NonSub Change Memo - Interim Burden Increase

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Molly Jones

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: October 30, 2020

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Formative Data Collections for ACF Program Support (OMB #0970-0531)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved overarching generic clearance, Formative Data Collections for ACF Program Support (OMB #0970-0531).

Background

The Formative Data Collections for ACF Program Support generic was created to allow ACF program offices to learn more about funded program services, including program or grantee processes and needs in an effort to improve ACF decision-making and program support. The generic was approved as a new overarching generic in July 2019. Since this was a new request, burden estimates were a best guess at the time. Since approval, ACF program offices have found the generic to be very useful and there has been a higher than estimated demand to submit generic information collection requests. Some of this high demand is due to the unforeseen and unprecedented situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Formative Data Collections for ACF Program Support generic has proved very useful for program offices to collect formative information about what programs and grantees are doing in response to the pandemic and to identify needs.

Due to the success of this generic mechanism, we have begun the process to revise the package to request an increase the estimated number of respondents through the current expiration date (7/31/2022). The 60-day comment period related to this revision request began on October 13, 2020 (85 FR 64480) and we intend to submit the request for the revision as soon as possible once the initial comment period is complete and any comments have been addressed, as needed. Until that time, however, we would like the opportunity to continue some generic information collections that were already in development and we intend to submit within the next couple months. For that reason, we are currently requesting a nonsubstantive change for a minor burden increase.

Overview of Requested Changes

We are requesting an interim increase in burden of 1,200 hours. This amount is based on ACF’s plans for submissions under this generic clearance into January 2021. We anticipate three requests within this timeframe.

Time Sensitivities

We need to submit any pending generic information collection requests prior to the full revision request being submitted to OMB. We intend to submit the full request as soon as possible after the 60 day comment period in mid-December.