[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23764-23765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9585]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for Site Visit Data 
Collection; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-Funded 
Grants; Job Training Evaluations; Extension Without Revisions

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the 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 (PRA) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps 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.

[[Page 23765]]

    Currently, ETA seeks a regular 3 year extension of the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for collecting site visit data 
from organizations that received grants under four Solicitations for 
Grant Applications (SGAs) that were issued under the ARRA Initiative: 
Pathways Out of Poverty (POP), Energy Training Partnership (ETP), State 
Energy Sector Partnership (SESP), and Health Care and Other High Growth 
and Emerging Industries Training grant initiative. POP, ETP and SESP 
are all Green Jobs training programs. The overall aim of these 
evaluations is to determine the extent to which enrollees achieve 
increases in employment, earnings, and career advancement as a result 
of their participation in the training provided and to identify 
promising best practices and strategies for replication. It is 
necessary to collect data from the grant sites included in both studies 
while they are still in operation. Failure to collect site visit data 
will affect our ability to conduct rigorous evaluations of these 
grants. For example, site visits are the only way the research team can 
observe the training programs in operation and collect real time data 
that amplifies the findings through other documentation. Lack of a 
rigorous evaluation process will mean that no information will be 
available on the potential of training for green jobs as a strategy for 
reducing poverty or increasing employment. Conducting these evaluations 
rigorously requires appropriate operational data collection. This 
information collection follows an emergency review that was conducted 
in accordance with PRA and 5 CFR 1320.13. The submission for OMB 
emergency review was approved on January 19, 2012.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addresses section below on or before June 19, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to Ms. Savi Swick, Office of Policy 
Development and Research, Room N-5641, Employment and Training 
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210. Telephone number: 202-693-3382 (this is not a 
toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may 
access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free 
Federal Information Relay Service at 1-877-889-5627 (TTY/TDD). Fax: 
202-693-2766. Email: [email protected]. A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting Savi 
Swick.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The proposed information collection is for evaluations of the Green 
Jobs and Health Care training grants. This evaluation is sponsored by 
ETA to understand the processes surrounding the design and 
implementation of four specific grant programs.
    In February 2009, President Obama signed the ARRA into law in an 
effort to preserve and create jobs, promote economic growth, and assist 
those impacted by the recession. The ARRA included funding for four 
SGAs with the goal of training workers in the skills required to be 
employed in specific high-growth and emerging industries including 
health care, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. The four SGAs 
are:
     Energy Training Partnership ($100 million allocated across 
25 projects)
     Pathways Out of Poverty ($150 million for 38 projects)
     State Energy Sector Partnership and Training ($190 million 
for 34 projects)
     Health Care and Other High Growth Emerging Industries 
($225 million for 55 projects).

II. Review Focus

    The Department 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: Extension without changes.
    Title: Site Visit Data Collection: American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-Funded Grants; Job Training Evaluations.
    OMB Number: 1205-0486.
    Affected Public: Individuals and Non-Profit Private Entities.
    Total Annual Respondents: 620.
    Annual Frequency: Once.
    Total Annual Responses: 620.
    Average Time per Response: 1.5 hours per focus group discussion and 
1 hour per site visit interview.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 930.
    Total Annualized Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR; 
they will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, on this 16th day of April 2012.

    Signed:
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2012-9585 Filed 4-19-12; 8:45 am]
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