[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8940-8941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02210]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Public Comments Request; Extension of a Currently Approved Information 
Collection; Funding Opportunity Announcement and Grant Application 
Instructions Template for ACL Discretionary Grant Programs

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an 
opportunity for the public to comment on ACL's intention to collect 
information from applicants for discretionary grant awards. Under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are 
required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each 
proposed collection of Information, including each proposed extension 
of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for 
public comment in response on the proposed action. This notice solicits 
comments on the proposed information collection requirements relating 
to the Funding Opportunity Announcement and Grant Application 
Instructions template for ACL Discretionary Grant Programs.

DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of 
information by April 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to: [email protected]. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information by mail to Mark Snyderman, Administration for 
Community Living, Washington, DC 20201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mark Snyderman at (202) 795-7439 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency request or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in

[[Page 8941]]

the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension, or update, of an 
existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to 
OMB for approval. The proposed data collection represents an extension 
with minor changes and updates (ICR-Chg). To comply with the above 
requirement, ACL is publishing a notice regarding the proposed 
collection of information set forth in this document. Interested 
persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or 
any other aspect of this collection of information, including the 
following subjects: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of 
information technology.

Proposed Collection of Information

    ACL plans to submit to the Office of Management and Budget for 
approval the Funding Opportunity Announcement and Grant Application 
Instructions Template for ACL Discretionary Grants Programs. The 
instructions explain the requirements and provide instructions on how 
to submit an application for funding to the Administration for 
Community Living. ACL funds discretionary grants under the 
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 
(DD Act), which is administered by the Administration on Intellectual 
and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), the Older Americans Act (OAA), 
which is administered by the Administration on Aging (AoA), as well as 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which authorizes the National Institute 
on Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and 
Independent Living programs. In addition, ACL is responsible for 
administering eight other authorizing statutes or portions of statutes 
relevant to older Americans and individuals with disabilities. Through 
its discretionary grant programs, the Administration for Community 
Living (ACL) supports projects that develop and test new knowledge and 
program innovations with the potential for maximizing the independence, 
well-being, and health of older adults, people with disabilities across 
the lifespan, and their families and caregivers.
    The proposed changes are few in number and are intended to simplify 
the instructions and reduce burden. For example, the requirements for 
average projected award amount and proposed start and end date 
requirements to start on the first day of the month have been 
eliminated. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) template may be 
found on the ACL Web site at:www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportunities/Announcements/docs/ACL_PA_Template_FINAL.docx.
    The number of respondents associated with this collection of 
information varies depending on the appropriation for that fiscal year 
and the number of grants turning over from the previous fiscal year. 
The number of ACL FOAS increased from 24 in FY 2013 to 62 in FY 2016. 
This number is over double the number published in FY 2013, the last 
time this data collection was approved by OMB. We believe that the 
increase is primarily due to the expansion in the number of programs 
administered by ACL since that period, including the addition of the 
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), National Institute on 
Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), 
Assistive Technology Programs, Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss 
Resource Center, and Traumatic Brain Injury program. For FY 2017, we 
estimate that the number of FOAs for FY 2017 will be 34 based on the 
average number of FOAs published from FY 2013-2016. The number of 
respondent per FOA in FY 2013 was 350 (14.5 applicants per FOA). Using 
an estimate of 14.5 applications per FOA, we increased the estimated 
number of respondents to 493. In addition, the average hour burden per 
respondent in FY 2013 was 48. We increased this number to 56 hours to 
account for the effect of the additional time it takes to prepare 
research proposals for NIDILRR competitions on the average burden hours 
per respondent. Applicants include State agencies, other public 
agencies, private nonprofit programs, institutions of higher education, 
and organizations, including tribal organizations.

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                                                                                                           Frequency of    Average hour        Total
                                                             Number of    Applicants per     Number of     response per     burden per    estimated data
                                                           competitions         FOA         respondents        year         respondent        burden
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Other ACL...............................................              34            14.5             493               1              48          23,664
NIDILRR.................................................              16              16             256               1             220          56,320
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    Totals..............................................              50            30.5             749               1             268          79,984
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    Estimated Number of Responses: 749 annually. Total Estimated Burden 
Hours: 79,984.

    Dated: January 27, 2017.
Edwin Walker,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2017-02210 Filed 1-30-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4154-01-P