Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) Focus Groups

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
2023 Participation Rights Form.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2023-03-20	Repair queued
Supporting Statement Part A_DACOWITS.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2023-03-20	Repair queued
OMB Emergency Justification_DACOWITS (signed 03142023).pdf	Justification for No Material/Nonsubstantive Change	Uploaded 2023-03-15	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
259223	DACOWITS Annual Installation Visit Focus Group Mini-Survey	Other-Survey	New
259222	DACOWITS Annual Installation Visit Focus Group Protocols	Other-Survey	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0704-0656	ICR Reference No: 202303-0704-013
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: DOW/DODDEP	Agency Tracking No: 0704-DCWS
Title: Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) Focus Groups
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 03/24/2023
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 04/07/2023
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 03/20/2023
Terms of Clearance: This collection is approved based on the revised materials provided by the Department for 6 months only. If DOD plans to use this collection for more than 6 months, a 60 and 30 day notice needs to be published. DOD is reminded that any report generated based on these results needs to be provided for OMB review before being released publicly.

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	10/31/2023	6 Months From Approved
Responses	576	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	864	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	50,976	0	0

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Abstract: DACOWITS provides independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, employment, integration, well-being, and treatment of women in the Armed Forces of the United States, via a comprehensive annual report. DACOWITS collects qualitative data from focus groups and interactions with Service members during installation visits. The focus groups will be conducted with Service members (both male and female; officer and enlisted) from each of the Military Services. The research and data gathered through focus group responses will be analyzed in order to provide the Committee with vital information and input needed to create, support, and provide justification and reasoning for their recommendations.

Emergency Justfication: This information collection is essential to the DACOWITS’ charter of providing the Secretary of Defense with timely advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment, retention, employment, integration, well-being, and treatment of women in the Armed Forces. DACOWITS gathers information from multiple sources, to include briefings and written responses from the Defense Department, Service-level military representatives, and subject matter experts. In addition, the Committee collects qualitative data from focus groups and interactions with Service members during installation visits. The research gathered through focus group responses provides the Committee with vital information, data, and input needed to create, support, and provide justification and reasoning for their recommendations. Applying regular Paperwork Reduction Act clearance procedures will delay the Committee’s ability to begin collecting the qualitative data needed to support the justification for their recommendations. DACOWITS was unaware of the new requirement to process their information collection through OMB. Additionally, the Committee’s timeline of receiving their annual study topics from the Sponsor did not take into account or allow the amount of time needed for the OMB approval process.

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Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	88 FR 16593	03/20/2023
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
DACOWITS Annual Installation Visit Focus Group Mini-Survey
DACOWITS Annual Installation Visit Focus Group Protocols

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	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	576	0	0	576	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	864	0	0	864	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	50,976	0	0	50,976	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection with new associated burden.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $172,020

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? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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: 03/20/2023

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