Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program)
OMB # 0503-xxxx
Supporting Statement - Part A
A. Justification
Note: In the 60-day notice the title was, “Entities Serving Socially Disadvantaged/Veteran Farmers and Ranchers”, however, we are changing the title to, “Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program).”
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.
The H.R.2 - Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (hereafter known as the 2018 Farm Bill) requires the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement to solicit stakeholder feedback for the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (hereafter known as the 2501 Program). This survey will fulfill the requirement.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
The Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) has established a partnership with the Southern Rural Development Council who will be conducting a survey with USDA’s stakeholders (which are current grantees in our grants program) including nonprofits, community-based and nongovernmental organizations, higher education institutions, and others. Participants and stakeholders of USDA’s 2501 Program nationwide will assist OPPE in meeting its stakeholder community needs and to increase the impact of services provided, access to, and participation in USDA’s programs and services. The information collected is on a single form, illustrating a short assessment of:
1. The self-identification of partners, collaborators, and stakeholders.
2. Programmatic feedback—a short description of challenges faced during grant administration, outreach, and training efforts.
3. Participants contact information.
4. Evaluation on the effectiveness of program delivery.
The responses will be collected and compiled by the Southern Regional Development Council and reported to USDA for analysis and program review.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
The survey will be conducted in an electronic format to the maximum extent possible. Paper surveys will be available to ensure accessibility.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose(s) described in item 2 above.
There are no records of anyone conducting a related survey for the 2501 Program.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (item 5 of the OMB form 83-1), describe the methods used to minimize burden.
This collection may involve approximately 250 small nonprofits and educational institutions. The survey is primarily electronic, and the burden is .08 hours (5 minutes) and not expected to be a burden.
6. Describe the consequence to federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
If this collection is not approved, the disapproval and the 2501 program will be in noncompliance with the 2018 Farm Bill legislative requirements. In the event of disapproval, an alternative feedback collection method will have to be developed and implemented.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
Requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;
Requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;
Requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;
Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than 3 years;
In connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;
Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
That includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statue or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or
Requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.
There are no special circumstances. The collection of information is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.
If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.
An official FRN was published on May 23, 2022, Page Numbers 31207-31208, soliciting comments. End date was July 23, 2022; There were no comments received during this period.
Review of docket has been conducted by Mr. David Hancock, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) OMB Clearance Officer. Please see attachment (NASS Review).
Three grantees have been selected for the purpose of soliciting opinions and response times to complete the survey. Two grantees provided feedback with one successfully completing the survey in five minutes while the other in ten minutes. We have concluded that the survey will take five minutes to complete and is of sufficient time for the respondents.
1. Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation
Address: 831 Latour Court, Suite A
Napa, CA 94558-6260
Contact: Ms. Sonya DeLuca
Phone: (707) 944-8311
Email: [email protected]
2. Hispanic-American Institute, Inc.
Address: 318 Isleta Blvd. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87105-3822
Contact: Dr. Bruce Young-Candelaria
Phone: (505) 385-8494
Email: [email protected]
3. North South Institute
Address: 4548 North Hiatus Road
Sunrise, FL 33351-7944
Contact: Dr. Samuel Scott
Phone: (954) 434-8220
Email: [email protected]
Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than reenumeration of contractors or grantees.
No payment or gifts will be provided to respondents.
Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
Responses are voluntary and privacy/confidentiality statement is included in the survey.
Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.
There are no questions of a sensitive nature included in this survey
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
175 respondents for a total of 15 hours of burden at .08 hours (5 minutes) for an electronic survey. See attached Burden Grid spreadsheet.
75 non-respondents for a total of 3 hours of burden at .03 hours (2 minutes) for an electronic survey. See attached Burden Grid spreadsheet.
The salary of a farming supervisor is $23.38/hour. Multiply $0.389 per minute by 5 minutes per year for taking a survey equals $1.94. The fringe rate for this employee is estimated at $6.92/hour. Multiply $0.115 per minute by 5 minutes per year equals $0.57. The hourly and fringe of $2.51 (5 minutes per year) times 175 respondents totals $439.25.
The salary of a farming supervisor is $23.38/hour. Multiply $0.389 per minute by 2 minutes per year for declining an emailed survey equals $0.77. The fringe rate for this employee is estimated at $6.92/hour. Multiply $0.115 per minute by 2 minutes per year equals $0.23. The hourly and fringe of $1.00 (5 minutes per year) times 75 non-respondents totals $75.00.
The total cost for respondents and non-respondents is: $514.25
Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information, (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14).
There is no cost burden to respondents or record keepers.
Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
Annualized cost to the Federal government is $3,026.92. The method used to calculate cost is the hourly wage of a GS12 Step 2 employee.
The salary of the GS12 step 2 employee is $44.47/hour, 1 hour per week, at 52 hours per year, for maintenance and operations for a total of: $2.312.44. The fringe rate for this employee is estimated at $13.74 /hour, at 52 hours per year for $714.48 total, for a total of $3,026.92 per year.
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.
This is a new collection of information resulting in a program change of 18 burden hours.
For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.
Collection of this information is for Staff Office use only.
If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
We are not seeking approval for non-display of the OMB expiration date.
Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."
The agency is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of OMB Form 83-1.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | nsternberg |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-08-03 |