FINAL OMB_SupportingStatementA_0915-0295

Supporting Statement A

Grant Reviewer Recruitment Module Form

OMB Control No. 0915-0295

Terms of Clearance: NONE

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

This is an extension request by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Division of Independent Review (DIR) for an extension of the Grant Reviewer Recruitment Form under OMB No. 0915-0295. The current expiration date is April 30, 2023. This form is used to update and enhance the DIR’s grant and cooperative agreement reviewer database.

HRSA’s Division of Independent Review (DIR) is responsible for administering the review of eligible applications submitted for grants under HRSA competitive announcements. DIR ensures that the objective review process is independent, efficient, effective, economical, and complies with the applicable statutes, regulations, and policies. Applications are reviewed by subject matter experts knowledgeable in health and public health disciplines for which support is requested. Review findings are advisory to HRSA programs responsible for making award decisions.

The DIR process is in accordance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) Grants Policy Directive (GPD) 2.04 "Awarding Grants", the DHHS Awarding Agency Grants Administration Manual (AAGAM), Chapter 2.04.104C "Objective Review of Grant Applications, and the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, Sections 799(f) and 806(e).

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

We are requesting approval of an extension to the Reviewer Recruitment Module (RRM) form. The electronic form is a simplified, centralized online data collection web page using fewer menus, fewer user-entered fields, and a search function on the reviewer uploaded Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume data. The reviewer selection is based on professional qualifications using data they enter, answers to menu questions, and a scan of the CV or resume data using key words germane to the specific needs of the peer review.

To streamline the registration, selection and assignment of expert grant reviewers for objective review committees, HRSA has used a web-based, centralized data collection Reviewer Recruitment Module (RRM) since 2008 to record critical reviewer information. The RRM standardized reviewer information such as areas of expertise, occupations, work settings, education, and experience. DIR uses the online database to select appropriate reviewers for objective review committees, which evaluate the merits of competitive and discretionary grant applications, and cooperative agreements for funding.

Use of a standardized, centralized database has played an important role in the process of composing objective review committees, and enhanced the diversity of the HRSA reviewer pool as required by the (previously described) legislation and policy. Expedited accurate reviewer selection contributes to the reduction in HRSA's time between application receipt and grant award issuance. Professional qualifications, not demographic data, are used as selection criteria.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

The RRM form uses simple drop-down menus, checkboxes and radio buttons to simplify the data collection process and reduce the respondent time and burden to register and update their file. Existing reviewers maintain their registration annually with any updates to their contact information or CV/ resume (e.g. addresses, employer, expertise, occupation), and add any missing information to their profile. Screen shots of the revised database are provided (attachment 1).

Use of a centralized database permits multiple staff members to simultaneously compose objective review committees and eliminate duplicate reviewer information. During file creation, reviewers select their user name and password which can be changed at their leisure and more easily remembered. Automated annual notices are sent by the RRM system when the file requires updating or archived as inactive. Sensitive information such as birthdates and social security numbers are not collected.

3. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

HRSA has no other web-based vehicle for potential grant reviewers to submit information in a standardized fashion. It is necessary for DIR to collect reviewer demographic and professional data to select peer reviewers and conduct HRSA peer review per legislation. Consistency of the web page presentation, flow of information, and ease of use were all considerations in the design of this particular RRM system.

3. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

Individuals who apply as HRSA grant reviewers maybe affiliated with small entities. However, the information requested is the minimum needed to identify well-qualified applicants and the burden to applicants is not significant.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

A respondent is required to enter the system at least once annually. Reviewer’s files can be administratively annotated by DIR as needed. If a respondent is selected to serve for a particular review, they will not be asked to validate the information or make any changes until the required annual update. E-mail notifications will be automated to ask reviewers to either update their file, or to indicate if they are no longer interested in serving as a HRSA reviewer. No follow-up is performed if the reviewer does not respond to these e-mails. The RRM system will automatically archive the file if not updated in a timely manner. The notification email was previously approved. There are no legal obstacles to reduce the burden.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

This application is fully compliant with 5 CFR 1320.5.

7. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Consultation Outside the Agency

As required in 5 CFR 1320.8(d) a 60-day Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal Register on March 6, 2023 (Volume 88, Number 43, Pages 13832-13833. There were no public comments received.

0. Explanation of any Payment/ Gift to Respondents

There will be no payment to respondents for submitting an application.

0. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

Information and data will be maintained through the HRSA RRM system and stored in a database. This system is covered under a Privacy Impact Assessment certified and accredited for security authorization under GrantSolutions© Automated Review Module (ARM©), by the Agency for Children and Families (ACF) agency Chief Information Officer. RRM is part of the GrantSolutions ARM© module system used by HRSA under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ACF, and technically falls under the same agreement. ARM© is not a publically accessible system and does not capture any personally identifiable information (PII) from its users.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimates of Annualized Hour and cost Burden (no pre-screening)

Grant Recruitment Form	Number of respondents	Responses per respondent	Total responses	Hours per response	Total burden hours
New reviewer	2000	1	2000	.166	332
Updating reviewer information	9000	1	9000	.333	2997
Total	11000	----	11000	----	3329

13. Estimates of other total Annual cost Burden to Respondents or Recordkeepers/ Capital costs

There are no capital or startup costs and no operation and maintenance of services costs to respondents associated with this application.

13. Annualized Cost to the Government

The use of a web-based database form for the collection and organization self-nominated reviewer information produces economic and business process efficiencies. In its current web-based environment, no FTE hours will be utilized for system administrative activities as the RRM system continues as an adjunct of an internal grant database application already managed by HRSA's system administrator. DIR staff time dedicated to system management is 5% of a GS-13 step 7 FTE at approximately$6,160.

HRSA has expended approximately $560,024 for development & maintenance in 2019 of the web-based database through an MOU with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This current request is for the Reviewer Recruitment Module (RRM) form for 2846 total burden hours, has changed to 3329 due to increase in the number of registrants. Plans for Tabulation, Publication, and Project Time Schedule

There are no plans for analysis or publication of any information collected from the RRM.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

The expiration date will be displayed.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.