Supporting Statement for OMB Collection 1660-0054 Part A (New Form Added...

May 24, 2016

Supporting Statement for

Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

OMB Control Number: 1660 - 0054

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

Form Number(s): 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; FEMA Form 080-03b; FEMA Form 080-0-0-13

General Instructions

A Supporting Statement, including the text of the notice to the public required by 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(i)(iv) and its actual or estimated date of publication in the Federal Register, must accompany each request for approval of a collection of information. The Supporting Statement must be prepared in the format described below, and must contain the information specified in Section A below. If an item is not applicable, provide a brief explanation. When Item 17 or the OMB Form 83-I is checked “Yes”, Section B of the Supporting Statement must be completed. OMB reserves the right to require the submission of additional information with respect to any request for approval.

Specific Instructions

A. Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information. Provide a detailed description of the nature and source of the information to be collected.

This package is a revision to the collection originally approved as the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program-Grant Application Supplemental Information, OMB Control Number: 1660-0054. FEMA is updating the name of this collection 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 the applications for Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants. The Federal Fire Protection and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. §§ 2201 et seq.), as amended, authorizes FEMA to fund fire department activities. The information collected is grant application information which is necessary to assess the needs of the applicants as well as the benefits to be obtained from the use of funds. The information collected through the program’s application is the minimum necessary to evaluate grant applications and is necessary for FEMA to comply with mandates delineated in the law. The collection includes details concerning the applicants’ demographics, capabilities, and operational resources as well as details specific to their request.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection. Provide a detailed description of: how the information will be shared, if applicable, and for what programmatic purpose.

FEMA uses this information to ensure that FEMA’s responsibilities under the legislation can be fulfilled, accurately and efficiently. FEMA must ensure that the funds are distributed among career and volunteer/combination departments proportionally equal to the percentage of the nation’s population that those fire departments protect. The information will also be used to objectively evaluate each of the anticipated applicants to determine which of the applicants’ proposals in each of the activities are the closest to the established program priorities.

Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG)

FEMA Form 080-0-2, AFG Application (General Questions and Narrative) – The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program's objective is to provide funding directly to fire departments, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, and State Fire Training Academies for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of the public and first responder personnel against fire and fire-related hazards. Over the last fifteen years this program has provided grant funding directly to individual first-responder organizations on a competitive basis. In the AFG application, there are two “program” areas: “Operations and Safety,” which includes training, wellness, equipment, personal protective equipment and modifications, and “Vehicles.”

FEMA Form 080-0-2a, Activity Specific Questions for AFG Vehicle Applicants – This form obtains the information from the applicant regarding the vehicle that the applicant wishes to purchase as well as information about the vehicle that will be replaced by the new vehicle.

FEMA Form 080-0-2b, Activity Specific Questions for AFG Operations and Safety Applications – This form obtains information about the specific items that the applicant wishes to purchase with the grant funds, if awarded. The questions are activity specific, thus applicants seeking training funds will answer questions about their training project; applicants seeking funds for equipment will answer questions about their equipment needs; applicants seeking funds for modifications for facilities will answer questions regarding their modification project; and, applicants seeking funds for wellness and fitness projects will answer questions regarding their wellness and fitness program.

Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grants

FEMA Form 080-0-3, Activity Specific Questions for Fire Prevention and Safety Applicants – FP&S grants provide funding for an array of prevention activities aimed at protecting the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel. Grant funds are available to fire departments as well as national, state, local, or regional organizations that specialize in prevention activities. FEMA has a separate application period for interested parties seeking grants for Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) activities. Fire prevention and safety activities include: public education and awareness, enforcement of fire codes, arson prevention and detection, and research and development into areas that would protect firefighters from fire and fire related hazards.

FEMA Form 080-0-3a, Fire Prevention and Safety – This form obtains information about the applicant’s planned research project, the anticipated results of the research project, and the plans for dissemination of the results of the project.

FEMA Form 080-0-3b, Research and Development – This form is used to evaluate projects for the research and development.

