Department of Justice

Status: Original and derived artifacts are available for this document.

Download: docx | pdf | html


Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
Information Collection Request (ICR)
OMB 1140-0049
Application for National Firearms Examiner Academy
(ATF Form 6330.1)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT


    A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the information collection necessary.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information will be used.

Forensic Services staff collect and maintain the information submitted on ATF Form 6330.1. ATF uses this data 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 and the Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE), an independent professional organization. For ATF’s NFEA program to be valid, it must operate within the guidelines of the governing body that recognizes and certifies examiners’ work. Prerequisites established for the NFEA are in accordance with those of AFTE standards. Some of these prerequisites include completing a four-year college degree, and being permanently assigned to a law enforcement forensic laboratory to conduct examinations related to this field.

ATF requests the individual’s social security number to verify the applicant’s identity, citizenship or immigration status, and to track their training progress and course completion. Currently, the NFEA can accept applications only from U.S. citizens, due to current Department of State and Department of Defense regulations regarding individuals allowed to enter firearms manufacturer’s facilities in the U.S.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the information collection involves using automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronically submitting responses, and the basis for the decision to adopt this means of collection.

Candidates may download the digitally fillable and signable ATF Form 6330.1 from the ATF website, and it by email to the [email protected] inbox. Although the form can be completed entirely electronically, candidates may also print, complete, and sign it by hand, then scan and submit by email.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

This information is not duplicative and requires individual-specific and program-specific information so ATF can identify the applicant and ensure they have the necessary qualifications for the program. As a result, this information is not otherwise available. To or collected by the government. ATF uses a uniform subject classification system for forms to identify duplication and to ensure that any similar information already available cannot be used or modified to use in this information collection.

5. If the information collection impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

This information collection does not have a significant impact on small entities. It impacts only individual local law enforcement personnel who want to apply for firearms and toolmark examiner training

6. Describe the consequences to federal programs 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.

This information collection ensures that ATF has access to appropriate data to evaluate and enroll suitable candidates for the NFEA program, and plan future training. Without this information, ATF would not be able to enroll candidates or conduct the training. Every law enforcement organization relies on this expertise when conducting investigations, and without the training, critical information obtained through the work of ballistic and forensic firearms would be unavailable during criminal case investigations. ATF collects this information when candidates need to apply for the training, so collecting less frequently would result in the same impact as not collecting it at all.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause the information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.6.

There are no special circumstances associated with this information collection, which is conducted in a manner consistent with 5 CFR 1320.6.

8. If applicable, provide a copy, and identify the date and page number, of the agency’s notice published in the Federal Register, as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submitting to OMB.

The 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register on 10/16/2026 (91 FR 65777). The comment period ended on 12/15/2026. ATF received no comments. ATF published the 30-day notice on [date] (xx FR xxxxx), with an OMB comment period ending on [date].

9. Explain any decision to provide any payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

ATF does not provide payments or gifts in connection with this collection.

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

ATF has not assured respondents of confidentiality. However, the information being collected includes PII and is thus protected by the Privacy Act. The information is maintained by ATF in a system of records, Justice/ATF 10, Training and Professional Development Record System. The form that accompanies this ICR includes a Privacy Act statement that covers this information and informs respondents of the system of records, routine uses, etc.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

This information collection does not ask questions or require information of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the information collection’s hour burden.

There are 50 respondents associated with this information collection annually. Each applicant responds one time, resulting in 50 annual responses. It takes approximately ten minutes (0.167 hours) to complete the form. Therefore, the total annual burden associated with this collection is 8.35 hours (50 responses x 0.167 hours (10 minutes)).

To calculate hourly wage burdens for this ICR, ATF uses the wage rates for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers for May 2023, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1 BLS determined the average hourly pay for private sector workers to be $36.80. They also determined that a load rate of 1.42 was appropriate to account for employment benefits, making the loaded wage rate $52.27 ($36.80 * 1.42).2,3,4 The monetized value for this ICR is therefore $436.45 annually (rounded) ($52.27 loaded hourly wage rate * 8.35 hours).

Table 1. Estimated annualized respondent cost and hour burden
Activity
Number of respondents
Frequency
Total annual responses
Time per response (hours)
Total annual burden (hours)
Hourly rate*
Monetized value of respondent time (rounded)
Completing application
50
1
50
0.167
8.35
$52.27
$436.45


13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers resulting from the information collection. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14).

There are no start-up or other additional costs associated with this information collection.

14. Provide estimates of the annualized cost to the federal government.

There are no costs to the federal government associated with this collection. This is due to the current staffing and administrative capacity already in place to complete any marginal processing required under this information collection, with long-term staffing capacity serving as a sunk cost.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

ATF has made no program changes or adjustments affecting this information collection. However, the number of respondents per year decreased over the three years since the last renewal, down by 25 respondents from 75 to 50. This, in turn, resulted in a decrease in total annual burden for all respondents from 15 to 8.35 hours.

16. For information collections whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulations and publication.

ATF does not publish the results of this collection.

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

ATF intends to display the OMB expiration date for this information collection.
18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

This information collection does not include any exceptions to the certification statement.

B. INFORMATION COLLECTIONS EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.

This collection does not employ statistical methods.