[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84618-84619]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28264]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Comment Request; State Exchange on Employment and Disability 
(SEED) Initiative Implementation Evaluation Survey

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, 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 is properly assessed. Currently, 
the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the 
collection of data about the State Exchange on Employment and 
Disability (SEED) Initiative Implementation Evaluation Survey. A copy 
of the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that the agency 
receives on or before January 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods:
    Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Cherise 
Hunter, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of 
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room S-1303, Washington, DC 20210. 
Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one 
method. All submissions received must include the agency name and OMB 
Control Number identified above for this information collection. 
Because we continue to experience delays in receiving mail in the 
Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly encouraged to transmit 
their comments electronically via email or to submit them by mail 
early. Comments, including any personal information provided, become a 
matter of public record. They will also be summarized and/or included 
in the request for OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Cherise Hunter by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background.

    The proposed information collection activities described in this 
notice will provide data for the State Exchange on Employment and 
Disabilities (SEED) Evaluation. In the fall of 2015, The Office of 
Disability Employment (ODEP) launched the SEED initiative. The SEED 
initiative is designed to advance policy at the state and local levels 
that promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities 
through collaborative engagement of intermediary organizations that 
serve as value added interfaces between and among various levels of 
government and entities with overlapping interests. A formative 
evaluation of SEED has been undertaken to provide feedback and 
information to the SEED implementation team to make the initiative as 
efficient and effective as possible. This Federal Register Notice 
provides the opportunity to comment on one proposed data collection 
instrument

[[Page 84619]]

that will be used in the SEED evaluation:
    (1) SEED Implementation Evaluation Survey. This survey will be 
distributed to a sample of State legislators and their staff who are 
members of intermediary organizations participating in the SEED 
initiative. It will identify barriers and needs to inform the SEED 
implementation team on what SEED could do to assist states interested 
in adopting disability employment policies. It will also provide 
feedback from State legislators and staff regarding their perceptions 
of SEED activities and resources to date as well as identify where 
State legislators are currently getting their information about 
disability employment policy issues to improve outreach.

II. Review Focus

    Currently, DOL is soliciting comments concerning the above data 
collection for the evaluation of SEED. DOL is particularly interested 
in comments that do the following:
     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 submission of responses.

III. Current Action

    At this time, DOL is requesting clearance for the SEED 
Implementation Evaluation Survey.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1290-0NEW.
    Title: State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) 
Initiative Implementation Evaluation Survey.

                                           Estimated Total Burden Hours--SEED Implementation Evaluation Survey
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                                                                                         Number of                       Estimated time
                            Respondents                                 Number of      responses per        Total         per response   Estimated total
                                                                       respondents       respondent       responses         (hours)       burden (hours)
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State legislators and staff who are members of organizations                  1,039                1            1,039              .22           228.58
 participating in the SEED initiative..............................
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    Affected Public: A sample of State legislators and their staff who 
are members of intermediary organizations participating in the SEED 
initiative.
    Annual Frequency: One time for the SEED initiative evaluation 
survey.
    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: November 15, 2016.
Sharon Block,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of 
Labor.
[FR Doc. 2016-28264 Filed 11-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P