FEMA Form 080-0-0-13, Semi-Annual Performance Report – This form obtains information used for monitoring a grant award such as project updates, milestones accomplished, or possible problems.

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, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

The information is collected via a web-based application through the FEMA Integrated Security and Access Control System. Paper forms are available in the event an applicant cannot submit their information through the FEMA AFG web application; however, any eligible applications submitted in paper will be converted into the electronic format in order to be consistent in the evaluation process. Applications can be accessed at https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home. Instructions and guidance on how to complete these forms can be found on the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov/firegrants.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above. 

The U.S. Fire Administration has an incident reporting system that is used to compile fire-related statistics. The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) is approved under OMB No.1660-0069, and participation in the NFIRS is completely voluntary. The NFIRS is a fire incident collection instrument and does not involve a fire department’s fiscal concerns or operational needs; therefore, there is little information that would overlap with our collection, which is primarily financially and operationally based. NFIRS is voluntary and does not give an accurate account of all functions performed on a yearly basis by a grant applicant. Due to this incomplete data, NFIRS would incorrectly restrict awards to deserving respondents. But, to the extent possible, the information in NFIRS will be used for those applicants that have participated in the past in lieu of requiring those applicants to resubmit the same information.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize.

This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses or other small entities.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal/FEMA program or policy activities if the collection of information is not conducted, or is conducted less frequently as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

If the information collection is not conducted, there would be no basis under which the applications for assistance could be evaluated, thus funds available for the programs’ purposes cannot be awarded and the benefits of the activities associated with each of the grant purposes would not be achieved. The information is also necessary to assess the financial needs of the applicants and the projected benefits obtained from the use of the grant funds.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

1. Requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly.

 (b) Requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it.

3. Requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two

copies of any document.

3. Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health,

medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years.

3. In connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to

produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study.

 (f) Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not

been reviewed and approved by OMB.

 (g) That includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use.

 (h) Requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information’s confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

The special circumstances contained in item 7(a) thru 7(h) of the supporting statement are not applicable to this information collection.

8. Federal Register Notice: 

 a. Provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

A 60-day Federal Register Notice inviting public comments was published on October 6, 2015, 80 FR 60398. One request for a copy of the proposed information collection was received by the public, and a draft of the proposed information collection was subsequently forwarded to the requester. The Agency responded to this comment and provided the most up-to-date copy of the proposed information collection to the requester.

A 30-day Federal Register Notice inviting public comments was published on January 14, 2016, 81 FR 1961. No comments were received. See attached copy of the published notice included in this package.

 b. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

It is FEMA’s intention to have each application evaluated and ranked by the automated system prior to review by a panel of subject-matter experts. The experts are representatives from the nine major fire service organizations and are nominated by their respective organizations to provide advice and recommendations regarding the implementation of the AFG, FP&S, and Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) programs. The nine organizations are:

· Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI);

· International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI);

· International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC);

· International Association of Firefighters (IAFF);

· International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI);

· National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM);

· National Fire Protection Association (NFPA);

· National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC); and

· North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD).

FEMA regularly consults with a panel of subject matter experts from national and international fire service organizations. Many of these experts are, or have been, chiefs of fire departments in their own communities, and were sensitive to the burdens the collection may have on the applicants. These experts, by consensus, developed the form, format, and content of the grant program’s applications. The panel agreed that the data collected is the absolute minimum necessary to evaluate the applications fairly and equitably.

c. Describe consultations with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records. Consultation should occur at least once every three years, even if the collection of information activities is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

As required by the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended, FEMA annually convenes a panel of experts to review the grant programs’ processes and priorities. The panel also reviews the necessity of the information collected and develops criteria for each of the eligible activities.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

FEMA does not provide payments or gifts to respondents in exchange for a benefit sought.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents. Present the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

A Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) was completed by FEMA and adjudicated by the DHS Privacy Office on October 3, 2014.

