NAL Supporting Statement for 0518-0033 (2024 Submission)

Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

This is a revision of a currently approved information collection request. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA), National Agricultural Library, Animal Welfare Information Center conducts a workshop titled “Meeting the Requirements of the Animal Welfare Act”. The registration form collects information from interested parties necessary to register them for the workshop. This information includes name, title/position, organization name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Five questions are asked regarding: Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee membership (2 questions), position as principal investigator, and goals for attending the workshop (2 questions).

A2. Purpose and Use of the Information.

Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate how the agency has actually used the information received from the current collection.

Animal Welfare Information Center staff will use the collected information to register participants, contact them regarding schedule changes, control the number of participants due to limited resources and training space, and compile and customize class materials to meet the needs of the participants.

The information will be collected using an online version of the form.

A3. Use of information technology and burden reduction.

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.

ARS makes every effort to comply with the E-Government Act, 2002 (E-Gov) and to provide for alternative submission of information collections. The Registration Form will be available for completion online at the Animal Welfare Information Center Web site. 100% of respondents will submit information via the online Zoom registration form. If an accommodation is needed to attend, respondents may contact AWIC by email or phone. Here is the link to the registrion form: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItdOmsqD0vG69tIamoGEdpd0gB0gOcJGo#/registration

A4. Efforts to identify duplication.

Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Question 2.

Since interested parties request to attend this workshop, there is no previous and/or duplication of information. All information is provided at the time of registration and is intended to be a one-time only opportunity for each participant. There is no similar data collection available. Every effort has been made to avoid duplication. The agency has reviewed USDA reporting requirements, state administrative agency reporting requirements, and special studies by other government and private agencies. ARS solely administers the Animal Welfare Information Center facilities to ensure integrity. The information required for data collection is not currently reported to any other agency on a regular basis in a standardized form.

A5. Impacts on small businesses or other small entities.

If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-I), describe any methods used to minimize burden.

We expect fewer than 3 small entities will use the form. Information being requested or required has been held to the minimum required for the intended use. Circumstances limit the flexibility in modifying the reporting requirements.

A6. Consequences of collecting the information less frequently.

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.

Failure of the Animal Welfare Information Center to collect this information would prohibit the delivery of this workshop and significantly inhibit the ability to provide up-to-date information on the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. This information is mandatory so we can track attendance for our workshop and send out course materials at a later date. This is a one-time data collection request.

A7. Special circumstances relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5.

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 three 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 statute 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 for the collection of information requirements. The collection of information is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

A8. Comments to the Federal Register Notice and efforts for consultation.

If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8 (d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years even if the collection of information activity is the same as in prior years. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

A Federal Register notice was published on June 13, 2024, Volume 89, Number 115, Page 50255. The NAL consulted with 3 people to ensure that the form was readable, understandable, and took less than 3 minutes to complete prior to submission to OMB.

Consultants:

Brock Carder; 5418 Phelps Luck Drive, Columbia, MD 21045; (410) 302-9397

Jamie Flood; 1301 E. Washington St. Apt 405, Indianapolis, IN 46202; (240) 579-9582

Timothy Schoepke; 10301 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD, 20705; (301) 504-5755

A9. Explain any decisions to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No payment of gift was or will be provided to respondents.

A10. Assurances of confidentiality provided to respondents.

Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The private, secure and safeguard of information received by the Animal Welfare Information Center is consistent with the Privacy Act of 1974.

A11. Justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.

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.

Questions of a sensitive nature are not applicable to this information collection.

A12. Estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.

A. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of OMB Form 83-I.

Based on the number of regulated communities under the Animal Welfare Act, it is estimated that 840 respondents will complete the survey once annually for a total of 840 responses annually. The time required to complete this information is estimated to average 3 minutes per response, including the time to check the boxes and the text fields. The burden for this collection is 42 hours. See copy of spreadsheet.

B. Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

Members of the regulated community would be completing the workshop registration. The total estimated cost to respondents is $2,050.02 (48.81 x 42).

The cost to our respondents is based on the median salary of $101,520* at a pay rate of $48.81* per hour. * Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023, 19-1099 Life Scientists, All Other.

A13. Estimates of other total annual cost burden.

Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information, (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in questions 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.

There are no capital and start-up, or operation, maintenance and purchase costs associated with this information collection.

A14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.

Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. 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.

The estimated annualized cost to the Federal government is $245.60. The estimated time for review, data entry, and tracking is 5 hours. The information from the form will be extracted by a government employee with an approximate cost to the government of $49.12* per hour. *Based on General Schedule GS-12 Step 2 Office of Personal Management Salaries & Wage effective January 2024.

A15. Explanation of program changes or adjustments.

Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-I.

The number of respondents increased from 270 to 840, the number of responses increased from 270 to 840, and the burden hours increased from 22 to 42. This is due to a change in personnel for data collection/review, and use of an online application for registration. This is a change that is not the result of a deliberate Federal government action. Changes resulting from new estimates or actions not controllable by the Federal government are recorded as adjustments.

A16. Plans for tabulation, and publication and project time schedule.

For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.

Thei information will not be published.

A17. Displaying the OMB Approval Expiration Date.

If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

The Animal Welfare Information Center is not seeking approval to exempt display of the expiration date for OMB approval.

A18. Exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19.

Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of the OMB 83-I" Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act."

There are no exceptions to Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.

File Type	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
File Title	Supporting Statement for OMB No
Author	USDA
File Modified	0000-00-00
File Created	2024-10-29