[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 14 (Monday, January 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3284-3286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-1226]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Comment Request for Information Collection for the H-1B Technical 
Skills Training (H-1B) and the H-1B Jobs and Innovation Accelerator 
Challenge (JIAC) Grant Programs, New Collection

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.

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 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. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the collection of data about H-1B Technical Skills 
Training (H-1B) [SGA/DFA PY-10-13] and H-1B Jobs and Innovation 
Accelerator Challenge (JIAC) [SGA/DFA PY-10-15] grant programs. 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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before March 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Employment and Training 
Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-4518, Washington, 
DC 20210, Attention: Sarah Sunderlin. Telephone number: (202) 693-3949 
(this is not a toll-free number). Fax: (202) 693-3890. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    In applying for both H-1B grant programs, grantees agree to submit 
participant-level data and quarterly aggregate reports for individuals 
who receive services through H-1B programs and their partnerships with 
business-related nonprofit organizations, education and training 
providers, including community colleges and other community-based 
organizations, entities involved in administering the workforce 
investment system established under Title I of WIA, and economic 
development agencies, among others. The reports include aggregate data 
on demographic characteristics, types of services received, placements, 
outcomes, and follow-up status. Specifically, they summarize data on 
participants who received employment and training services, placement 
services, and other services essential to

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successful unsubsidized employment through H-1B programs.
    This document requests approval for a new information collection to 
meet the (1) reporting, (2) recordkeeping and (3) program evaluation 
requirements of both H-1B grant programs through an ETA-provided, Web-
based Management Information System (MIS).
    Three outcome measures will be used to measure success in the H-1B 
grants: Entered employment rate, employment retention rate (this 
includes incumbent workers who retain their positions or advance into 
new positions and get wage gains after the program), and the average 
six-month post-program earnings. All of these conform to the common 
performance measures implemented across Federal job training programs 
as of July 1, 2005. By standardizing the reporting and performance 
requirements of different programs, the common measures give ETA the 
ability to compare across programs the core goals of the workforce 
system--how many people entered jobs; how many stay employed; and how 
many successfully completed an educational or vocational training 
program. In addition to the three outcome measures, grantees will 
report on a number of leading indicators that serve as predictors of 
success. These include placement into unsubsidized jobs, attainment of 
degrees or certificates, placement into post-secondary education or 
vocational training, on-the-job training (OJT), classroom occupational 
training, contextualized learning, distance learning, and customized 
training, including incumbent worker training, and placement into high-
growth industries and occupations.
    Although the common measures are an integral part of ETA's 
performance accountability system, these measures provide only part of 
the information necessary to effectively oversee the workforce 
investment system. ETA also collects data from H-1B grantees on program 
activities, participants, and outcomes that are necessary for effective 
program management and conveying full and accurate information on the 
performance of H-1B programs to policymakers and stakeholders.
    This information collection maintains a reporting and recordkeeping 
system for a minimum level of information collection that is necessary 
to comply with Equal Opportunity requirements, to hold H-1B grantees 
appropriately accountable for the Federal funds they receive, including 
common performance measures, and to allow the Department to fulfill its 
oversight and management responsibilities.
    The information collection for program evaluation includes setting 
up a Participant Tracking System (PTS) through the MIS with baseline 
information similar to the quarterly reports but at the individual 
participant level. The baseline data covered by this clearance will 
enable the evaluation to describe the characteristics of study 
participants at the time they are randomly assigned to a treatment or 
control group, ensure that random assignment was conducted properly, 
create subgroups for the analysis, provide contact information to 
locate individuals for follow-up surveys, and improve the precision of 
the impact estimates. Such data will be collected on the basis that the 
evaluation will consist of an experimental design employing random 
assignment of participants into treatment and control groups. A Web-
based PTS will execute the random assignment procedures and compile 
baseline data on study sample members. This PTS will assure that 
participant data will be in a consistent format across sites.
    A rigorous program evaluation also requires clear and specific 
documentation of the services provided to treatment group members in 
each of the grantee sites and the services available to control group 
members. This qualitative information will enable the evaluation to 
describe the program design and operations in each site, interpret the 
impact analysis results, and identify lessons learned for purposes of 
program replication. The process study site visits will include semi-
structured interviews and focus group discussions with various program 
stakeholders.

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 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.

III. Current Actions

    Type of Review: New collection.
    Title: H-1B Technical Skills Training and H-1B Jobs and Innovation 
Accelerator Challenge grant programs.
    OMB Number: OMB Control Number 1205-0NEW.

                                                              Estimated Total Burden Hours
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                                                                                                                            Hourly rate
                                   Estimated total                         Total annual    Average time    Total annual      for data      Total  annual
         Form/activity               respondents          Frequency          response      per response    burden hours    entry person     burden cost
                                                                                              (hours)                           ($)             ($)
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Participant Data Collection      85 Grantees,        Continual..........          12,000            2.66          31,920           14.37       458,690.4
 (including baseline data for     12,000
 evaluation).                     participants.
Quarterly Narrative Progress     85 Grantees,        Quarterly..........             340              10            3400           14.37          48,858
 Report.                          12,000
                                  participants.
Quarterly Performance Report...  85 Grantees,        Quarterly..........             340              10            3400           14.37          48,858
                                  12,000
                                  participants.
Site Visit Data Collection.....  150 total staff...  Twice..............             300          1 hour             300           18.76           5,628
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    Totals.....................  ..................  ...................          12,980           23.66          39,020  ..............       562,034.4
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    Affected Public: H-1B Grantees and program participants.
    Form(s): Total Annual Respondents: 85 grantees.
    Annual Frequency: Quarterly.
    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: Signed in Washington, DC, on this 17th day of January 
2012.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-1226 Filed 1-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P