Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Information Collection Request
Supporting Statement
1140-0049
Application for National Firearms Examiner Academy - ATF Form 6330.1
Justification
Necessity of Information Collection
The Office of Science and Technology’s (OST), Forensic Services offers National Firearms Examiner Academy (NFEA) training program for entry-level firearm and toolmark examiners. This program is designed in part to address the critical law enforcement services provided by firearm and toolmark examiners. The examiners themselves are a finite and dwindling population across the country. However, all law enforcement organizations that perform ballistic and forensic firearms examinations require this technical expertise. This program curriculum is designed for qualified applicants from state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies, and newly appointed ATF firearm and toolmark examiners. In order for personnel from external agencies and within the ATF to request enrollment at the NFEA, they must complete the Application for National Firearms Examiner Academy - ATF Form 6330.1. Specifically, ATF Form 6330.1 is used to acquire information about a candidate’s qualification and completion of the prerequisites, prior to enrollment in ATF’s NFEA program.
Needs and Uses
The information obtained from ATF Form 6330.1 is collected and maintained by ATF’s Office of Science and Technology, Forensic Services. In particular, this data is used to plan program courses and to ensure a candidate’s compliance with established program prerequisites. Meeting or exceeding threshold requirements is critical, since recognition in this field is obtained from both ATF, as well as an independent professional organization known as the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE). In order for the NFEA program to be valid, it must operate within the guidelines of the governing body that recognizes and certifies the work of the examiners. Prerequisites established for the NFEA are in accordance with those of AFTE standards. Some of these prerequisites include completion of a four-year college degree, as well as permanent assignment to a law enforcement forensic laboratory, for the purposes of conducting examinations related to this field.
Use of Information Technology
This fillable ATF Form 6330.1 is available for download from the ATF website, and can be e-mailed to the [email protected] inbox upon completion. The fillable form can be signed with a wet signature, scanned and then emailed to NFEA. Applicants can also complete the 508 compliant PDF form online, digitally sign and e-mail it to the NFEA inbox, thereby ensuring a completely paperless method of submission.
Efforts to Identify Duplication
ATF uses a uniform subject classification system 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.
Minimizing Burden on Small Businesses
The collection of information has no impact on small businesses.
Consequences of Not Conducting or Less Frequent Collection
Without this information collection, critical information obtained through the work of ballistic and forensic firearms would be unavailable during criminal case investigations. This is because every law enforcement organization relies on this expertise when conducting investigations. This collection ensures that ATF has access to appropriate data to evaluate and enroll suitable candidates for the NFEA program, and plan future training.
Special Circumstances
This information will be collected in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6.
Public Comments and Consultations
A 60-day and 30-day Federal Register notice will be published in order to solicit comments from the public.
Provision of Payments or Gifts to Respondents
ATF will not provide any payment or gift of any type to respondents.
The collected data for this information collection is kept in a secure location at the ATF National Laboratory Center, and is exclusively reviewed by ATF employees who determine a candidate’s eligibility to enroll in the NFEA program. Confidentiality is not assured.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
The social security number is requested to verify the identity of the applicant, as well as their citizenship and/or immigration status. This data is also used to track the applicant’s training progress and course completion. Currently, the NFEA can only accept applications from U.S. citizens, due to current Department of State and Department of Defense regulations regarding individuals allowed to enter firearm manufacturer’s facilities in the U.S.
Estimates of Respondent’s Burden
The number of respondents associated with this collection is 75. The total annual responses is 75. The time it takes to complete the form is 12 minutes. The total annual burden associated with this collection is 15 hours, which is calculated as follows: 75 respondents x .20 (12 minutes) = 15 hours).
Estimate of Cost Burden
Cost is non-existent since the form can be e-mailed to the NFEA Training mailbox for processing.
Cost to the Federal Government
There is no cost to the Federal Government.
Reason for Change in Burden
There are no changes associated with this submission.
Anticipated Publication Plan and Schedule
The results of this collection will not be published.
Display of Expiration Date
ATF does not request approval to not display the expiration date of OMB approval for this information collection.
Exception to the Certification Statement
There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
Statistical Methods
None
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Department of Justice |
| Author | ATF |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2023-09-23 |