Office of Child Care CCDF Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions (DCI): Burden Hours Survey
Introduction
The purpose of this survey is to help the Office of Child Care (OCC) learn more about how states are implementing the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) error rate review methodology. Specifically, we want to know more about the time it takes your Lead Agency to complete the required triennial CCDF error rate reports (Sampling Decisions, Assurances, and Fieldwork Preparation Plan (SDAP); ACF-403 Record Review Worksheet; ACF-404 State Improper Payments Report; and the ACF-405 Corrective Action Plan, if applicable). The information collected in this survey is for internal planning purposes only and will be used by the OCC to inform revisions of the Child Care Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions (DCI).
This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The survey should be completed by the person(s) in your state who work on the CCDF error rate review. Lead Agencies should only submit one response per state – however, multiple people may collaborate on the responses if appropriate. Participation in this survey is voluntary and will be used solely for OCC's efforts to limit unnecessary burden on states.
Your State [Required: Text]
I have worked on or supported the completion of one or more of the following CCDF error rate reports in the current or previous error rate reporting cycle: Sampling Decisions, Assurances, and Fieldwork Preparation Plan (SDAP); ACF-403 Record Review Worksheet; ACF-404 State Improper Payments Report; or the ACF-405 Corrective Action Plan.
☐Yes ☐No [Required: If participant answers no, survey ends]
Report-Specific Questions
The following questions will ask you about your Lead Agency’s process to complete the triennial error rate review reports, including the estimated time or “burden hours” it takes to complete each report. As stated in the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the term “burden” means “the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information”. A few tips:
When estimating hours, include work performed by staff and contractors.
If you have worked on the error rate review for more than one cycle, please consider the most recent report submission when estimating time.
If your most recent report submission occurred under unusual circumstances (such as a natural disaster, or a technology issue such as an IT system hack or a substantial system shutdown), please instead consider how long the process would take under more typical circumstances based on previous cycles.
Sampling Decisions, Assurances, and Fieldwork Preparation Plan (SDAP)
The SDAP includes the state’s plans for sampling cases and conducting case reviews. Each state must create, submit, and receive OCC approval for the SDAP prior to drawing the first sample.
Have you completed or helped to complete the SDAP in the current or previous error rate reporting cycle?
☐Yes ☐No [Required: If participant answers no, skip to Q6]
Estimate how many staff hours it took your Lead Agency to complete the most recent SDAP. Include the time needed to review instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and submit the report to the OCC for approval. __ [Required: Number field]
How many dedicated staff (or FTE) do you have working on the SDAP? __ [Required: Number field]
ACF-403 Record Review Worksheet (RRW)
The RRW provides a standardized format to assess the case record to evaluate whether eligibility was correctly determined and whether the subsidy payment was made in the correct amount. Each state must customize, submit, and receive approval for its RRW prior to using the RRW to conduct 276 case record reviews. All automated RRW tools housed in an electronic database must be reviewed and approved by OCC as part of the RRW approval process.
Have you completed or helped to complete the RRW in the current or previous error rate reporting cycle?
☐Yes ☐No [Required: If participant answers no, survey skips to Q13]
First, let’s talk about customization of the RRW template.
Estimate how many staff hours it took your Lead Agency to customize the most recent RRW template to reflect your state’s policies, procures, and rules. Include the time needed to review instructions, gather the data needed to customize the template, update your state’s automated tool (if applicable), and complete and submit the information to OCC for approval. Note: this question asks about customizing the RRW template only, not the time needed to conduct each case review __ [Required: Number field]
How many dedicated staff (or FTE) do you have working on the RRW template? [Required: Number field]
Now, let’s talk about the use of the RRW.
Estimate how many hours it typically takes each reviewer to review one case record using the RRW. __ [Required: Number field]
How many dedicated staff (or FTE) do you typically have to review cases? [Required: Number field]
How does your state conduct case reviews? [Required – check one only; describe is optional for any of the choices]
Remotely (e.g., at a central location, remotely)
In-person case reviews (e.g., onsite at local entity)
Combination
Describe (optional): __ [text]
Does your state use an automated tool to review cases? Examples include but are not limited to: your RRW is housed in an electronic database, you have built-in calculations in your RRW, your RRW is integrated with one or more other systems to prepopulate some data, etc. [Required]
☐Yes. Describe: ____ [Text field]
☐No. What do you use? ___ [Text field]
ACF-404 State Improper Payments Report (ACF-404)
The ACF-404 is used by states to report the error and improper payment findings and analysis from the 276 case record reviews.
Have you completed or helped to complete the ACF-404 in the current or previous error rate reporting cycle?
☐Yes ☐No [Required: If participant answers no, survey skips to Q17]
Estimate how many staff hours it took your Lead Agency to complete the most recent ACF-404. Include the time needed to: review instructions; gather the data needed; train staff or contractors to collect the information; compile and analyze the data from the 276 case reviews; and complete and submit the report to the OCC. __ [Required: Number field]
How many dedicated staff (or FTE) do you have working on the ACF-404? [Required: Number field]
Do you use a database or other IT system to help compile and analyze the results from the 276 cases reviews for the ACF-404? For example, you have a system that automatically calculates responses to 404 items based on what was entered in the RRWs. [Required]
☐Yes. Describe: ____ [text field]
☐No. Tell us more about how you compile the information for the ACF-404. ___ [text field]
ACF-405 State Improper Payments Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
A CAP is required for states with an Improper Payment (IP) rate that exceeds the 10% threshold and is used to describe the actions states will take to reduce their IP rate.
Have you completed or helped to complete the ACF-405 CAP in the current or previous error rate reporting cycle?
☐Yes ☐No ☐NA - My state was not required to complete an IP CAP within the last two cycles [Required: If participant answers no or NA, skip to Q20]
Estimate how many staff hours it took your Lead Agency to complete the most recent ACF-405 CAP document. Include the time needed to: review instructions; gather the data needed;; and complete and submit the report to the OCC. __ [Required: Number field]
How many dedicated staff (or FTE) do you have working on the CAP? [Number required field]
Anything else you want to tell us about burden hours? [Optional: Text field]
[END Message] Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey. Your feedback is important to us, and we appreciate your responses and insights. Your input will help us better understand the time needed to complete the CCDF error rate reports and inform future DCI revisions.
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) STATEMENT OF PUBLIC BURDEN: Through this information collection, ACF is gathering information to increase ACF understanding of public burden and to inform future DCI revisions. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per respondent, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. This is a voluntary collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB # is 0970-0401 and the expiration date is xx-xx-xxxx. If you have any comments on this collection of information, please contact ACF Office of Child Care.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Fatur, Adrienne (ACF) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-07-21 |