[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24978-24979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10161]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Comment Request for Information Collection for ETA 9166, Pre-
Implementation Planning Checklist Report for State Unemployment 
Insurance (UI) Information Technology (IT) Modernization Projects; New 
Collection

AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration (ETA), 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 collection 
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.
    Building on lessons learned from previous state implementations of 
modernized UI IT systems, ETA commissioned the development of a UI IT 
Modernization Pre-Implementation Planning Checklist for states to use 
prior to ``going live'' with a new system. The checklist is expected to 
validate that all necessary system functions are available and/or that 
alternative workarounds are developed prior to the production launch of 
the UI IT system to help avoid major disruption of services to UI 
customers and to prevent delays in making UI benefit payments when due. 
In addition, the checklist will be used by ETA to identify the 
technical assistance needs of State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) in 
support of successful implementation of UI IT Modernization projects. 
This comprehensive checklist denotes critical functional areas that 
states should verify prior to launching including, but not limited to, 
technical IT functions and UI business processes that interface with 
the new system. The list of critical areas identified in the checklist 
includes, among others,
     Verification for essential UI Benefit and Tax functions,
     Interstate Connection (ICON) network and UI reporting 
interfaces,

[[Page 24979]]

     System Error handling,
     End-user support mechanisms,
     Alternate access options and usability issues,
     Policies and Procedures development and dissemination
     Technical preparation,
     Call Center and Customer Service operations,
     Staffing and Staff Training on new system operations,
     Help Desk support,
     Management oversight,
     Vendor support and
     Communications.
    The new ETA 9166 will be used by the National and regional offices 
to ensure that states have plans to address critical issues prior to 
launching a new UI IT system and to identify areas where SWAs may need 
technical assistance to support successful implementation of UI IT 
Modernization projects. This information will include the project title 
and purpose, the project timeline and milestones, and a narrative 
description of the project implementation status. It will also include 
explanations of plans or workarounds to address the areas of potential 
issues identified in the implementation checklist, an explanation of 
any portion of the project that will experience delays in 
implementation, mitigation proposals for addressing problems and new 
project timelines (if applicable), a self-reported designation of the 
implementation status, and a discussion of identified technical 
assistance needs for the successful completion of the project.
    ETA believes that the use of this checklist as a planning tool will 
help states ensure the availability of mission critical functions as 
the state prepares for the launch of a new system and following the 
launch of a new system.
    Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning a new collection 
of information: ETA 9166, Unemployment Insurance (UI) Information 
Technology (IT) Modernization Pre-Implementation Planning Checklist 
Report.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before June 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Paul Bankes, U.S. Department of Labor, 
Employment and Training Administration, Office of Unemployment 
Insurance, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Frances Perkins Bldg. Room S-
4524, Washington, DC 20210, telephone number (202) 693-3053 (this is 
not a toll-free number) or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The information to be reported on the ETA 9166 report will be used 
by the National and regional offices to validate that states are 
positioned to successfully ``go live'' with a new system and to provide 
any needed technical assistance as appropriate, in partnership with the 
Information Technology Support Center operated by the National 
Association of State Workforce Agencies, in support of successful 
implementation of UI IT Modernization projects. This information will 
include the UI IT Modernization project title (e.g. State project or 
Consortium name) and the associated Report on Pre-Implementation 
Planning Checklist results. For each sub-element identified in the 
checklist:
     Provide a brief report detailing the status of the project 
as it relates to addressing the particular sub-element issue(s);
     provide a self-reported designation of the implementation 
status;
     provide/attach explanations of any workarounds, if 
applicable, to be used in implementation;
     provide/attach explanations of any portions of the project 
that will experience delays in implementation;
     describe any mitigation proposals for addressing any 
problems;
     describe new project timelines, if applicable; and
     describe any discussion of identified technical assistance 
needs for the successful completion of the project or any sub-element 
of the project.
    The collection will enable ETA to identify and provide appropriate 
technical assistance needs to a state on issues in the checklist and 
ensure states have plans for addressing critical issues prior to 
launching a new UI IT system.

II. Review Focus

    The Department is particularly interested in comments which:
    * Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary to describe the status of the SWA's new UI IT system 
activities, 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 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: Unemployment Insurance (UI) Information Technology (IT) 
Modernization Pre-Implementation Planning Checklist Report, ETA 9166.
    OMB Number: 1205--0NEW.
    Affected Public: State Government.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondents: 3-5.
    Annual Frequency: One-time response.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 3-5.
    Average Time per Response: 120 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 360-600 hours per year.
    Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (Reporting*): $18,979-$31,620.
    * We envision the report will be completed by some combination of 
an IT Project Manager and the state's UI Director. Based on budget 
allocations, a figure of $52.72 was derived for the average hourly wage 
of state agency UI Directors and IT staff for fiscal year 2015.
    We will summarize and/or included in the request for OMB approval 
of the ICR, the comments received in response to this comment request; 
they will also become a matter of public record.

Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, Labor.
[FR Doc. 2015-10161 Filed 4-30-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FW-P