[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33358-33360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-12936]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Workforce Investment Act: Indian and Native American Programs 
Under Section 166

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of proposed data collection.

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[[Page 33359]]

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance 
consultation process to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This process helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burdens are minimized, collection instruments are clearly 
understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents 
can be properly assessed. Currently, the Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA), in consultation with the Native American 
Employment and Training Council, is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed institution of a ``reporting and performance standards system 
for Indian and Native American programs under title I, section 166 of 
the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)''. A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
office listed below in the address section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: James C. DeLuca, Chief, Division of Indian and Native 
American Programs, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-4641, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-8502 ext 119(VOICE) or (202) 
219-6338(FAX) (these are not toll-free numbers) or INTERNET: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the information collection 
request are available for inspection in the Division of Indian and 
Native American Programs at the above address, and will be mailed to 
persons who request copies in writing from James C. DeLuca at the above 
address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of 
Labor, in consultation with the Native American Employment and Training 
Council, is requesting approval of a new reporting and performance 
standards system for Workforce Investment Act (WIA) title I, section 
166 Indian and Native American grantees for three program years (July 
1, 2000 to June 30, 2003). In evaluating the last several years' 
reporting experience of the grantees who receive funding under JTPA 
section 401, including title II-B Summer Youth funds, and in light of 
the statutory requirements of WIA applicable to section 166 grantees, 
the Department has developed the following recommended reporting 
requirements which it believes supports the statutory requirements 
under WIA as they relate to the Indian and Native American Program.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's burden estimate for 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

III. Current Action

    This proposed ICR will be used by approximately 150 Workforce 
Investment Act (WIA) section 166 grantees as the primary reporting and 
performance measurement vehicle for enrolled individuals, their 
characteristics, training and services provided, outcomes, including 
job placement and employability enhancements, as well as detailed 
financial data on program expenditures. Grantees participating in the 
demonstration under Public Law 102-477 will not be affected by this 
collection, and have not been included in the following burden 
estimates.
    Type of Review: New.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Reporting and performance system for WIA title I, section 
166 Indian and Native American grantees.
    OMB Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 17.251 (this would 
replace similar Indian and Native American employment and training 
activities conducted under section 401 of the Job Training Partnership 
Act)
    Record Keeping: Grantees shall retain supporting and other 
documents necessary for the compilation and submission of the subject 
reports for three years after submission of the final financial report 
for the grant in question [29 CFR 97.42 and/or 29 CFR 95.53].
    Affected Public: Federally-recognized Indian tribes, bands, and 
groups; Alaska Native entities; Hawaiian Native entities; private non-
profit Indian-controlled organizations; State Indian Commissions or 
Councils (Native American-controlled); consortia of any and/or all of 
the above.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc.: The collection instrument is the Indian 
and Native American Reporting and Performance System and related 
instructions. OMB-approved forms are provided for use in gathering 
information at the grantee field office level.
    Total Respondents: 150.
    Frequency: Quarterly for financial information; Semi-annually and 
annually for participation and characteristics information (for both 
the Comprehensive and Supplemental Youth Services programs).
    Total Responses: 900 [For the Comprehensive Services program] (150 
times 2, plus 150 times 4--possibly more) There are four statutorily-
required quarterly financial status reports per grantee per year, by 
year of appropriation. For participation and characteristics 
information, there is one semi-annual and one annual submission per 
year, regardless of the year(s) of funding expended during the program 
year. There is only one format for the participation and 
characteristics report.
    Total Responses: 690 [For the Supplemental Youth Services program] 
(115 recipients of Supplemental Youth Services funds times 2, 115 times 
four--possibly more). There are four statutorily-required quarterly 
financial status reports per grantee per year, by year of 
appropriation. For participation and characteristics information, there 
is one semi-annual and one annual submission per year, regardless of 
the year(s) of funding expended during the program year. There is only 
one format for the participation and characteristics report.
    Average Time per Response: Financial Status Report (FSR)--7.75 
hours; [ETA 9083] Participation and Characteristics Report (PCR) for 
the Comprehensive Services Program--9.67 hours; [ETA 9084] 
Participation and Characteristics Report (PCR) for the Supplemental 
Youth Services Program--9.67 hours [ETA 9085] The individual time per

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response varies widely depending on the degree of automation attained 
by individual grantees. Grantees also vary according to the numbers of 
individuals served in each program year. If the grantee has a fully-
developed and automated MIS, the response time is limited to one-time 
programming plus processing time for each response. It is the 
Department's desire to see as many WIA section 166 grantees as possible 
become computerized, so that response time for reporting will 
eventually sift down to an irreducible minimum with an absolute minimum 
of human intervention.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 13,340 (minimum)--1,590 total 
responses. (FSR: 1,060 responses times 7.75 hours = 8,215 burden 
hours). (PCR: 530 responses times 9.67 hours = 5,125 burden hours). The 
total of these two estimates yields a total estimate of at least 13,340 
total burden hours per response cycle (one program year). The use of 
the term ``minimum'' refers to the fact that an individual grantee must 
continue to report on expenditures by year of appropriation until those 
funds are completely expended, or ``zeroed out''. Thus, if more that 
one year's appropriation is expended in a given quarter, two (or more) 
FSRs must be submitted for that period, corresponding to the fund 
source(s) utilized.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):   $-0-.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $200,100 (13,340 total 
hours per response cycle times an estimated average wage of $15.00 per 
grantee staff hour). As noted, these costs will vary widely among 
grantees, from nearly no additional cost to some higher figure, 
depending on the state of automation attained by each grantee and the 
wages paid to the staff actually completing the various forms. All 
costs associated with the submission of these forms are allowable grant 
expenses.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and 
Budget approval of the information collection request; they also will 
become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 17th day of May, 2000.
Thomas M. Dowd,
Acting Director, Office of National Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-12936 Filed 5-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-U