[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32874-32876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15553]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency is submitting a 
request for review and approval of an expired information collection. 
The request is submitted under the emergency processing procedures in 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations 5 CFR 1320.13. 
FEMA is requesting that this collection be approved by June 8, 1999, 
for use through December 1999.
    FEMA plans to follow this emergency request with a 3-year approval. 
The request will be processed under OMB's normal clearance procedures 
in accordance with the provisions of OMB regulation CFR 1320.10. To 
help us with the timely processing of both the emergency and normal 
paperwork clearance submissions to OMB, FEMA invites State and local 
governments to comment on the proposed collection of information. This 
notice and request for comments is in accordance with the provisions of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A)). It 
seeks comments concerning the collection of information associated with 
financial and administrative reporting and recordkeeping requirements 
that enable State and local governments to request from FEMA Federal 
financial and technical assistance through Performance Partnership 
Agreements/Cooperative Agreements.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cooperative Agreements under Performance 
Partnership Agreements are the vehicle for achieving the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency's strategic goal of establishing in concert 
with its partners, a national emergency management system that is 
comprehensive, risk-based and all hazards in approach. It focuses on 
integrating and achieving Federal and State goals and objectives for 
the four broad emergency management functions: Mitigtion (risk 
reduction), preparedness (operational readiness), response (emergency 
operations), and recovery. This collection of information is in 
accordance with the requirements of Title 44 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) Part 13, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative agreements to State and Local Governments, 
Subpart B, section 13.10; Subpart C, sections 13.32, 13.33, 13.40, 
13.41; and Subpart D, section 13.50. Under the Performance

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Partnership Agreements, Federal funding is provided through Cooperative 
Agreements.
    Collection of Information: This collection of information includes 
standard and FEMA forms and other reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements that enable State and local governments to request from 
FEMA Federal financial and technical assistance through Cooperatives 
Agreements.
    Title: Financial and Technical Assistance under the Performance 
Partnership Agreements.
    Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement, with change, of a 
previously approved collection.
    OMB Number: 3067-0206.
    Form Numbers: Standard Form 424, Application for Federal 
Assistance, hour burden--2 hours per response and recordkeeping hour 
burden--.2 hour per response;
    Indirect Cost Agreement hour burden--50 hours per response and 
recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    Budget Deviations, hour burden--5.8 hours per response and 
recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    SF-SAC, Data Collection Form for Reporting Audits, hour burden--30 
hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-10, Financial Status Report, hour burden--9.8 hours 
per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-15, Budget Information--Construction Projects, hour 
burden--17 hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour 
per response;
    FEMA Form 20-16, Assurances, hour burden--1.5 hours per response 
and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-17, Outlay Report and Request for Reimbursement for 
Construction Programs, hour burden--17 hours per response and 
recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-18, Report of Government Property; hour burden--6 
hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-19, Report of Unobligated Balance of Federal Funds, 
Drawdowns, and Undrawn funds, 5 minutes per line, total 2 hours per 
sheet and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-20, Budget Information--Nonconstruction, hour burden--
9.8 hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per 
response;
    FEMA Form 20-22, Program Narrative--Nonconstruction, hour burden--8 
hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-22, Program Narrative--Construction, hour burden--8 
hours per response and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-22, Performance Report--Nonconstruction, hour burden--
8 hours per response and recordkeeping burden--.2 hour per response;
    FEMA Form 20-22, Performance Report--Construction, hour burden--8 
hours per response and recordkeeping burden--.2 hour per response;
    FF 76-10a, Obligating Document for Awards/Amendments, hour burden--
1.5 hours per response and recordkeeping .2 hour per response; and,
    Reading, Understanding and Using the Performance Partnership 
Agreements/Cooperative Agreements Application; Awards/Amendments; 
Outlays, Performance Reporting, Budget Deviations, Property Management, 
and Close-out; and Audit Modules--hour burden--12 hours per response 
and recordkeeping hour burden--.2 hour per response.
    Abstract: Performance partnerships are joint efforts by Federal, 
State and local governments and providers to design programs and 
measure results. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the 
Governor or his/her authorized representative sign performance 
Partnership Agreements. Performance partnerships strive to streamline 
the traditional Federal government grant system by providing increased 
flexibility on how a program is run in exchange for increased 
accountability for results. The flexibility and accountability of 
performance partnerships contain several general objectives that are 
relevant to the development of a strong national emergency management 
partnership. The objectives of increased flexibility include 
consolidation of programs and funding streams, elimination of micro-
management, devolved decision-making, and reduced wasteful paperwork 
and barriers to success. The objectives of increased accountability for 
results mean partners will develop agreed upon performance measures 
that use outcomes and outputs to measure progress toward national 
goals, create funding and other incentives to reward progress towards 
achievement of desirable results and create disincentives (such as 
flexibility and the reduction or termination of Federal funding) if 
efforts are not made to achieve the desired outcomes. The collection of 
information focuses on Standard and FEMA forms and other reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements that enable State and local governments to 
request from FEMA Federal financial and technical assistance through 
Performance Partnership Agreements/Cooperative Agreements. The burden 
hours for this collection only reflect the burden for Cooperative 
Agreement funding, reporting, and recordkeeping under Performance 
Partnership Agreements. As other FEMA functions and program activities 
funded by Federal grants and cooperative agreements re reviewed, the 
span of coverage for this collection will include burden for those 
programs as well.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Burden Hours: 67,878.
    Estimated Recordkeeping Burden Hours: 1,400.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 69,278.
    Estimated Cost to the Federal Government: $400,000.00.
    Comments: Written comments are solicited to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed data collections and reporting 
requirements are necessary for the proper performance of FEMA's 
functions and program activities, including whether the date have 
practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed data collections and reporting requirements;
    (c) Determine an estimated cost of the proposed data collections 
and reporting requirements to the respondents;
    (d) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and,
    (e) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

OMB should receive comments concerning the approval of this collection 
of information under OMB's emergency processing procedures within 30 
days of the date of this notice. FEMA will, however, continue to accept 
comments concerning this collection of information through August 17, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to the 
Office

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of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attn: Desk Officer for FEMA, 725 17th Street, NW, Room 10102, 
Washington, DC 20503, or to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Attn: Information Collections Officer, 500 C Street, SW, Room 316, 
Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact 
Charles McNulty, Office of Financial Management, Room 350, Washington, 
D.C., at (202) 646-2976. For copies of the proposed collection of 
information contact Muriel B. Anderson at (202) 646-2625, FAX (202) 
646-3524, or e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: June 7, 1999.
Reginald Trujillo,
Director, Program Services Division, Operations Support Directorate.
[FR Doc. 99-15553 Filed 6-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-M