Justification for OMB 1140-NEW (ATF Form 8620.71) 3.3.2022

Department of Justice

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Information Collection Request

1140-XXXX

Visitor Access Request – ATF Form 8620.71

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Necessity of Information Collection

Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), dated March 3, 2000, ATF is authorized to conduct personnel security and suitability background investigations and periodic reinvestigations. Investigations are conducted on applicants and employees in competitive service positions, as well as candidates, contractors, task force officers (TFOs), or volunteers/interns in ATF service provider positions. All personnel security investigations are conducted in accordance with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, 5 C.F.R. Part 736, and Executive Orders 13467 and 13764.

ATF routinely works with representatives from other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies, participating in multi-jurisdictional approaches to combat crime. To protect ATF assets and ensure ATF facilities are only accessed by eligible individuals, ATF will conduct record checks on these representatives prior to granting them access to ATF facilities for official business. ATF will review record results and determine if a law enforcement representative may be granted access to ATF facilities and the level of access to be granted.

2. Needs and Uses

The Visitor Access Request – ATF Form 8620.71 (ATF Form 8620.71) will be used to collect personally identifiable information (PII), to begin the eligibility determination process to grant a representative (respondent) from a Federal, State, or local agency access to ATF facilities for official business.

ATF’s Personnel Security Division (PSD) staff will approve or deny facility access based on the results of applicable record checks. If access is approved, the PSD will designate the level of approved access (i.e., escorted or unescorted). Non-Federal agency representatives can only be granted escorted facility access.

3. Use of Information Technology

ATF makes every effort to take advantage of electronic collection and dissemination capabilities available. This fillable ATF Form 8620.71 (with electronic signature capability) will be available on the ATF portal for download and distribution by ATF personnel to respondents. The form will be emailed to respondents along with submission instructions for returning the completed form to ATF for processing. Respondents will be able to electronically complete the form, have it certified by their agency’s security office point of contact, and submit it to a specific email address provided by ATF for processing. Individuals with disabilities will also be able to access and complete this form. This fully electronic submission process will reduce the public cost burden for mailing completed forms.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

ATF uses a uniform subject classification system for forms to identify duplication and to ensure that any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose of this information collection.

5. Minimizing Burden on Small Businesses

This collection of information has no impact on small businesses. The information sought is in response to ATF’s evaluation of the respondent’s eligibility for access to ATF facilities for official business. The purpose of creating a record is to gather required information to conduct the respondent’s record checks.

6. Consequences of Not Conducting or Less Frequent Collection

ATF must ensure the safety and security of its government facilities, information, and IT systems. ATF Form 8620.71 is used to gather the PII necessary to conduct record checks for those Federal, State, and local agency representatives requesting access to ATF facilities to conduct official business. ATF would be unable to ensure the safety and security of its resources without this information collection.

7. Special Circumstances

This information collection requirement is consistent with the intent of Executive Order 13764, and the MOU authorizing ATF to conduct personnel security and suitability background investigations and periodic reinvestigations. The information sought allows ATF to determine if the respondent may be granted access to an ATF facility for official business and the level of access (i.e., escorted or unescorted) to be authorized. No other circumstances would cause this information collection to be conducted in any other manner, such as:

• Requiring respondents to report information to ATF more often than quarterly;

• Requiring respondents to prepare a written response in fewer than 30 days after receipt of the questionnaire;

• Requiring respondents to submit more than one original copy of any document;

• Requiring respondents to retain any records;

• Requiring the use of any statistical data;

• Requiring any pledge of confidentiality; or

• Requiring respondents to submit any proprietary or trade secrets.

8. Public Comments and Consultations

No comments were received during the 60-day Federal Register (FR) notice period. However, a 30-day FR notice will be published to solicit public comments.

9. Provision of Payments or Gifts to Respondents

No decision of payment or gift is associated with this collection.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality

Confidentiality is not assured. Information collected by the PSD is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 and will not be released to outside parties, unless authorized as set forth in the Privacy Act of 1974.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

Respondents are required to provide PII, including full name and Social Security Number to verify the respondent’s identity. This information is necessary to positively identify the respondent when conducting criminal record searches. This collection also protects the respondents from the collection of erroneous information and significantly reduces any likelihood of false records.

12. Estimate of Respondent’s Burden

It is anticipated that 2,000 respondents will complete this form for access to a specific ATF facility. However, a new form must be completed if the same individual requires long-term access to an ATF facility for more than a year. It is estimated that it takes 5 minutes to complete the form. The total annual burden hours associated with this collection is 167 hours.

13. Estimate of Cost Burden

There is no public cost associated with this collection since the completed ATF Form 8620.71 must be submitted by email to PSD for processing.

14. Cost to Federal Government

There is no cost to the Federal Government.

15. Reason for Change in Burden

There are no changes associated with this submission, as this is a new collection of information.

16. Anticipated Publication Plan and Schedule

ATF will not publish this information collection.

17. Display of Expiration Date

ATF is not requesting approval to omit the expiration date for this information collection.

18. Exception to the Certification Statement

There are no exceptions to the Certification Statement.

B. THIS COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYS NO STATISTICAL METHODS.