SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
DoD Cyber Scholarship Program – 0704-0486
Summary of Changes from Previously Approved Collection
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1. Need for the Information Collection
DoD Cyber Scholarship Program (DoD CySP), authorized by Section 2200 of Title 10 of the United States Code, is designed to: increase the number of new entrants to DoD who possess key Cyber and Information Technology (IT) skill sets; and serve as a tool to develop and retain well-educated military and civilian personnel who support the Department’s critical IT management and infrastructure protection functions. The DoD CySP recruitment track is for college students who, upon completion of the program, will work for the DoD. The retention track is for current DoD employees attending college courses through the DoD CySP while still performing their mission duties. Pending availability of funds, the DoD CySP may also award capacity-building grants to colleges and universities designated as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, (referred to herein as NCAE-Cs) who respond to one of the two scholarship tracks: for such purposes as developing cyber curricula and faculty, building cyber laboratories, and outreach to minority institutions. The National Security Agency (NSA) is the Executive Administrator of the program, serving on behalf of the Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO).
NCAE-Cs submit a proposal responding to at least one of the two scholarship tracks and the optional capacity building program (a scholarship proposal is required to be eligible for the capacity building). All grant submissions require specific forms that are identified in the annual solicitation released each year by the DoD CySP Program Office. Grant proposals are part of a competitive application process. Students interested in either the recruitment or retention scholarship submit documentation detailing their credentials through the DoD CySP online application portal. (https://www.dodemergingtech.com/cyber-scholarship-program-cysp/). NCAE-Cs interested in applying for grants (scholarship and/or capacity-building) must complete and submit a written technical and financial proposal, as well as forms required by federal grant policy (forms are identified in the grant solicitation and can be downloaded at www.grants.gov). DoD requires this information collection (proposals and grant execution accomplishments) to measure the performance of the capacity building components of the DoD CySP. DoD uses the information collected in the scholarship application process to assess the quality of applicants selected for inclusion in the DoD CySP. Without this documentation detailing scholarship applicants’ credentials, grant proposals, and grant execution accomplishments, the DoD has no means of judging the quality of applicants to the program or collecting information regarding program performance.
In order to apply for any aspect of the program, information is collected so that the DoD may judge the merits of a given application and determine how best to allocate DoD CySP funds. The recruitment, capacity-building, and assessment aspects of the DoD CySP apply to members of the public who choose to become involved in the program and thus become subject to information collection requirements. The retention aspect of the DoD CySP only applies to current DoD personnel, and thus its information collection requirements are not addressed in this request.
As previously stated, detailed information regarding the DoD CySP annual opportunity is included in the DoD CySP Solicitation. The solicitation can be obtained from the DoD CySP Program Office or downloaded from the DoD CySP website. https://public.cyber.mil/dcysp/.
2. Use of the Information
Student Recruitment Program
Students interested in participating in the DoD CySP recruitment program must complete and submit an application package through the DoD CySP online application portal (https://www.dodemergingtech.com/cyber-scholarship-program-cysp/). The process for receiving, selecting, and awarding recruitment scholarships is a two-part process involving the NCAE-Cs and the NSA Executive Administrator Office. New applicants apply for a scholarship and, if selected, fill a position within the DoD upon graduation. Returning students that were previously selected must complete a shorter application through the DoD Emerging Technologies Talent Marketplace and resubmit for an additional year of scholarship. Returning applicants must validate previously provided information, provide one Letter of Reference from the current Principal Investigator or key faculty member, and provide Official (certified) Transcripts from all the institutions of higher learning attended since the last submission. . The information collected for the competitive selection process includes: contact information, two letters of reference, official transcripts, GPA, anticipated date of graduation, resume, veteran status, and desired DoD Agency (first, second, and third choices). This information is provided to the Government through the online tool.
NCAE-C Student Application Process (Recruitment):
Students create a unique account (username / password) for the DoD CySP application tool (https://www.dodemergingtech.com/cyber-scholarship-program-cysp/) and provide answers to the questions identified in the application.
