[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 134 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38620-38621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13554]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request of the Resource 
Justification Model; Comment Request

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, DOL.

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 preclearance 
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 required 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. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of collection of 
information through the Resource Justification Model (RJM). The data 
collected within the RJM state submissions are used as input to the 
process of distributing unemployment insurance (UI) program 
appropriated funds among the states and inform ETA of the funding 
requirements states are anticipating.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the Addresses section 
of this notice or by accessing: http://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/OMBControlNumber.cfm.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 11, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Lauren C. Harrel, Room S4231, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-2992 (this is 
not a toll-free number). E-mail address is [email protected] and 
fax number is (202) 693-2874.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren C. Harrel, Room S4231, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-2992 (this is 
not a toll-free number). E-mail address is [email protected] and 
fax number is (202) 693-2874.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    I. Background: The collection of actual UI administrative cost data 
from states' accounting records and projected expenditures for upcoming 
years is accomplished through the RJM data collection instrument. The 
data collected consists of the actual, most recently completed fiscal 
year's program expenditures and hours broken out by functional activity 
and three years of projected expenditures. The actual cost data informs 
ETA's administrative funding allocation model so that state UI program 
administration funds are allocated as equitably as possible among 
states.
    ETA is proposing to revise the RJM data collection instrument in an 
effort to streamline the data entry process and to eliminate the 
collection of unnecessary data. Specifically, the modifications to the 
RJM include: (1) Adding a dropdown box to allocate personal service/
personnel benefits (PS/PB) and non personal services (NPS) to 
applicable categories in the Crosswalk worksheet, (2) no longer 
requiring states

[[Page 38621]]

to submit projected inflation rates for NPS or salaries and benefits 
(rather, a formula will inflate the prior year's data by 3 percent per 
year, and states will have the option to override the formula), and (3) 
requiring states to submit only two years of projected expenditures 
rather than three years.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, the Department of Labor 
is soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the RJM 
data collection. Comments are requested to:
     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 information collection 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.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed above in the addressee section 
of this notice.
    III. Current Actions:
    Type of Review: Minor Revisions and Extension for Approved 
Information Collection.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Resource Justification Model.
    OMB Number: 1205-0430.
    Affected Public: State Government.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc: Social Security Act, Section 303(a)(b).
    Total Respondents: 53 State Workforce Agencies.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Total Responses: 212.
    Average Time per Response: 30.75 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 6,519.

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                                                                                   Average time
         Form/activity               Total          Frequency          Total       per response       Burden
                                  respondents                        responses        (hours)         (hours)
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Crosswalk.....................              53  Annually........              53             108           5,724
ACCT SUM......................              53  Annually........              53               4             212
RJM 1-6.......................              53  Annually........              53               3             159
Narrative.....................              53  Annually........              53               8             424
                               ----------------                  -----------------------------------------------
    Totals....................  ..............  ................             212  ..............           6,519
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): There are no capital or start-
up costs for RJM.
    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 collection request; they will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 9, 2007.
Cheryl Atkinson,
Administrator, Office of Workforce Security.
[FR Doc. E7-13554 Filed 7-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P