Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	Form and Instruction	Modified	Repair queued
Voluntary Decline Form 60 Day Comment Response.docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2021-09-20	Available
Voluntary Decline Extension supporting statement 9.20.21.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2021-09-21	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
247021	Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	Form and Instruction	Modified
247020	Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form	Form and Instruction	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1840-0856	ICR Reference No: 202109-1840-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202104-1840-010
Agency/Subagency: ED/OPE	Agency Tracking No: ED-2021-SCC-0080
Title: Voluntary Decline of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Form
Type of Information Collection: Extension without change of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 09/27/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	11/30/2021
Responses	125	125
Time Burden (Hours)	63	63
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

---

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 an extension of approval of a short form that will allow these institutions to provide the Department with information regarding the funds being declined.

---

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

---

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

---

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 28819	05/28/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 53042	09/24/2021
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

---

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

---

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	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	125	0	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	63	63	0	0	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

---

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

---

Common Form ICR:  No

---

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: 09/27/2021

---