Students are required to upload transcripts as part of the application process. Transcripts can either be official or unofficial. Transcripts are deemed certified if they 1) Have an embossed stamp from the applicant’s school or 2) Are certified by the NCAE-C’s Registrar Office. Unofficial transcripts are traditionally printed directly from a university portal or dashboard that the student has access.
The DoD CySP On-Campus point of contact, faculty member, or Principal Investigator (PI) familiar with the DoD CySP program will create their own unique account (username and password) in the online application tool to nominate each application and provide an endorsement of each applicant. The endorsement indicates the application meets administrative and academic sufficiency requirements based on the overall evaluation of all applicant materials. PIs shall enter the endorsement statement in the online application tool. In addition to the endorsement statement, the PI will place each applicant in one of three possible categories:
Highly Recommended – Student is deemed to be of the highest quality and exceeds all application requirements. No weak points or deficiencies exist.
Recommended – Student meets all published requirements. No weak points or deficiencies exist.
Not Recommended – Student does not meet the minimum published requirements. The application is missing documents. The student is not enrolled in a valid cyber program or accepted to the institution. Numerous weak points and deficiencies exist.
The PI will submit all required grant forms through secure file transfer to the DoD CySP Executive Administrator Office. Student applications are automatically submitted in the online tool. No hard copy version of the student applications is required.
Students are required to sign a participation agreement within 15 days of the acceptance letter. Upon signature, the document will be provided to the DoD CySP Program Office, the selecting DoD Component, and the NCAE-C.
DoD CySP Executive Administrator Office Process:
The DoD CySP Executive Administrator-
Contacts the PI to acknowledge receipt of the files;
Reviews any student applications that the online application tool has identified as having issues and follows up with each PI to validate and/or clarify anything that is unclear;
Creates secure electronic folders on a password-protected network for each calendar year to store applications, and then creates a summary spreadsheet containing all NCAE-C grant information. The online application tool has a reporting feature that allows the DoD CySP Program Office to download applicant information. All applicant reports will be stored in the same password-protected network.
DoD Components will have access to the DoD CySP online application via a unique username and password.
Student applicants are reviewed by DoD Hiring Leads to determine suitability of placement upon graduation. Once selected to receive a scholarship, applicants will be screened by DoD Security professionals and communicate with Human Resources who will manage their hiring package.
After the selection process student documents and applications are destroyed according to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records management process.
NCAE-C Grant Proposal and Annual Performance Reporting
NCAE-Cs interested in applying for scholarship and/or capacity-building grants must complete and submit a written proposal, as well as forms required by federal grant policy (forms are identified in the grant solicitation and can be downloaded at grants.gov). Scholarships enhance future and the current cyber workforce. For Recruitment students, scholarships targets students who are not current DoD Federal employees and who are enrolled in designated CAEs. For Retention students, scholarships target military and civilian DoD personnel for graduate and Ph.D. programs. Additionally, Capacity Building Grants increase the pipeline of students in the areas of Cybersecurity. Grant proposals must include a detailed technical and financial proposal that outlines how the NCAE-C plans to manage the scholarship students (recruitment and/or retention) and the proposed capacity building projects. A proposal must include one of the two scholarship options in order to be eligible for capacity building grants. Any NCAE-C proposal sent to the DoD CySP Program Office for consideration that is missing these required submission items will be deemed incomplete and not accepted for review. Capacity building is an optional activity and there is no penalty on institutions that do not apply for this portion of the scholarship program. Per NSA grant processing requirements, the institution is required to mail hard copies of the grant documents to the DoD CySP Program Office. All annual reports and/or required reports are submitted electronically.