This collection is covered by an existing Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), DHS/FEMA 013 – Grant Management Programs, approved by DHS on February 19, 2015. The existing System of Record Notice (SORN) is DHS/FEMA-004 – Non-Disaster Grant Management Information Files System of Records published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2015 at 80 FR 13404.

There are no assurances of confidentiality provided to the respondents for this information collection.

11. Provide additional justification for any question of a sensitive nature (such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs and other matters that are commonly considered private). This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

 12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:

 a. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated for each collection instrument (separately list each instrument and describe information as requested). Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desired. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. Generally, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.

The Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program has three components: the AFG general questionnaire and narrative application (FEMA Form 080-0-2), the AFG vehicle questionnaire (FEMA Form 080-0-2a), and the operations and safety questionnaire (FEMA Form 080-0-2b). For a complete application submission, either the AFG vehicle questionnaire or the AFG operations and safety questionnaire is required along with the AFG general questionnaire.

FEMA Form 080-0-2 – It takes approximately 9 hours to complete the AFG general questionnaire form. It has been estimated that a total of 10,000 local fire departments will submit one AFG general questionnaire form, for a total of 10,000 respondents. Each respondent will complete one AFG general questionnaire annually.

FEMA Form 080-0-2a – It takes approximately 11 hours to complete the AFG vehicle questionnaire. It has been estimated that 2,600 local fire departments will submit one AFG vehicle questionnaire form, for a total of 2,600 respondents. Each respondent will complete one AFG vehicle questionnaire annually with their AFG general questionnaire.

FEMA Form 080-0-2b – It takes approximately 4.6 hours to complete the AFG operations and safety questionnaire form. It has been estimated that 7,400 local fire departments will submit one AFG operations and safety questionnaire form, for a total of 7,400 respondents. Each respondent will complete one AFG vehicle questionnaire annually with their AFG general questionnaire.

The Fire Protection and Safety (FP&S) funding opportunity has three components: the FP&S general questionnaire (FEMA Form 080-0-3); the FP&S activity questionnaire and narrative (FEMA Form 080-0-3a); and the research and development activity questionnaire and narrative (FEMA Form 080-0-3b). For a complete application submission, either the FP&S activity questionnaire or the research and development activity questionnaire is required along with the FP&S general questionnaire.

FEMA Form 080-0-3 – It takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete the FP&S general questionnaire form. It has been estimated that 820 local fire departments and 180 Not-for-profit institutions will submit one FP&S general questionnaire form, for a total of 1,000 respondents. Each respondent will complete one FP&S general questionnaire annually.

FEMA Form 080-0-3a – It takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete the FP&S activity questionnaire and narrative. It has been estimated that 820 local fire departments and 130 Not-for-profit institutions will submit one FP&S activity questionnaire form, for a total of 950 respondents. Each respondent will complete one FP&S activity questionnaire with their FP&S general questionnaire annually.

FEMA Form 080-0-3b – It takes approximately 21.5 hours to complete the FP&S research and development questionnaire and narrative. It has been estimated that 50 Not-for-profit institutions will submit one FP&S research and development questionnaire with their FP&S general questionnaire annually.

The Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program and Fire Protection and Safety (FP&S) funding opportunity require semi-annual reporting on the progress of a funded project. The Semi-Annual Performance Report (FEMA Form 080-0-0-13) is used for this reporting requirement. Only 10% of the applications submitted are funded with a one year period of performance for completion of the funded project. Thus, only 10% of the respondents for the previous form with be required to submit a semi-annual performance report.

FEMA Form 080-0-0-13 – It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete the Semi-Annual Performance Report. It has been estimated that 1090 local fire departments and 10 Not-for-profit institutions will submit one Semi-Annual Performance Report annually.

 b. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.

c. Provide an estimate of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. NOTE: The wage-rate category for each respondent must be multiplied by 1.4 and this total should be entered in the cell for “Avg. Hourly Wage Rate”. The cost to the respondents of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead this cost should be included in Item 13.

