increase of $42,180.42 annually for this form.

The result is a cost burden decrease of $1,862,378.46.