[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 108 (Friday, June 4, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31626-31627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-12697]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


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

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is submitting a 
request for review and approval of a collection of information under 
the emergency processing procedures in Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) regulation 5 CFR 1320.13. FEMA is requesting that this 
information collection be approved by June 25, 2004. The approval will 
authorize FEMA to use the collection through December 25, 2004. FEMA 
plans to follow this emergency request with a request for a 3-year 
approval. The request will be processed under OMB's normal clearance 
procedures in accordance with the provisions of OMB regulation 5 CFR 
1320.10. To help us with the timely processing of the emergency and 
normal clearance submissions to OMB, FEMA invites the general public to 
comment on the proposed collection of information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Homeland Security Presidential Directive 
(HSPD)-5, Management of Domestic Incidents, directs the Secretary of 
Homeland Security to develop and administer a National Incident 
Management System (NIMS). The NIMS provides a consistent nationwide 
approach for Federal, State, local and tribal governments to work 
together to prepare, prevent, respond, and recover from domestic 
incidents, regardless of cause, size, or complexity. Beginning in FY 
2005, Federal departments and agencies must make adoption of the NIMS 
by State, local, and tribal governments a requirement for Federal 
preparedness assistance through grants, contracts and other activities. 
The Secretary must develop standards and guidelines for determining 
whether a State or local entity has adopted the NIMS. To evaluate 
compliance with NIMS, the Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate 
(EPR) developed the National Incident Management System Compliance 
Assurance Support Tool (NIMCAST), a Web-based self-assessment tool 
designed to help Federal, State, local and tribal governments, 
organizations, and jurisdictions determine their capabilities and 
compliance against the requirements established by NIMS.

Collection of Information

    Title: National Incident Management System Compliance Assurance 
Support Tool (NIMCAST).
    Type of Information Collection: New collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-NEW8.
    Abstract: The National Incident Management System Compliance 
Assurance Support Tool (NIMCAST) is the assessment tool used to: (a) 
Evaluate State, local and Tribal governments' compliance with the 
standards and requirements established in the National Incident 
Management System (NIMS) as mandated by HSPD-5, (b) determine 
eligibility for Federal preparedness assistance, and (c) provide 
management tools to strengthen incident management programs at the 
department, agency, or jurisdiction level. Information collected 
through NIMCAST contains readiness metrics and elements that support 
the national preparedness goal, including standards for preparedness 
assessments and strategies, and a system for assessing the Nation's 
overall preparedness to respond to major events, regardless of cause, 
size, or complexity, especially those involving acts of terrorism. By 
contributing to the establishment of a national baseline for compliance 
by all Federal, State, local, and tribal governments with the NIMS, 
NIMCAST enhances the ability of the United States to manage domestic 
incidents by establishing a single, comprehensive national incident 
management system.
    Affected Public: Officials at the Federal, State, local and tribal 
governments, and other organizations involved in emergency management 
functions. There will be 5 categories of jurisdictions and/or 
organizations comprised of: (a) 50 states (b) 3,066 counties (c) 140 
independent cities (d) 579 federally-recognized Indian tribes, and (e) 
27 federal agencies.
    Number of Respondents: 39,620.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: Overall completion time for 
compiling and reporting information in the self-assessment 
questionnaire is 30 hours. Due to the diversity of functions involved 
in emergency management activities, it is estimated that 10 respondents 
per jurisdiction will spent 3 hours each toward the completion of the 
instrument.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 118,860 hours.
    Estimated Cost: The total cost to the Federal government for this 
information collection is estimated at $493,000, allocated as follows: 
$400,000 for Contract support for software development, $10,000 for 
Maintenance service, and $83,000 for one GS-13 permanent full-time 
(PFT) employee coordinating information collection activities. There is 
no cost to the respondents other than the hourly wage proportional to 
the time spent compiling and reporting the information. Estimates of 
the Annualized Cost to respondents is based on the national average 
hourly rate of emergency management and related functions and 
occupations of $ 26.00 for a total of $3,090,360 for all respondents 
combined. Based on the estimated completion time of 3-hours, the cost 
per respondent is approximately $78.00. Total cost per completed 
questionnaire equals $780, based on the overall completion time of 30 
hours per questionnaire per jurisdiction.
    Frequency of Response: One-time.
    Comments: Written comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether 
the proposed data collection is necessary for the proper performance of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity 
of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 
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 technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses. Submit comments to OMB within 30 
days of the date of this notice. FEMA will continue

[[Page 31627]]

to accept comments for 60 days from the date of this notice.
    OMB Address: Interested persons are invited to submit written 
comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness & Response 
Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (Proposed New 
Information Collection--National Incident Management System Compliance 
Assurance Support Tool (NIMCAST), facsimile number (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Muriel B. 
Anderson, Chief, Records Management, Information Resources Management 
Branch, Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, 
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, 
Washington, DC 20472. Facsimile number (202) 646-3347, or at e-mail 
address [email protected].

    Dated: May 28, 2004.
George S. Trotter,
Acting Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 04-12697 Filed 6-3-04; 8:45 am]
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