[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26409-26410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10756]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request; Submitted for Public 
Comment and Recommendations; Program Year (PY) 2002 and PY 2003 
Workforce Information Core Products and Services Grants

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a pre-
clearance consultation program 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)]. PRA95 helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 12, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Anthony Dais, Chief, Division of USES/
ALMIS, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training 
Administration, 200 Constitution Ave., NW., Rm. S-4231, Washington, DC 
20210, 202-693-2784 (this is not a toll-free number) or 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Olaf Bjorklund, Division of USES/
ALMIS, Office of Workforce Investment, Employment and Training 
Administration, 200 Constitution Ave., NW., Rm. S-4231, Washington, DC 
20210, 202-693-2870 (this is not a toll-free number) or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act as amended by Section 309 of 
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220), requires 
state agencies to consult with customers about the relevance of the 
information disseminated through the statewide employment statistics 
system, in order to continuously improve the system. To carry out this 
requirement and to increase accountability for the expenditure of grant 
funds for workforce information, the Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 15, 2002, 
proposing that beginning in PY 2002, a condition for receiving grant 
funds would be a requirement that states conduct an assessment of 
customer satisfaction with state produced workforce information 
products and services and include a summary of the results of the 
assessment and a description of any actions to be taken to improve the 
system in a required annual performance report.
    States were also required to provide additional narrative in the 
annual grant plan, describing the statewide employment statistics 
system and how the system supports the State's WIA/Wagner-Peyser Five 
Year Strategic Plan, and a description of the state's planned strategy 
for assessing customer satisfaction with state produced workforce 
information. The OMB approved the information collection for 390 days 
on November 5, 2002, with an expiration date of December 31, 2003. OMB 
has granted an extension of the expiration date to June 30, 2004.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    Currently, the ETA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed 
continuation of the collection of information for the reporting 
requirements specified in the PY 2002 Workforce Information Core 
Products and Services Planning Guidance, issued on January 9, 2003. The 
same PY 2002 information collection requirements are also required by 
the PY 2003 Workforce Information Core Products and Services Planning 
Guidance, issued on October 15, 2003. Comments should:
     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 estimate of the 
burden of 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 through 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.
    A copy of the proposed continuation of the ICR can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed above in the addressee section of this 
notice.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: PY 2002 and PY 2003 Workforce Information Core Products and 
Services grants.
    OMB Number: 1205-0417.
    Affected Public: States.

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                                                                                                                    Proposed     Approved
                          Activity                            Respondents   Responses      Total        Hours        burden       burden     Difference
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Annual Plan.................................................           54            1           54           42        2,268        3,510       (1,242)
Annual Report...............................................           54            1           54           39        2,106        3,078         (972)

[[Page 26410]]

 
Customer Satisfaction.......................................           54            1           54          292       15,768       34,668      (18,900)
Respondents Burden..........................................           54            1           54          204       11,016        5,400        5,616
                                                             --------------
    Totals..................................................           54            4          216          577       31,158       46,656      (15,498)
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the 
information collection request; they will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: May 5, 2004.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Administrator, Office of Workforce Investment.
[FR Doc. 04-10756 Filed 5-11-04; 8:45 am]
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