[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11136-11137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4389]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of Human Resources Management


Commerce Opportunities On-Line (COOL)

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (DOC), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing and 
proposed information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 23, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
6086, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 or via 
the Internet at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to the attention of Thomas R. Kreider, Computer 
Specialist, (301) 457-6610, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of 
Human Resources Management, Office of Employment, Diversity and 
Classification Programs, 14th & Constitution Ave, NW., Room 5004, 
Washington, DC 20230, or via e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract

    Commerce Opportunities On-Line (COOL) is a web-based software 
system that automates the vacancy announcement, application intake, 
application evaluation, and application referral processes, for 
positions in the Department of Commerce (DOC).
    In the current employment environment qualified job applicants for 
federal positions are in great demand. The DOC is in direct competition 
with private industry for the same caliber of candidates with the 
requisite knowledge and skills to fulfill the mission of the DOC. 
Consequently, it is imperative that every available technology be 
employed if the DOC is to remain competitive and meet hiring goals. The 
information provided by a job applicant will assist the Human Resources 
Specialists and hiring managers in determining whether an applicant 
meets the basic qualification requirements and is best qualified for 
the position being filled. In addition, the electronic transmission 
will expedite the hiring process by reducing the time used in 
application evaluation, candidate referral and selection, and in the 
recruitment paperwork distribution/workflow process.
    COOL will provide the DOC with a more user-friendly on-line 
employment application process and will enable the DOC to process 
hiring actions in a more efficient and timely manner. The on-line 
application will provide an electronic real time candidate list that 
will allow the DOC to review applications from applicants almost 
instantaneously. Given the immediate hiring needs of the DOC, time 
consumed in the mail distribution system or paper review of 
applications delays the decision-making process by several weeks. The 
implementation of the COOL electronic application will result in 
increased speed and accuracy in the employment process. It will also 
streamline labor and reduce costs.
    The use of the COOL on-line application fully meets the intent of 5 
U.S.C. 2301, which requires that Federal personnel management be 
implemented consistent with merit system principles.
    Since the COOL on-line application will be used as an alternative 
form of employment application, the collection and use of the 
information requires Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval as 
outlined in Section 6.1 of the Delegated Examining Operations Handbook. 
The Handbook provides guidance to agencies under a delegated examining 
authority by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), under the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 1104.

II. Method of Collection

    Application information is collected electronically from the 
applicant through COOL. Applicants may contact the DOC web site on the 
Internet where they will find the COOL on-line application and can fill 
out and submit the form electronically while connected to the web site. 
Applicants who do not have access to a personal computer are directed 
to the servicing Human Resources Office for a paper version of the COOL 
announcement and application.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0690-0019.
    Type of Review: Regular collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households and the Federal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 32,832 respondents per year.
    Estimated Time Per Response: It is estimated that, depending on the 
situation, it could take as little as 10

[[Page 11137]]

minutes or as long as two hours to complete the on-line application. 
This is determined by the nature of the position for which the 
applicant is applying, and whether this is the applicant's first 
application in COOL, or if he or she already has a resume completed in 
COOL, which automatically fills in approximately 75% of the 
application's fields. On average, the time to complete the on-line 
application is estimated to be 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 32,832 hours per 
year.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $820,800 per year.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, e.g., the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 16, 2001.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-4389 Filed 2-21-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-17-P