Peace Corps
Office of Staff Learning and Development
OMB Control Number 0420-XXXX
Supporting Statement
Section A: Justification
Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The Peace Corps is seeking an emergency clearance authorizing use of the LearningSpace for members of the public who are officially associated with the Peace Corps. This specifically applies to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who were recently evacuated from their service Posts around the world in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). These individuals served as Peace Corps Volunteers within rural communities around the world, prior to their necessary mobilization and return to the United States. This event abruptly changed the status of nearly 7,000 Peace Corps Volunteers to members of the public. The use of this portal will also allow individuals who are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers or individuals associated with the Peace Corps application process to access the LearningSpace page from personal devices during the mandatory telework status during the Continuity of Operations for COVID-19. We are seeking an emergency clearance to allow us to engage the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and related Peace Corps personnel in meaningful training, development, and learning opportunities in support of 22 USC 2501, et seq., the Peace Corps Act; as well as 22 USC 2504 (k); Executive Order 13111, Using Technology To Improve Training Opportunities for Federal Government Employees; and Chapter 5 Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 410 and 412, Training; Supervisory, Management, and Executive Development. The Office of Staff Learning and Development will use Learning Management System (“LearningSpace”) to keep Returned Peace Corps Volunteers actively engaged in online training and development during this unexpected period of interruption to their service time, and while they apply for re-entry into service. It will also allow new applicants to begin remote training that was traditionally conducted in person.
By whom, how, and for what purpose the information is to be used.
The Office of Staff Learning and Development utilizes Learning Management System (“LearningSpace”) to achieve online training and development. Individuals access the LearningSpace page after receiving an invitation to the email address used to conduct official Peace Corps business. The information collected includes first name, last name, personal email address, username and password to create a LearningSpace account. Such individuals include Peace Corps Invitees, Trainees, Returned Volunteers, as well as individuals who are officially affiliated with the Peace Corps. Additional information that is also collected is an aspiration statement and formatted resume to allow the Peace Corps to assign, recommend, or match individuals to development projects and training. It is crucial to keep the recent evacuees engaged with the Peace Corps during the agency’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Consideration of the use of improved information technology.
LearningSpace uses electronic collection techniques only. The system is based on Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle). It is a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that is managed by the e-Think vendor and externally hosted on the Amazon Web Services (AWS east-west cloud).
Efforts to identify duplication. Why similar information cannot be used.
The Peace Corps does not use another online training and development system.
5. Methods to minimize the burden to small business if involved.
LearningSpace does not impact small businesses or other small entities.
Consequences to the Federal program if collection were conducted less frequently.
Failure to collect this information would substantially impede the mission of the Peace Corps by removing the ability to provide central training to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and associated personnel. This is an important professional connection that supports Returned Peace Corps Volunteers whose services has been interrupted by the COVID-19 evacuation. Peace Corps evacuees and new applicants can also use this while waiting through the COVID-19 pandemic until re-instatement and new applicant openings are available.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause the information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with guidelines.
No special circumstances exist that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR Subsection 1320.6.
8. Consultation.
We are requesting simultaneous publication of the Federal Register Notice for emergency processing. We have not consulted with other agencies to obtain this information because the information is about Peace Corps training and development. Other agencies do not have this information.
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.
No payment or gift is provided to respondents for this participation.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents.
The Peace Corps Privacy Act Statement is positioned clearly on the LearningSpace landing page. It explains the purpose for which the information is being collected, and the legal authorities for the collection. The Privacy Act Statement identifies the associated system of records that provide the routine uses. The Privacy Act Statement also indicates, “The individual’s login is voluntary; however, failure to provide the requested information will result in the inability to successfully create or log into your account in LearningSpace.” The basis of the assurance is the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a; 22 U.S.C.; 22 § 2504 Peace Corps volunteers; U.S.C. 2507, the Peace Corps Training Program; 22 Code of Federal Regulations § 308, Implementation of the Privacy Act Program; Peace Corps Policy Manual Section (MS) 294, Confidentiality of Volunteer Information; and MS 897, Privacy Act Administration.
11. Additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.
There are not any questions of a sensitive nature.
12. Estimates of reporting and recordkeeping hour and cost burdens of the collection of information.
Estimated burden (hours) of the collection of information:
Number of Respondents 7000
Frequency of response: 1 time
Completion time: 2 minutes
Annual burden hours: 233.33 hours
The user burden refers to the initial access to LearningSpace by public users. The user is provided with the unique username and temporary password via email. The user must access the email account to read the email, then click on the system’s login page. When the user first logs in to the system using the temporary password, the user is required to create a new password, after which the user gains access to the system. This process takes approximately one to two minutes.
13. Estimates of annualized capital and start-up costs.
There is no anticipated cost to an individual resulting from collection of the information.
14. Estimates of annualized Federal Government costs.
LearningSpace’s login page is the public component for the Office of Staff Learning and Development in providing professional development and community connection to members of the public who are affiliated with the Peace Corps Volunteer program. The total contract cost of the Learning Management System, which includes LearningSpace is $ 871,229 over 5 years, $171,146 in annual maintenance costs.
15. Explanation of change in burden.
The electronic account creation invitation will be implemented through an automated online process.
16. Information collections data planned to be published for statistical use.
This information will not be published for statistical purposes.
17. Explanation for seeking not to display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.
The Peace Corps is seeking to display the OMB Control number. The OMB Control number will be renewed using generic clearance. .
18. Exception to the certification statement.
The agency is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of
OMB Form 83-I.
B. This collection of information does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Peace Corps – Office of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection |
| Author | nfull |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-14 |