SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION
FLO Professional
Development Fellowship (PDF) Application
(DS-4297)
Why is this collection necessary and what are the legal statutes that allow this?
It is necessary to collect information on FLO Professional Development Fellowship (PDF) applicants in order to evaluate who will receive the limited number of fellowships.
The information is sought pursuant to 22 U.S.C. § 2651a– Organization of the Department of State, 22 U.S.C. § 3921- Management of the Foreign Service.
What business purpose is the information gathered going to be used for?
The information will be used by the Family Liaison Office (FLO) and selection committees to award fellowships.
Open to spouses and partners of direct-hire U.S. government employees from all agencies serving overseas under Chief of Mission authority, the PDF program supports spouses and partners in their efforts to develop, maintain, and/or refresh their professional skills while overseas.
Subject to budgetary constraints, PDFs from $1,000 up to $2,500 will be offered on a reimbursable basis for enrichment activities. Selectees will self-fund a minimum of 25 percent of the activity upon which the PDF is based. Proposals may include a wide range of activities including, but not limited to, classroom and distance learning courses, professional development activities, obtaining or renewal of professional certifications and licenses, development of new career skills, and participation in professional conferences.
Additional information is currently available here.
Is this collection able to be completed electronically (e.g. through a website or application)?
All PDF applications are submitted via email. Applicants will download a Portable Document Format version of the application from FLO’s website. The application is fully fillable (including the signature/initial field) and respondents are able to complete it on their computer. Respondents submit their applications to a Department of State operated inbox. One hundred percent of submissions are collected electronically as FLO receives applications from posts around the world. This collection process is quick and efficient for both the applicants and FLO.
Does this collection duplicate any other collection of information?
This collection does not duplicate any other collection of information. This is the only program of its kind that provides fellowships to Foreign Service family members who want to maintain, enhance, and/or develop their professional skills while overseas. The application includes specific information on the applicant’s professional goals as well as how he or she will take advantage of the fellowship opportunity.
Describe any impacts on small business.
This collection does not have an impact on small businesses.
What are consequences if this collection is not done?
If the information in the PDF application is not collected, FLO will not be able to conduct the program. The information is needed to evaluate the needs of family members and determine who will be awarded a fellowship based on a specific set of criteria.
Are there any special collection circumstances?
There are no special collection circumstances.
Document publication (or intent to publish) a request for public comments in the Federal Register
The Department published a 60 day notice in the Federal Register soliciting public comment on this information collection on November 10, 2020 (85 FR 71709). One non-responsive comment was received.
Are payments or gifts given to the respondents?
Awardees of Professional Development Fellowships receive from $1,000 up to $2,500 on a reimbursable basis for enrichment activities. Awardees self-fund a minimum of 25 percent of the activity upon which the PDF is based.
Describe assurances of privacy/confidentiality
There are no promises of privacy or confidentiality. The application form includes a Privacy Act Statement. The applicable System of Records Notice is STATE-31, Human Resources Records.
Are any questions of a sensitive nature asked?
There are no questions of a sensitive nature.
Describe the hour time burden and the hour cost burden on the respondent needed to complete this collection
The average time required of each respondent to fill out the PDF application is 2.75 hours. The estimated total annual burden for this collection is:
260 (estimated number of respondents) x 165 (minutes) = 715 hours per year.
The estimated cost to respondents is based on the hourly wage and weighted wage multiplier using these figures:
$25.721 (mean hourly earnings based on estimated income per hour from the Bureau of Labor Statistics) = $25.72 weighted wage
715 (annual hours) x $25.72 (weighted wage) = $18,389.80 (hour burden cost)
The estimated number of minutes per response is based on a sampling of the time it takes applicants to gather the necessary information, to input it into the applications, to edit and review, and to submit it to FLO.
Describe the monetary burden to respondents (out of pocket costs) needed to complete this collection.
There is no monetary burden to the respondent to complete this collection.
Describe the cost incurred by the Federal Government to complete this collection.
The projected annual cost to the Federal Government for this collection is $15,498.60.
3/4 hour review time for GS-9/5 Employment Specialist @ $67,473yr.2 = $ 32.44/hr.
|
x |
|
= |
$ 24.33 |
1/4 hour review time for GS- 12/5 HR Specialists and Foreign Service Officers on selection committee (3 per committee) @ $97,848yr.3 = $47.04/hr.
|
x |
3 |
= |
$35.28 |
Total Cost per Application Review |
|
|
|
$ 59.61 |
Estimated Number of Applications per year |
x |
260 |
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|
Estimated Annual Cost to Federal Government |
|
|
|
$ 15,498.60 |
Explain any changes/adjustments to this collection since the previous submission
This is a revision of a currently approved collection. The changes to the form are as follows: new link to the instructions, an update to the date options through 2022, and the inclusion of the Paperwork Reduction Act Statement and the Privacy Act Statement.
Specify if the data gathered by this collection will be published.
This collection will not be published.
If applicable, explain the reason(s) for seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date.
The Department of State will display the OMB expiration date.
Explain any exceptions to the OMB certification statement below.
The Department is not seeking exceptions to the certification statement.
This collection does not employ statistical methods.
1 Source: www.BLS.gov
2 Source: www.opm.gov
3 Source: www.opm.gov
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR |
| Author | USDOS |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-12-03 |