[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81521-81523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33221]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Information Collection for Native Employment Training Grant (NET 
Grant) Program; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Information Collection.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) is seeking 
comments on a proposed information collection related to grants to fund 
tribal

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job placement and training programs. Federally recognized Indian tribes 
and Alaska federally recognized tribal entities may apply for the 
funding by providing certain information. All federally recognized 
tribes and Alaska federally recognized tribal entities are eligible for 
these grants, including those that do not participate in the Public Law 
102-477 Workforce Development Program. Grants shall only be disbursed 
on a tribe-by-tribe basis and will be unavailable for training programs 
that are national or regional in scope absent submission of a duly-
enacted tribal resolution from the governing body of each participating 
federally recognized tribe or Alaska federally recognized tribal 
entity. Timely-submitted applications will be competed, juried, and 
evaluated based on their potential to provide tribal members or Alaskan 
Natives with sustainable employment on or near Native communities.
    Applicants receiving funding must provide quarterly and final 
reports summarizing the progress of its Native Employment Training (NET 
Grant) program, including the number of tribal members trained, the 
identities and locations of employers from whom they have obtained 
jobs, and the direct assistance and case management services which have 
facilitated employment placement for training graduates. This notice 
requests comments on the information collection associated with the 
application and final report.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
February 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the information collection to 
James West, Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Energy and 
Economic Development, Room 20--South Interior Building, 1951 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20245, fax (202) 208-6310; 
email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may request further information or 
obtain copies of the information collection request submission from 
James West, Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Energy and 
Economic Development. Telephone (202) 208-6310.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The IEED established the Native Employment Training Grant program 
(NET Grant) Program to fund on a competitive basis federally recognized 
American Indian tribes and Alaska federally recognized tribal entities 
to retain labor and union organizations, private consulting firms, non-
academic/non-profit entities, or others to conduct job development 
assistance programs. These programs will empower American Indian tribes 
and Alaska federally recognized tribal entities to reduce joblessness 
and improve the quality of life in their communities by providing: Job 
and skills training combined with intensive case management and 
supportive services; job start up and placement services; and, 
sustained support for the first year of employment for unemployed and 
underemployed tribal members and Alaskan Natives.
    The Native Employment Training Grant (NET Grant) program will serve 
tribal members and Alaskan Natives seeking to acquire or upgrade their 
job skills in order to obtain employment or find more sustainable work. 
Grants may encompass terms of up to three years and include various 
kinds of workforce development related assistance, including but not 
limited to participant supportive services such as transportation 
assistance, provision of clothing, and fulfillment of job-start-up 
needs such as obtaining a drivers license, drug testing, physicals, 
etc.
    Grants may also fund the purchase, lease, or rentals of job 
training sites. All federally recognized tribes and Alaska federally 
recognized tribal entities are eligible for these grants, including 
tribes and Alaska federally recognized tribal entities that do not 
participate in the Public Law 102-477 Workforce Development Program. 
Grants shall be unavailable for training programs that are national or 
regional in scope absent submission of a duly-enacted tribal resolution 
by each participating federally recognized tribe or Alaska federally 
recognized entity.
    This is an annual program whose primary objective is to create jobs 
and foster economic activity within tribal communities. When funding is 
available, IEED will solicit proposals for grants. To receive these 
funds, tribes may use the contracting mechanism established by Public 
Law 93-638, the Indian Self-Determination Act or may obtain adjustments 
to their funding from the Office of Self-Governance. See 25 U.S.C. 450 
et seq.

