[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4381-4382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-981]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, 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)]. This program 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. The 
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the 
extension of the Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement. 
A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
Addresses section of this notice on or before March 27, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone 202-691-
5118 (this is not a toll free number).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone 202-691-5118. (See ADDRESSES section).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The BLS enters into Cooperative Agreements with State Workforce 
Agencies (SWAs) annually to provide financial assistance to the SWAs 
for the production and operation of the following LMI statistical 
programs: Current Employment Statistics, Local Area Unemployment 
Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, Quarterly Census of 
Employment and Wages, and Mass Layoff Statistics. The Cooperative 
Agreement provides the basis for managing the administrative and 
financial aspects of these programs. The application package being 
submitted to OMB is representative of the package sent every year to 
State agencies.

II. Current Action

    The BLS requests approval for a Generic LMI Cooperative Agreement 
from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is not a new 
collection, but for the first time the BLS is soliciting comments on 
the application package--without its program work statements--as a 
Generic Cooperative Agreement application. The work statements will be 
submitted separately to OMB for review of any minor year-to-year 
information collection burden changes they may contain. The existing 
collection of information allows Federal staff to negotiate the 
Cooperative Agreement with the SWAs and monitor their financial and 
programmatic performance and adherence to administrative requirements 
imposed by common regulations implementing OMB Circular A-102 and other 
grant-related regulations. The information collected also is used for 
planning and budgeting at the Federal level and in meeting Federal 
reporting requirements.

III. Desired Focus of Comments

    The BLS is particularly interested in comments that:
     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.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement.
    OMB Number: 1220-0079.
    Affected Public: State, local or tribal governments.
    Frequency: Monthly, quarterly, annually.

[[Page 4382]]



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    Information collection       Respondents      Frequency       Responses           Time          Total hours
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Work Statements..............              55               1              55  1-2 hr...........          55-110
BIF (LMI 1A, 1B).............              55               1              55  1-6 hr...........          55-330
Quarterly Automated Financial              48               4             192  10-50 min........          32-160
 Reports.
Monthly Automated Financial                48              *8             384  5-25 min.........          32-160
 Reports.
BLS Cooperative Statistics                  7              12              84  1-5 hr...........          84-420
 Financial Report (LMI 2A).
Quarterly Status Report (LMI             1-30               4           4-120  1 hr.............           4-120
 2B).
Budget Variance Request Form.            1-55               1            1-55  5-25 min.........            0-23
                              -----------------
    Total....................            1-55  ..............         775-945  .................        262-1323
                              -----------------
    Average Totals...........              55  ..............             860  .................            793
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* Reports are not received for end-of-quarter months, i.e., December, March, June, September.

    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information 
collection request; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 19th day of January 2006.
Cathy Kazanowski
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
 [FR Doc. E6-981 Filed 1-25-06; 8:45 am]
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