Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form Form and Instruction	New
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form Form and Instruction	New
Voluntary Decline supporting statement.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-04-27
Voluntary Decline emergency memo 4.26.21.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-04-27

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
247021	Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form Form and Instruction	New
247020	Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form Form and Instruction	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1840-0856	ICR Reference No: 202104-1840-010
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: ED/OPE	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 05/10/2021
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 05/10/2021
	Date Received in OIRA: 05/10/2021
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	11/30/2021	6 Months From Approved
Responses	125	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	63	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: Funding for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) is provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116–136), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (Pub. L. 116-260) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2). Institutions eligible for funding under these statutes may elect to voluntarily decline all or a portion of their HEERF grant awards, in which case the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) will then deobligate the funds from the institution’s G5 account and will later redistribute the funds to other institutions with greater needs due to the coronavirus. In order to process the deobligation and redistribution of these funds more efficiently, the Department is requesting approval of a short form that will allow these institutions to provide the Department with information regarding the funds being declined.

Emergency Justfication: If this emergency collection is not approved, the Department will be unable to deobligate and redistribute these funds in a timely manner. The Department is required by statute under CRRSAA to reallocate any funding for which IHEs do not apply within 90 days of publishing a notice inviting applications for funding under CRRSAA (a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(4). The Department’s intention is to conduct a single reallocation of CARES, CRRSAA and ARP funds, as running multiple reallocations would create heavy administrative burden for the agency.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 117 - 2 2003(4) Name of Law: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 117 - 2 2003(4) Name of Law: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	N/A	N/A
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	N/A	N/A

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	125	0	0	125	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	63	0	0	63	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection. Therefore, all burden is new.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Yes

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 05/10/2021

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