Emergency Processing Justification Letter to OMB - USAID_Haiti Departure Planning Information Collection

November 26, 2024
MEMORANDUM
TO:

Tyler Glotfelty, USAID Desk Officer
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs
Office of Management and Budget

FROM:

Todd Sorenson, Acting Mission Director, USAID/Haiti
U.S. Agency for International Development

SUBJECT:

SBU: USAID/Haiti Departure Planning Information Collection; Justification for
Emergency Processing

Requests
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) respectfully requests expedited
emergency approval to conduct an information collection of implementing partners (IPs) in
Haiti to support USAID’s forward planning for potential departure actions in light of the
current security situation in Port-au-Prince. Given the security and diplomatic situation,
USAID also requests that you waive the requirement to publish a Notice in the Federal
Register and that materials related to this Information Collection Review package remain
confidential.
USAID respectfully requests your approval or disapproval as soon as practicable.
Background
USAID’s Haiti Mission (USAID/Haiti) is tracking the current security situation in
Port-au-Prince and finds it necessary to begin planning for potential departure actions from
Haiti.
Though the U.S. Embassy in Haiti has not called for an evacuation, the security situation
continues to deteriorate and requires the embassy to engage in forward planning to prepare for
potential departure actions, including of U.S. citizens and third country nationals currently in
Haiti. Such departure actions could be called for at any time and would require immediate
action. As part of its planning efforts, USAID/Haiti is analyzing its staffing footprint, including
identifying how much support U.S. citizens and third country nationals associated with USAID
IPs will need if the security situation becomes critical.
USAID/Haiti is sharing a survey with its IPs to collect information on where they operate, their
number of U.S. citizen staff and eligible family members, their number of third-country

national staff and eligible family members, and an initial estimate of the number of individuals
who would be interested in evacuating, if available. Collecting this information now is
necessary to ensure that all staff working on behalf of USAID in Haiti are identified to prepare
for potential departure actions.
As the situation in Haiti develops, USAID/Haiti may need to send additional surveys and/or
information requests to IPs and contractors to collect further information to prepare departure
actions, including information regarding name, citizenship, and passport number. This
information will be limited to what is necessary to prepare for departure actions. Collecting this
information in an urgent manner will be necessary to support the safety and security of U.S.
citizens and/or third country nationals.
Justification
USAID is requesting emergency OMB approval of this information collection in accordance
with 5 C.F.R. § 1320.13. OMB may authorize emergency processing of submissions of
collections of information when an agency provides a written determination that the collection
of information is urgently needed and essential to the agency’s mission. 5 C.F.R. §
1320.13(a)(1). The agency’s determination must also justify why it cannot reasonably comply
with the normal clearance procedures; for example, because “public harm is reasonably likely
to result if normal clearance procedures are followed.” 5 C.F.R. § 1320.13(a)(2)(i).
Additionally, OMB may waive the requirement to publish a Federal Register notice. 5 C.F.R. §
1320.13(d).
USAID must conduct this information collection to properly plan for potential departure
actions from Haiti. This information is needed on an urgent basis to allow both USAID/Haiti
and the U.S. Embassy in Haiti to be prepared to take action to support the removal of U.S.
citizens, third-country nationals, and their eligible family members in Haiti. Further, being
prepared to provide support to U.S. citizens, third-country nationals, and their eligible family
members working on USAID programs in Haiti is essential to USAID’s mission. See 5
C.F.R. § 1320.13(a)(1).
USAID may not reasonably comply with the normal clearance procedures because the
security situation is highly variable and departure actions for U.S. citizens and/or third
country nationals may be necessary at any time. Without this emergency approval, U.S.
citizens, third-country nationals, and their eligible family members may be inadvertently
overlooked or cause delay to their evacuation, increasing the likelihood of harm. See 5
C.F.R. § 1320.13(a)(2)(i).
Finally, in light of the aforementioned security and diplomatic concerns, USAID also
requests that OMB waive the requirement to publish a Federal Register Notice and keep this
ICR package confidential. See 5 C.F.R. § 1320.13(d).
Closing
The Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, using alter ego authority delegated
under USAID’s Automated Directives System 103.3.4.3, delegated authority for the Mission

Director of USAID/Haiti to make emergency processing requests to OMB pursuant to 5
C.F.R. § 1320.13. This delegation is limited to address the current security situation in Haiti.
Based on the above justification, USAID respectfully requests expedited emergency
processing to begin outreach to our IPs immediately. USAID appreciates your assistance in
this endeavor.
Sincerely,

TODD
Digitally signed by TODD
MARSHALL SORENSON
MARSHALL
Date: 2024.11.27 11:50:51
-05'00'
SORENSON
Todd Sorenson
Acting Mission Director, USAID/Haiti
U.S. Agency for International Development