[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29245-29246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-13162]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; DOL-
Only Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System (OMB 
Control Number 1205-0521)

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor's (DOL), Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed 
revision to the authority to conduct the information collection request 
(ICR) titled, ``DOL-only Performance Accountability, Information, and 
Reporting System.'' This comment request is part of continuing 
Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by 
August 20, 2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation, 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by 
contacting Andrea Hill by telephone at 202-693-3542 (this is not a 
toll-free number), TTY 1-877-889-5627 (this is not toll-free number), 
or by email at [email protected], with ``Federal 
Register comment'' in the subject line. Submit written comments about, 
or requests for a copy of, this ICR by:
     Mail or courier to
    [cir] U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration Office of Apprenticeship, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Room C-5311, Washington, DC 20210;
     by email to:
    [cir] [email protected].

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506 (c)(2)(A).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOL, as part of continuing efforts to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation 
to provide the general public and Federal agencies an opportunity to 
comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information before 
submitting them to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final 
approval. This consultation helps to ensure 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 can be properly assessed.
    Section 116 of WIOA requires States that operate core programs of 
the publicly-funded workforce system to comply with common performance 
accountability requirements. As such, States that operate core programs 
must submit common performance data to demonstrate that specified 
performance levels are achieved.
    The data collections in this ICR fulfill requirements in WIOA Sec. 
116(d)(1), which mandates that the Secretaries of Labor and Education 
develop a template for the annual performance reports to be used by 
States, local boards, and eligible providers of training services for 
reporting on outcomes achieved by the WIOA core programs. Pursuant to 
WIOA sec. 116(d)(2), required annual data for the core programs 
include, among others, those related to primary performance indicators, 
participant counts and costs, and barriers to employment. These data 
collections also assist DOL in carrying out its mission under the 
National Apprenticeship Act. DOL proposes to amend the DOL-only 
information collection by making changes to the Participant Individual 
Record Layout (ETA-9172), and the (Program) Performance Report (ETA-
9173-APPSHP) to facilitate State and grantee quarterly performance 
reporting. DOL is also adding a new information collection requirement 
to this ICR, the Apprenticeship Employer Record Layout. Particularly, 
as part of its effort to streamline program performance reporting, DOL 
is adding the performance information collection requirements for ETA 
grants with significant apprenticeship components as a primary goal of 
the program (Apprenticeship Grants).
    This notice includes the ETA (Program) Performance Report 
specifically for Apprenticeship Grants, the Participant Individual 
Record Layout (PIRL), and the Apprenticeship Employer Record Layout. 
The DOL requires States and grantees to certify and submit the ETA 
(Program) Performance Report to ETA on a quarterly basis. ETA will 
aggregate the information the States and grantees submit through the 
PIRL to populate the ETA (Program) Performance Report. In addition, DOL 
is seeking approval to require grantees to certify and submit the 
Apprenticeship Employer Record Layout to ETA on a quarterly basis.
    The ETA (Program) Performance Report has been designed to maximize 
the value of the reports for workers, jobseekers, employers, local 
elected officials, State officials, Federal policymakers, and other key 
stakeholders. The PIRL has been designed to reflect the specific 
requirements of the annual reports as described in WIOA section 
116(d)(2) through (4).
    ETA will use the data to track total participants, characteristics, 
services, training strategies and outcomes for employed, unemployed and 
long-term

[[Page 29246]]

unemployed participants. This data collection format permits program 
offices to evaluate program effectiveness, monitor compliance with 
statutory requirements, and analyze participant activity and grantee 
performance while complying with OMB efforts to streamline Federal 
performance reporting.
    Under WIOA section 116(d)(6), the Secretary of Labor is required to 
annually make available (including by electronic means), in an easily 
understandable format, (a) the State Annual Performance Reports 
containing the information described in WIOA section 116(d)(2) and (b) 
a summary of the reports, and the reports required under WIOA section 
116(d)(6) (the State Performance, Local Area, and Eligible Training 
Provider Reports), to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
    The reports and other analyses of the data will be made available 
to the public through publication and other appropriate methods and to 
the appropriate congressional committees through copies of such 
reports. In addition, information obtained through the DOL-only 
Performance Accountability, Information, and Reporting System will be 
used at the national level during budget and allocation hearings for 
DOL compliance with the Government Performance and Results Act and 
other legislative requirements, and during legislative authorization 
proceedings.
    As mentioned above, as part of DOL's effort to improve program 
performance reporting, DOL added the performance information collection 
requirements for Apprenticeship Grants to this information collection.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by OMB under the PRA and displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6.
    Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the 
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to 
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should mention DOL-only Performance 
Accountability, Information, and Reporting System OMB Control No. 1205-
0521.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record to this 
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages 
commenters not to include personally identifiable information, 
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information 
in any comments. DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
     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).
    Agency: DOL-ETA.
    Type of Review: Revision to include the Apprenticeship Grants.
    Title of Collection: DOL-only Performance Accountability, 
Information, and Reporting System.
    Form: Participant Individual Record Layout (ETA-9172), (Program) 
Performance Report (ETA-9173-APPSHP), and Apprenticeship Employer 
Record Layout.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0521.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; Individuals 
or Households; and Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits and 
not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 17,583,145.
    Frequency: Varies.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 35,166,446.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 9,808,425 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $224,393,569.

Molly E. Conway,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2019-13162 Filed 6-20-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FR-P