Applicants Must Submit

     A duly-enacted, signed resolution of the governing body of 
each tribe or Alaska federally recognized tribal entity participating 
in the project.
     A Statement of Work identifying the entity the applicant 
seeks to retain to conduct training and case management services; the 
entity's qualifications for conducting such training and a record of 
its past performance; the training project's planned activities and 
deliverable products; the number of jobs expected to be filled by the 
training program's graduates; the identities and locations of those 
expected to employ them; the number of Native Americans who will be 
trained; whether potential trainees will be drug tested or screened in 
other ways prior to their acceptance into the training program; and, 
the kinds of direct assistance and case management services that will 
be offered to graduates of training programs to place them into jobs 
and enable them to retain those jobs.
     A budget indicating the funding amount requested and how, 
with particularity, it will be spent. The IEED expressly retains the 
authority to reduce or otherwise modify proposed budgets and funding 
amounts.
    Timely-submitted applications will be competed, juried, and 
evaluated based on their potential to provide sustainable employment 
for tribal members or Alaskan Natives on or near Native communities. 
Selection criteria will also include the training entity's professional 
credentials, its record of past performance, and its ability and 
willingness to offer direct assistance and case management services 
both before and after training has been completed.

II. Request for Comments

    The IEED requests that you send your comments on this collection to 
the location listed in the ADDRESSES section. Your comments should 
address: (a) The necessity of the information collection for the proper 
performance of the agencies, including whether the information will 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden 
(hours and cost) of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways we could 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and, (d) ways we could minimize the burden of the collection 
of the information on the respondents, such as through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Please note that an agency may not sponsor or conduct, and an 
individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it 
has a valid OMB Control Number. It is our policy to make all comments 
available to the public for review at the location listed in the 
ADDRESSES section during the hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Eastern Time, 
Monday through Friday except for legal holidays. Before including your 
address, phone number, email address or other personally identifiable 
information, be

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advised that your entire comment--including your personally 
identifiable information--may be made public at any time. While you may 
request that we withhold your personally identifiable information, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1076-0XXX.
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Native Employment Training Grant (NET Grant) Program.
    Brief Description of Collection: Indian tribes and Alaska federal 
recognized tribal entities that wish to apply for the Native Employment 
Training Grant (NET) Program must submit an application that includes 
certain information. A complete application must contain:
     A duly-enacted, signed resolution of the governing body of 
each tribe or Alaska federally recognized tribal entity participating 
in the project;
     A Statement of Work identifying the training project's 
planned activities and deliverable products; the number of jobs 
expected to be filled by training program graduates; the identities and 
locations of those expected to employ them; the number of Native 
Americans who will be trained; whether potential trainees will be drug 
tested or screened in other ways prior to their acceptance into a 
training program; and the kinds of direct assistance and case 
management services that will be offered to graduates of training 
programs to enable them to be placed into sustainable jobs;
     The identity of the labor and union organization, private 
consultant, non-profit/non-academic entity, or other entity the tribe 
has chosen to perform skill development training; and,
     A detailed budget estimate, including contracted personnel 
costs; travel estimates; data collection and analysis costs; costs of 
purchasing; renting or leasing equipment, clothing, and training sites; 
and, other expenses. The IEED reserves the authority to reduce or 
otherwise modify this budget.
    The IEED requires this information to ensure that the Native 
Employment Training Grant (NET Grant) program only funds projects 
likely to train and place into employment tribal members and members of 
federally recognized Alaska tribal entities on or near a Native 
community. Upon completion of the funded project, the grantee must 
submit a final report summarizing events, accomplishments, results, and 
obstacles in executing the project. The IEED estimates that 
approximately 40 tribes will submit at least one application each year, 
and that IEED will accept approximately all 40 into the program 
annually.
    Respondents: All federally recognized tribes and Alaska federally 
recognized tribal entities.
    Number of Respondents: 80 applicants per year; 46 project 
participants each year.
    Estimated Time per Response: 40 hours per application; 1.5 hours 
report.
    Frequency of Response: Once per year for applications and final 
report.
    Total Annual Burden to Respondents: 3,269 hours (3,200 for 
applications and 69 for final reports).

    Dated: December 21, 2011.
Alvin Foster,
Assistant Director for Information Resources.
[FR Doc. 2011-33221 Filed 12-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-4J-P