Proposals are evaluated by subject matter experts from various DoD components on the merits of the proposal’s approach, the benefits to/alignment with DoD mission, and the reasonableness of the cost proposal. Proposal review criteria is outlined in the annual solicitation. Upon award and completion of the grant, all NCAE-Cs must provide annual documentation detailing the use of grant funding and the outcomes of the scholarship and capacity building initiatives. The burden of required standard forms is not part of this collection information burden.
3. Use of Information Technology
Starting in 1st quarter FY23, 100% of Student Applications will be submitted electronically, replacing the fully paper-based student application process. This change will ensure that student application packages are submitted securely to the DoD CySP Program Office and the DoD CySP On-Campus Point of Contact with minimal impact to student privacy while streamlining the application process.
100% of proposals and annual reports are submitted electronically.
The DoD CySP Program Office uses information technology (IT) in a variety of ways to increase program efficiency. A secure online application tool allows for all parties to have password protected access without the need to transfer paper copies or utilize file share software like the DoD Safe. To further reduce the need for paper, all NCAE-Cs no longer need to provide hard copies of student applications. NCAE-C will submit electronic copies of grant proposals and reposts as identified in the FAR or 2 CFR Part 215 Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations (OMB Circular A-110). These documents can be downloaded from Grants.gov. Required grant reports are provided to both NSA and Office of Naval Research via email.
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
DoD uses the scholarship program as an annual recruiting mechanism to maintain a continuous flow of new cybersecurity professionals into the DoD cybersecurity workforce. If the Information Collection (i.e., student scholarship applications) was conducted less frequently then there would be gaps in the pipeline for new entrants to the cybersecurity workforce. In addition, prior year submissions cannot be re-used; applicants must submit a separate, current application.
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, July 20, 2021. The 60-Day FRN citation is 86 FR 38320.
No comments were received during the 60-Day Comment Period.
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Monday, December 18, 2023. The 30-Day FRN citation is 88 FR 87411.
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
Privacy Act Statements, including purposes of the information collections, routine uses, and disclosure requirements are placed on student application forms. Privacy Banners are placed on any spreadsheets containing student PII or any documentation shared with participating DoD Components.
The associated SORN (GNSA 27, Information Assurance Scholarship Program) is accessible at the following link: https://dpcld.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNsIndex/DOD-wide-SORN-Article-View/Article/570527/gnsa-27/
An approved copy of the Privacy Impact Assessment for the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program/Emerging Technologies Talent Marketplace has been provided with this package for OMB’s review.
The DoD CySP Program Office follows NSA’s records management policy. The DoD CySP uses the following:
Records Disposition Number 330-25A
RDS Category: Administrative and Management – Civilian Personnel Files
File Series Type: DoD Cyber Scholarship Program
File Series Description: Working files on all scholarships and grants pertaining to the DoD CySP
Retention Instructions: Destroy 5 years after grant has been closed
NARA Authority Number: N1-457-07-001
11. Sensitive Questions
Students applying to the CySP Recruitment Program may identify their ethnicity and race, as well as their disability status.
Providing race/ethnicity is completely voluntary and does not weigh into the selection of students. The information that is collected is only seen by the DoD CySP Program Office and the DoD CIO. This information is also used to answer congressional queries in to how we are attracting a diverse cyber workforce.
Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to additional funding, allowing them to purchase assistive technology and obtain passes for parking or ADA requirements.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Recruitment Program
Collection Instrument(s)
New Student Application (Attachment D1)
Number of Respondents: 486
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 486
Response Time: 5 hours
Respondent Burden Hours: 2,430 hours
Returning Student Application (Attachment D2)
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 98
Response Time: 2 hours
Respondent Burden Hours: 196 hours
Grant Proposal Program
The response burden for grant proposals is determined by multiplying the number of 2022 respondents by the number of annual responses by the number of hours required to complete the response:
Basic / Recruitment Scholarships Proposal
a) Number of Respondents: 87
b) Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
c) Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
d) Response Time: 24 hours
e) Respondent Burden Hours: 2,088
Annex I / Retention Scholarships Proposal
a) Number of Respondents: 2
b) Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
c) Number of Total Annual Responses: 2
d) Response Time: 12 hours
e) Respondent Burden Hours: 24
Annex II Capacity Building Proposal
a) Number of Respondents: 42 (all of these are also submitting a basic proposal)
b) Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
c) Number of Total Annual Responses: 42
d) Response Time: 8 hours
e) Respondent Burden Hours: 336
Grant Annual Report
DoD CySP Grant Annual Report (Attachment F)
Number of Respondents: 89
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 89
Response Time: 8 hours
Respondent Burden Hours: 712
Total Submission Burden
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
Recruitment Program
New Student Application (Attachment D1)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 486
Response Time: 5 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $7.25
Labor Burden per Response: $36.25
Total Labor Burden: $17,617.50
Returning Student Application (Attachment D2)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 98
Response Time: 2 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $7.25
Labor Burden per Response: $14.50
Total Labor Burden: $1,421.00
Grant Program
Basic / Recruitment Scholarships Proposal
Number of Total Annual Responses: 87
Response Time: 24 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $58.00
Labor Burden per Response: $1,392.00
Annex I / Retention Scholarships Proposal
Number of Total Annual Responses: 2
Response Time: 12 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $58.00
Labor Burden per Response: $696.00
Annex II Capacity Building Proposal
Number of Total Annual Responses: 42
Response Time: 8 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $58.00
Labor Burden per Response: $464.00
Annual Grant Report
DoD CySP Grant Annual Report (Attachment F)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 89
Response Time: 8 hours
Respondent Hourly Wage: $58.00
Labor Burden per Response: $464.00
Total Labor Burden: $41,296.00
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 804
Total Labor Burden: $202,319
The individuals creating the grant proposals and drafting the Annual reports are typically College/University professors in the Cyber/Computer Science field. Their respondent hourly wage is based on the median salary of $58 per hour from Salary.com. (https://www.salary.com/research/salary/benchmark/professor-computer-science-hourly-wages)
Respondent hourly wage for the Student Application is the Federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no startup or capital costs. Other costs as shown below:
|
Number |
Cost/EA |
Total Cost |
Transcript Fees |
584 students |
$0-$10.00* |
$584.00 |
Mailing |
89 NCAE-C Grant Proposals to include recruitment student applications. |
$25.00 |
$2,225.00 |
Printing |
Applications, proposals 15,000 pages |
$0.25 |
$3,750.00 |
Total |
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$5,975 – 6,559.00 |
*Students may upload an unofficial transcript, which is zero cost to the student. Cost range accounts for students who may request official transcripts and the fees they may incur.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
Student Applications (New and Returning)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 584
Processing Time per Response: .10 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $37.09
Cost to Process Each Response: $3.71
Total Cost to Process Responses: $2,166.06
Grant Proposals
Number of Total Annual Responses: 89 (total packages to review)
Processing Time per Response: 6 hours
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $61.30
Cost to Process Each Response: $367.80
Total Cost to Process Responses: $32,734.20
DoD CySP Grant Annual Report (Attachment F)
Number of Total Annual Responses: 89
Processing Time per Response: 1 hour
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: $61.30
Cost to Process Each Response: $61.30
Total Cost to Process Responses: $5,455.70
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 762
Total Labor Burden: $40,355.96
Hourly Wage of Worker(s) is based on GS-12/5 2022 hourly salary of $37.09 for reviewers of Student Applications and GS-15/5 2022 hourly salary of $61.30 for reviewers of Grant Proposals and Annual Reports. (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/22Tables/html/GS_h.aspx)
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $325.00
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $0
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $325.00
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $40,355.96
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $625
Total Cost to the Federal Government: $40,680.96
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is a reinstatement with change to an expired collection. The burden increase reflects changes in annual costs associated with the program that previously were not captured as well as an increase in respondents to the scholarship for both students and colleges/universities.
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 | 2023-12-19 |