[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9302-9303]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4377]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``Corporation'') has submitted a public information 
collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, 
with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling 
the Corporation for National and Community Service, Mr. Nathan Dietz, 
at (202) 606-5000, extension 287, ([email protected]); (TTY/TDD) at (202) 
606-5256 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern standard time, 
Monday through Friday.
    Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the 
information collection activity, by any of the following two methods 
within 30 days from the date of publication in this Federal Register:
    (1) By fax to: (202) 395-6974, Attention: Ms. Katherine Astrich, 
OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community 
Service; and
    (2) Electronically by e-mail to: [email protected].
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the Corporation's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
     Propose ways to 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.
    The Corporation seeks to reinstate its previously used 
Accomplishments Survey to collect information about local project 
volunteer activities, inputs, and accomplishments. This study will be 
conducted under contract with Westat, Inc. (CNCSHQC03003, Task 
Order WES03T001). This information will be used by the 
Corporation to prepare its Annual Performance Reports, and to respond 
to ad hoc requests from Congress and other interested parties.
    The revised Accomplishment Surveys for National Senior Service 
Corps Programs will be distributed to samples of volunteer stations for 
each program. Local grantees, or projects, place volunteers in local 
organizational settings where they are supervised by organizational 
staff. These volunteer station supervisors will complete the survey.

Comments

    A 60-day public comment Notice was published in the Federal 
Register on November 4, 2003. This comment period ended on January 5, 
2004 and resulted in two comments being received. Those comments are 
addressed below:
    Two respondents submitted public comments in response to the 
announcement. The public comments and Corporation's responses are as 
follows:
    Comment: Project directors (Senior Corps grantees) have been asked 
on previous data collections to follow up with nonrespondents. This is 
extra work.
    Response: Project directors will not be asked to follow up with 
volunteer stations that are the survey respondents. The Corporation, 
working with its contractor, will be responsible for following up with 
volunteer stations that do not submit surveys.

[[Page 9303]]

    Comment: Why is this data collection necessary? Any evaluation 
asked of the Directors should center on grantees' opinions of 
regulations, how the new requirements affect project performance, and 
other questions about the direction Senior Corps is taking.
    Response: The products of the surveys will be updated National 
Accomplishment Reports for each of the three Senior Corps programs. The 
information contained in these reports cannot be compiled with any 
existing information collection systems.
    With respect to regulations changes, Senior Corps project directors 
and other members of the public use the Federal Register public comment 
periods to provide feedback.
    It is hoped that information from these surveys of volunteer 
stations will provide project directors with insight about the way they 
manage and place volunteers, and how Senior Corps grantees can 
strengthen relationships with volunteer stations.
    Comment: This study will only collect data on outputs, which is 
less meaningful than data on outcomes. Outcomes measure the difference 
programs make in their community.
    Response: Reports based on outputs are important enough to warrant 
reinstatement. Concrete accomplishment information, such as how many 
houses RSVP volunteers helped to construct; how many juvenile offenders 
Foster Grandparents helped to support in work release placements; or 
how many miles Senior Companions drove their frail senior clients serve 
as a solid foundation upon which to build longer term outcomes, which 
will be the second part of this survey process. Combining 
accomplishment information obtained through this survey process with 
other data collected in progress reports will allow the Corporation and 
its Senior Corps grantees to describe the programs from many 
perspectives at the national level.
    Comment: The proposal is for the accomplishment surveys to be sent 
directly to stations. This is not appropriate given the lack of 
business relationship between the Corporation and Senior Corps 
stations, will result in a limited number of surveys being returned, 
and will result in incomplete data.
    Response: The survey plan calls for Senior Corps project directors 
to receive information about volunteer stations in their networks 
selected to participate. As a next step, survey instruments will be 
sent to the Senior Corps grantees to deliver to the selected volunteer 
stations. In this way, the process is identical to what is described in 
the comment. The survey plan calls for Senior Corps project directors 
to receive information about volunteer stations in their networks 
selected to participate. As a next step, survey instruments will be 
sent to the Senior Corps grantees to deliver to the selected volunteer 
stations.
    Comment: The last accomplishment survey was over 20 pages. Stations 
are already overwhelmed by paperwork from many, many sources. This will 
also decrease the number of surveys returned.
    Response: The revised survey instrument is considerably shorter for 
RSVP than it was for the last version of the Accomplishment Surveys. In 
addition, the survey design allows for volunteer stations affiliated 
with RSVP and Foster Grandparent projects to only receive and complete 
the section(s) of the survey applicable to the Senior Corps volunteer 
serving there.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously 
approved collection for which approval has expired.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Accomplishments Surveys of National Senior Service Corps 
Programs.
    OMB Number: Previously assigned 3045-0049.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and Retired 
and Senior Volunteer programs, and staff of agencies and organizations 
serving as volunteer stations for volunteers from those programs.
    Type of Respondents: Volunteer coordinators in volunteer stations.
    Total Respondents: 2,500.
    Frequency: March and April, 2004.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,875 hours total for all 
respondents/sites. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or 
Maintenance Costs to report.

    Dated: February 22, 2004.
David A. Reingold,
Director, Office of Research and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 04-4377 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
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