[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 159 (Thursday, August 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47531-47532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13566]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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)]. This program 
helps to insure 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 on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, the 
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed extension of the collection of administrative 
and survey data on the Growing America Through Entrepreneurship project 
1205-0444, expires December 31, 2006). A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
office listed below in the address section of this notice or at this 
Web site: http://www.doleta.gov/Performance/guidance/OMBControlNumber.cfm.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before October 16, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Jonathan Simonetta, Office of Policy Development and 
Research, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Room N-5637, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, 
(202) 693-3911 (this is not a toll-free number); fax: 202-693-2766 
(this is not a toll-free number), or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Many individuals have the motivation and skills to develop small 
businesses but lack business expertise and/or access to financing. 
Recognizing this untapped potential, ETA is teaming with the Small 
Business Administration (SBA) to create a demonstration program 
designed to assist individuals interested in self-employment to develop 
their businesses--Project GATE (Growing America Through 
Entrepreneurship). In helping people develop businesses, Project GATE 
promotes both workforce and economic development. The effectiveness of 
the program is being evaluated.
    Entrepreneurial services provided by Project GATE include an 
assessment, a structured training course, and technical assistance 
provided by a trained counselor. As part of the technical assistance, 
counselors assist individuals in need of financing to apply for loans 
from SBA's Microloan program and other funding sources. DOL's One-Stop 
Centers conduct Project GATE orientations where interested individuals 
will be informed about the services available at the One-Stop Center, 
the benefits and challenges of self-employment and the services offered 
through Project GATE. Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 
counselors conduct individual assessments and identify the most 
appropriate training course for each Project GATE participant. Existing 
entrepreneurial training providers in the community provide training 
and technical assistance.
    DOL's One-Stop Centers play a central role in recruiting for the 
project. Interested individuals register for an orientation to Project 
GATE at One-Stop Centers as well as via telephone, mail, or a Web site. 
The orientations are held at the One-Stop Centers.
    Eligibility for Project GATE is broad--it is designed to serve 
almost anyone interested in starting a business. Special attention is 
paid, however, to recruiting immigrant populations.
    Project GATE is being evaluated using an experimental design. 
Individuals who submit an application for Project GATE in each site and 
who meet minimal eligibility criteria are randomly assigned to either a 
program group or a control group. Members of the program group are 
eligible to receive Project GATE services, while members of the control 
group are not eligible to receive Project GATE services, although they 
are not prohibited from receiving self-employment services from other 
sources.
    GATE is implemented in seven sites-three urban and four rural 
sites. The three urban sites are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. The 
rural sites are one in Minnesota centered around Duluth, and three in 
Maine centered around Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston.
    The evaluation addresses three key questions:
    1. Is Project GATE Viable? What are the challenges in implementing 
the program? Does an interagency model for the program work? Who 
participates in GATE? Is the outreach effective in reaching immigrants? 
How does the implementation of the program vary across sites?
    2. Does the Program Work? Does the program increase self-
employment, increase employment and earnings, and reduce the receipt of 
unemployment insurance and public assistance? Does the program promote 
employment and other economic development? Is it effective in both 
rural and urban areas? Does the effectiveness of the program vary by 
population subgroup?
    Is the Program Cost-Effective? Do the benefits of the program 
exceed its costs? Addressing these questions involve conducting 
process, impact, and benefit-cost analyses. The process evaluation is 
based on information collected during three rounds of visits to each 
site, during which detailed information is collected on the 
implementation of the program from interviews with program

[[Page 47532]]

staff, observations of services, and focus groups with program 
participants. Data also is collected using a Participant Tracking 
System developed specifically for the study. The impact evaluation 
involves comparing outcomes of members of the program group with 
outcomes of members of the control group. Data on these outcomes is 
collected from Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefit records and 
quarterly wage records, and two follow-up surveys that occur 
approximately 6 months and 18 months after random assignment. The 
benefit-cost analysis involves placing a dollar value on all impacts of 
the program and comparing them with the dollar value of the costs.

II. Review Focus

    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of ETA, 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.

III. Current Actions

    This is a notice to extend the collection period that is currently 
approved by OMB (1205-0444 expires December 31, 2006).
    The data for the impact analysis comes from UI benefits and wage 
records in the three states, a computer-based Participant Tracking 
System developed for the demonstration and used in the seven sites, and 
follow-up surveys conducted twice with the expected sample of 4,000 
individuals who apply for Project GATE. The follow-up surveys, which 
are the subject of this notice, are conducted by telephone 
approximately 6 and 18 months following the GATE application. These 
voluntary surveys collect data unavailable from administrative records. 
The first survey is designed to collect detailed information about 
sample members' participation and experiences in receiving self-
employment services, their experiences starting a business, their 
experiences in jobs working for someone else, their receipt of public 
assistance, and some background data on their socio-economic and 
demographic characteristics. The second survey is designed to collect 
their experiences in self-employment and developing small businesses, 
their experiences in jobs working for someone else, and their income 
and receipt of public assistance.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Partnership for Self-Sufficiency: Growing America Through 
Entrepreneurship (GATE).
    OMB Number: 1205-0444.
    Affected Public: Individuals of households.
    Total Respondents: 400.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 267.

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                                                                                   Average time
                                     Total          Frequency          Total       per response   Burden (hours)
                                  respondents                        responses       (minutes)
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GATE 18-month follow-up survey             400  Once............             400              40             267
 (in 2007).
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    Totals....................             400  Once............             400              40             267
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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 Office of Management and 
Budget approval of the information request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: August 11, 2006.
Maria K. Flynn,
Administrator, Office of Policy Development and Research.
 [FR Doc. E6-13566 Filed 8-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P