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
State, Local or Tribal Government	Semi-Annual Performance Report / FEMA Form 080-0-0-13	1090	2	2180	.16	348.8	$49.50	$17,265.60
Not-for-profit Institutions	Semi-Annual Performance Report / FEMA Form 080-0-0-13	10	2	20	.16	3.2	$48.50	$155.20
Total		23,100		24,200		158,942		$7,866,550.80

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

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics website (www.bls.gov) the wage rate category for First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers is estimated to be $49.50 per hour including the wage rate multiplier. The First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers category accurately represents the majority of State, Local or Tribal Government and Not-for-profit institutions respondents. The wage rate category for Environmental Scientists and Specialists is estimated to be $48.50 per hour including the wage rage multiplier. The Environmental Scientists and Specialists category accurately represents the respondents for the Research and Development / FEMA form 080-03b. Approximately 10% of the applicants will be selected for a grant award. Those selected will be required to complete FEMA form 080-0-0-13 Semi-Annual Performance report as a stipulation of accepting the grant award. The estimated burden hour cost to respondents is $7,857,840.40 annually.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14.)

The cost estimates should be split into two components:

a. Operation and Maintenance and purchase of services component. These estimates should take into account cost associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred.

b. Capital and Start-up-Cost should include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software, monitoring sampling, drilling and testing equipment, and record storage facilities.

There are no record keeping, capital, start-up or maintenance costs associated with this information collection.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing and support staff), and any other expense that would have been incurred without this collection of information. You may also aggregate cost estimates for Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table.

* Note: The “Salary Rate” includes a 1.4 multiplier to reflect a fully-loaded wage rate.



15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I in a narrative form. Present the itemized changes in hour burden and cost burden according to program changes or adjustments in Table 5. Denote a program increase as a positive number, and a program decrease as a negative number.

A "Program increase" is an additional burden resulting from a federal government regulatory action or directive (e.g., an increase in sample size or coverage, amount of information, reporting frequency, or expanded use of an existing form). This also includes previously in-use and unapproved information collections discovered during the ICB process, or during the fiscal year, which will be in use during the next fiscal year.

A "Program decrease" is a reduction in burden because of: (1) the discontinuation of an information collection; or (2) a change in an existing information collection by a Federal agency (e.g., the use of sampling (or smaller samples), a decrease in the amount of information requested (fewer questions), or a decrease in reporting frequency).

"Adjustment" denotes a change in burden hours due to factors over which the government has no control, such as population growth, or in factors which do not affect what information the government collects or changes in the methods used to estimate burden or correction of errors in burden estimates.

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
Semi-Annual Performance Report / FEMA Form 080-0-0-13	0	176	176		176	176
Total(s)	0	176	176	201,130	158,766	-42,364

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.

The FEMA Form 080-0-0-13 Semi-Annual Performance Report has been added to this ICR due to the requirement for grant recipients to complete this form at the 6 month period of the grant cycle. There is a 176 burden hour increase due to the addition of this form.

There is a decrease of 42,364 annual burden hours. The revisions to the forms has not reduced the 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
Semi-Annual Performance Report / FEMA Form 080-0-0-13	$0	$8,710.40	$8,710.40	0	$8,710.40	$8,710.40
Total(s)	$0	$8,710.40	$8,710.40	$9,711,868.46	$7,857,840.40	-$1,854,028.06

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 FEMA Form 080-0-0-13 Semi-Annual Performance Report has been added to this ICR due to the requirement for grant recipients to complete this form at the 6 month period of the grant cycle. There is an $8,710.40 cost burden increase due to the addition of this form.

The result is a cost burden decrease of $1,854,028.06.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

FEMA does not intend to employ the use of statistics or the publication thereof for this information collection.

17. If seeking approval not to display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain reasons that display would be inappropriate.

FEMA will display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,” of OMB Form 83-I.

FEMA does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

There is no statistical methodology involved in this collection.

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