Justification OGM FMS Collection January 2018 v2.0

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS

 

A. Justification

A1.  Need for Information Collection

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) awards grants to states, institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and U.S. Territories to operate AmeriCorps State, AmeriCorps National, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps VISTA, Social Innovation Fund and Senior Corps programs. This information collection comprises the questions applicants answer to enable CNCS to assess their capacity to manage federal grant funds and comply with federal grant program administrative requirements, and thereby protect the federal interest in the funds awarded to the applicants. The information is used to assess the need for grantee training and technical assistance regarding federal funds and grant management.

A2.  Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.

Applicants respond to the questions included in these instructions in order to establish their level of competency regarding federal funds and grant management, and their capacity to similarly administer pass-through funds (sub-grants). The CNCS grants management offices will use the information collection to support and evaluate nonprofit organizations’ capacity to manage federal grant funds and grant programs.

 

 A3.  Minimize Burden: Use of Improved Technology to Reduce Burden

CNCS will be eliciting and accepting applicants’ response to these questions on the information collection form, attached to, or scanned into, eMail.

A4.  Non-Duplication

There are no other sources of information by which CNCS can meet the purposes described in A2 (above).

 

A5.  Minimizing for economic burden for small businesses or other small entities.

This collection of information does not impact small businesses because they are not eligible to apply for grants. There is no economic burden to any other small entities beyond the cost of staff time to collect and report the data. This is minimized to the degree possible by only asking for the information absolutely necessary to assess an organization’s capacity to administer and manage federal funds and grants.

A6.  Consequences of the collection if not conducted, conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

 

The Corporation will be unable to request the necessary information to assess prospective grantees’ ability to manage federal grant funds, and grant programs. Weaknesses in the ability to manage federal funds and programs places appropriated federal funds at-risk of waste, loss or abuse.

A7.  Special circumstances that would cause information collection to be collected in a manner requiring respondents to report more often than quarterly; report in fewer than 30 days after receipt of the request; submit more than an original and two copies; retain records for more than three years; and other ways specified in the Instructions focused on statistical methods, confidentially, and proprietary trade secrets.

There are no special circumstances that would require the collection of information in these ways.

A8.  Provide copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the Agency’s notice. Summarize comments received and actions taken in response to comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

The 60 day Notice soliciting comments was published on Wednesday, July 19, on page 33072. No comments were received.

 

 A9.  Payment to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts to respondents

  

A10.  Assurance of Confidentiality and its basis in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

Your responses to this information collection will be disclosed as appropriate unless prohibited by law.

A11.  Sensitive Questions

 

The information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

 

A12. Hour burden of the collection

We expect approximately up to 200 respondents annually who are first-time recipients of CNCS grant funds, or being renewed to accept CNCS funds, either as direct recipients or as pass-through sub-grant recipients. The frequency of response will not be greater than annual, and should not exceed two (2) hours of effort per respondent. There is no estimated annual hour burden outside of the customary and usual business practices.

 

A13. Cost burden to the respondent

There is no cost to the respondent.

 

A14. Cost to Government

There are no additional costs to the Government.

A15. Reasons for program changes or adjustments in burden or cost.

Not applicable.

 

 A16.  Publication of results

Results of the collection are not published.

 

A17.  Explain the reason for seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.

Not applicable.

 

 A18.  Exceptions to the certification statement

There are no exceptions to the certification statement in the submitted ROCIS form.

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