SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
American Forces Network Connect and American Forces Network Now - 0704-0547
Summary of Changes from Previously Approved Collection:
Consolidated AFN Connect and AFN Now services into one collection
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1. Need for the Information Collection
The Defense Media Activity (DMA), American Forces Network (AFN) must confirm the eligibility and identification of the authorized audience before allowing access to restricted AFN programming services (i.e., radio, television, and web streaming services). Failure to control access would jeopardize AFN’s access and authorization to broadcast the secured content worldwide, which would, in turn, negatively impact the network’s command information (CI) mission. The AFN Program communicates CI messages and themes from senior DoD leaders as well as other leaders in the chain of command to:
Promote situational awareness.
Sustain readiness.
Provide immediate force protection information.
Enhance morale, quality of life, and well-being of the authorized audience.
The information collection and validation against the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) will enable AFN to authenticate audience member identification and eligibility to access the content and receive timely and relevant CI messages. Authorizing documents include 5 U.S.C. 301, Departmental regulations; 10 U.S.C. 136, DoD Directive 5400.11, DoD Instruction 5120.20, section 3, DoD Instruction 5120.20, Enclosure 2, section 2, paragraph c, DoD Directive 5105.74, section 3.1 & 3.3.
2. Use of the Information
Access to AFN content is limited to certain federal government employees and their immediate family members, to include:
Active duty and retired members of the uniformed services.
National Guard and Reserve members of the uniformed services when activated under Section 10103, Title 10, United States Code.
American citizen DoD Appropriated and Non-Appropriated Fund employees, excluding retirees.
American citizen DoD contractors.
Medal of Honor recipients.
Disabled veterans with a 100% disability rating.
Surviving spouse of deceased uniformed service members who have not remarried.
Certain American citizen U.S. Government employees serving at American diplomatic missions outside of the United States.
Individuals seeking access to AFN content, via an AFN-capable satellite decoder or the AFN Now digital application, must register for the service and pass DEERS authentication prior to access.
The registration portals are only accessible via the internet and all prospective AFN audience members will access a portal, complete the required fields, and submit their registration for review and approval by clicking on an on-screen “submit” button. The submitted information is compared against the member’s DEERS record via an automated process and individuals passing authentication are granted access.
A two-factor authentication process is employed and consists of an email message to the registrant’s email address. The message includes an embedded hyperlink that the registrant must click on to verify the account creation.
For AFN Connect, AFN decoder helpdesk personnel receive a registration approval or disapproval response from the automated system and then activate the registered AFN-capable decoder, granting access.
For AFN Now, AFN digital application helpdesk personnel receive a registration approval or disapproval response from the automated system and then activate the registrant’s account, granting access.
3. Use of Information Technology
This collection is submitted 100% electronically. Individuals accessing AFN content must first register via the internet for the service on one or both registration portals; AFN Connect for satellite decoder users, or AFN Now for streaming application users. Minimal user data (i.e., name, personal email address and DoD ID number and date of birth) is collected. The data is verified against information in the DEERS database to determine the person’s eligibility to receive AFN services and to allow communication with the user.
4. Non-duplication
The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
Less frequent collection would delay the provisioning of AFN programming to eligible individuals and families. Additionally, it would decrease the effectiveness of Force Protection, as location information would become out of date.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 60-Day Federal Register Notice (FRN) for the collection published on Tuesday November, 23, 2021. The 60-Day FRN citation is 86 FR 66543
No comments were received during the 60-Day Comment Period.
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Tuesday, February 23, 2022. The 30-Day FRN citation is 87 FR 9586.
Part B: CONSULTATION
No additional consultation apart from soliciting public comments through the Federal Register was conducted for this submission.
9. Gifts or Payment
No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement is required on both AFN Connect and AFN Now registration portals. The PAS is located on the first page of each registration portal, as depicted in the accompanying screenshots.
A copy of the updated SORN (DPA 02, AFN Connect (AFNC) and AFN Now) can be viewed here https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/28/2022-01780/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records
A Privacy Impact Assessment has been completed for AFN Now and AFN Connect, which runs on the DMA-Riverside Administrative Network. Both PIAs are included with the package.
Records Retention and Disposition Schedule: File 1601-01. System Development Records Temporary. Cut off after system is superseded by a new iteration or is terminated, defunded, or when no longer needed for administrative, legal, audit or other operational purposes. Longer retention is authorized if required for business Use.
11. Sensitive Questions
Collection
of DoD ID Number and date of birth allows integration with DEERS. No
other sensitive information is requested.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instruments
(AFN Connect)
Number of Respondents: 20,000
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 20,000
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 3,333
Collection Instruments
(AFN Now)
Number of Respondents: 20,000
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 20,000
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 3,333
Total Submission Burden (Summation or average based on collection)
Total Number of Respondents: 40,000
Total Number of Annual Responses: 40,000
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 6,666
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instruments
(AFN Connect)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 20,000
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $32.13 (GS-12, Step 1 salary)
Labor Burden per Response: $5.36
Total Labor Burden: $107,200
Collection Instruments
(AFN Now)
Number of T5.36otal Annual Responses: 20,000
Response Time: 10 minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $32.13 (GS-12, Step 1 salary)
Labor Burden per Response: $5.36
Total Labor Burden: $107,200
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 40,000
Total Labor Burden: $214,400
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instruments
(AFN Connect)
Number of Total Annual Respondents: 20,000
Processing Time per Response: 2 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $32.13 (GS-12, Step 1 salary)
Cost to process each response: $0.96
Total cost to process responses: $19,278
Collection Instruments
(AFN Now)
Number of Total Annual Respondents: 20,000
Processing Time per Response: 2 minutes
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $32.13 (GS-12, Step 1 salary)
Cost to process each response: $0.96
Total cost to process responses: $19,278
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 40,000
Total Labor Burden: $38,556
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $17,264
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $6,616
Other: $180,000
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $203,880
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $38,556
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $203,880
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $242,436
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
The burden has increased since the previous approval due to the launch of the new digital platform, AFN Now, which greatly increases access and portability of AFN content to the authorized user. Additionally, the AFN decoder platform registration requirement was changed from once every three years to once a year to strengthen content security and the delivery of targeted Command Information.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this information collection will not be published.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-03-08 |