SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR
SCHOLARHSIP FOR SERVICE (SFS) PROGRAM INTERNET WEBSITE
Justification:
Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Include identification of any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.
The Scholarship For Service (SFS) Program was established by the National Science Foundation, collaboration with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Homeland Security, in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014, (Publix Law No: 113-274). This initiative reflects the critical need for Information Technology (IT) professionals, industrial control system security professional, and security manager in Federal, State, local, and tribal governments. The program provides capacity building grants to selected colleges and universities to develop or improve their capacity to train information assurance professionals. It also provides selected colleges and universities scholarship grants to attract students to the information assurance field. Students identified by their institutions for SFS Scholarships must meet selection criteria based on prior academic performance, likelihood of success in obtaining the degree, and suitability for government employment. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients are required to work a period equal to the length of their scholarship in Federal, State, Local or Tribal Government or in other approved organization as cybersecurity professionals. The Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) overseas the SFS Program and is composed of representatives from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). NSF administers the issuance of grants process and the capacity building component. The scholarship component (including the placement and tracking of participants) of the SFS Program is administered by OPM.
Operationally, this is an interagency program administered by NSF in collaboration with OPM who share primary responsibility for managing the program. The NSF is responsible for reviewing and processing the proposals and OPM is responsible for providing appropriate program related procedures for the screening, placement, and continuing career development of the scholarship recipients. The collection of information is necessary to allow for OPM to fully perform its responsibilities under this program.
Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.
The information collection is used by OPM’s Human Resources Solutions Division to register scholarship recipient’s education and experience background and to provide this information to potential government employers. Students are selected by participating universities/colleges to receive the scholarship. Once selected and approved, the student is provided instructions on how to register their resume on-line. Government agencies are then able to retrieve resumes of the scholarship recipients through a password protected website.
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.
The website makes the entire SFS registration process fully automated. The information this website captures includes: name, mailing address, email address, phone number, Social Security Number, education information, work experience, veterans’ information, RNO data, and subject-matter study areas related to information assurance.
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 SFS registration is filed individually. Duplication is minimized.
If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize the burden.
Not applicable.
Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
In return for the scholarship, selected students must work for a Government agency for 1 to 3 years depending on the length of their scholarship. Public Law 113-274 and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requires periodically reporting on the success of recruiting individuals for scholarships under the law and on hiring and retaining those individuals in the public sector cyber workforce. Less frequent collection of the information could decrease the success of the program and make it much more difficult to place students successfully and meet requirements of Public Law 113-274 and the NDAA
Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;
requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;
requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;
requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records, for more than three years;
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;
requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
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; or
requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secrets, 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.
Not applicable.
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), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.
On December 11, 2017, a 60 Day Federal Register Notice was published at 82 FR 58227. There were no comments received.
Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents other than reenumeration of contractors or grantees.
Not applicable.
Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
An annual review of the IT system or electronic information collection is conducted as required by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Security controls are monitored monthly and annually tested as required by FISMA. Personnel using the system have been trained and made aware of their responsibilities for protecting the PII being collected and maintained. Respondents are notified that the information collected may be furnished to government agencies and other entities in order to facilitate their employment. Information collected is password protected. Links to the Privacy Act Statements are provided on the website.
Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.
This information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
We estimate the collection of information for registering and creating an online resume to be 45 minutes to 1-hour in length of time for respondents to answer questions. We estimate the number of applications to be 300 per year over the next three years for a total of 900. We estimate the total number of hours to be 300 per year for a total of 900 over the next three years.
Form Name |
Form Number |
No. of Respondents |
No. of Responses per Respondent |
Avg. Burden per Response (in minutes)e |
Total Annual Burden (in hours) |
Average Hourly Wage Rate |
Total Annual Respondent Cost |
SFS Registration Page |
3206-0246 |
300 |
1 |
60 |
300 per year |
$16.35* |
$4,905 per year |
*Respondents submitting this collection of information are students receiving an annual living stipend in lieu of working. Average Hourly Wage calculated based on living stipend of $34,000 divided by 2080 hours.
Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information.
There is no cost to the respondent.
Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government
The annualized total cost to the Federal government to collect and manage the collection of information is approximately $200,000. This cost was determined by employee salary hours devoted to the monitoring, maintenance, and technical support of the data collection.
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the burden worksheet.
Each year NSF awards grants to additional universities to use for scholarships under the SFS program which increases the number of students that receive scholarships. Each student awarded a scholarship must register their resume with the SFS website for the successful facilitation of there placement with a Federal agency.
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.
Not applicable. The results of this information collection are not published.
If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
Not applicable.
Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions”
No exceptions.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR EXTENSION OF OPM FORM 1203 |
| Author | Preferred Customer |
| Last Modified By | SYSTEM |
| File Modified | 2018-07-06 |
| File Created | 2018-07-06 |