General Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs (Renewal)
Extension without change of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
04/30/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
04/30/2021
14,957
28,926
94,606
90,124
0
0
This ICR authorizes the collection of information under EPAs General Regulation for Assistance Programs that establishes the minimum management requirements for all recipients of EPA grants or cooperative agreements (assistance agreements). In addition, this ICR includes EPAs Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program as a result of the relocation of the DBE Program from the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) to the Office of Grants and Debarment (OGD). Information collection activities for the DBE Program were previously covered under OMB Control Number 2090-0030. For awards made prior to December 26, 2014, 40 CFR Part 30, Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations, establishes the management requirements for institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other non-profit organizations, as well as procurement requirements for non-governmental recipients. For awards made prior to December 26, 2014, 40 CFR Part 31, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, includes the management requirements for States, local governments, and Indian Tribal governments. These regulations include only those provisions mandated by statute, required by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial assistance management. For awards made on or after December 26, 2014, 2 CFR 200 and EPAs implementation of 2 CFR 200 at 2 CFR 1500 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards establishes the management requirements for all entity types. 40 CFR Part 35 outlines policies and procedures for assistance agreements to State, interstate, and local agencies and Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for pollution abatement and control programs (listed in Subparts A and B). For all awards, 40 CFR Part 33 Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in Procurement under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Financial Assistance Agreements establishes DBE utilization requirements for all entity types. These regulations include only those provisions mandated by statute or added by EPA to ensure sound and effective financial assistance management with respect to DBE utilization. This ICR combines all of these requirements under OMB Control Number 2030-0020. EPA award officials will use the information required by these regulations to make assistance agreement awards, to make assistance payments, and to verify that the recipient is using Federal funds appropriately to comply with Federal requirements.
There is an increase of 4,482 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. The increase is partially due to the incorporation of burden into this ICR associated with the relocation of the DBE Program from OSDBU to OGD. EPA also made adjustments to the estimated number of respondents for each of the requirements included in the ICR and to the burden hour estimates for three of the requirements.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.