[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 182 (Thursday, September 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49344-49345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20213]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Veterans' Employment and Training Service


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request: VETS' 
Competitive Grant Program Reporting

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: VETS is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the 
proposed revision of certain information the agency collects from grant 
recipients. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal 
agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days 
for public comment in response to the notice.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by 
November 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this Information Collection Request (ICR) with 
applicable supporting documentation, including a description of the 
likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total 
burden, may be obtained for free by contacting Rebekah Haydin by 
telephone at (972) 850-4720 (this is not a toll-free number) or by 
email at [email protected].
    Submit written comments about this ICR by mail or courier to the 
U.S. Department of Labor, Veterans' Employment and Training Service, 
525 S. Griffin Street, #858, Dallas, TX 75202; by email: 
[email protected]; or by fax: (972) 850-4716.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebekah Haydin, by telephone at (972) 
850-4720 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

[[Page 49345]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Labor, as part of 
continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts 
a pre-clearance consultation program 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 OMB 
for final approval. This program 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.
    The Department of Labor's VETS administers funds for the Homeless 
Veterans' Reintegration Program grants to state, local, and tribal 
governments; businesses and other for-profit and not-for-profit 
organizations on an annual program year basis. These competitive grants 
are codified under 38 U.S.C. 2021, 2021A, and 2023.
    VETS provides funds to competitively-awarded grantees through 
annual Funding Opportunity Announcements and option year funding. The 
total number of grantees varies based on the amount of available funds, 
awarded in grants up to $500,000 each.
    The Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and Training 
monitors and supervises the distribution and use of those funds as 
required by 38 U.S.C. 2021 (b). Additionally, and in accordance with 38 
U.S.C. 2021 (d), the Secretary reviews performance and provides a 
biennial report to Congress on the program, including an evaluation of 
the services furnished to veterans and an analysis of the information 
we have collected. VETS intends to request approval for this 
information collection that streamlines the annual funding request 
process for grantees, reports the use of grantee funds in sufficient 
detail to allow interim adjustments that ensure all appropriated 
funding is expended properly, and provides data needed for VETS' 
biennial report to Congress.
    The forms and reports collect required programmatic and financial 
data from grantees. The continued use of standardized formats for 
collecting this information helps to ensure that requested data is 
provided in a uniform way, reporting burdens are minimized, the impact 
of collection requirements on respondents are properly assessed, 
collection instruments are clearly understood by respondents, and the 
information is easily consolidated for posting in accordance with 
statutory requirements.
    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 the Office of Management and 
Budget (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.
    As previously noted this request has been classified as a revision. 
More specifically, VETS intends to add the VETS-704 Applicant Summary 
form that will allow VETS to timely make informed decisions about grant 
awards, and to request certain additional information on the VETS-701 
Technical Performance Report about the participants grantees serve and 
the services provided to those participants.
    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 OMB Control Number 
1293-0014. Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record 
for this ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. VETS 
encourages commenters not to include personally identifiable 
information, confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/
information in any comments. VETS 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-VETS.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Title of Collection: VETS' Competitive Grant Program Reporting.
    Forms:
    1. VETS-700, Competitive Grants (CG) Planned Goals Chart;
    2. VETS-701, CG Technical Performance Report (TPR);
    3. VETS-702, CG Technical Performance Narrative (TPN);
    4. VETS-703, Stand Down After Action Report (SDAAR) and;
    5. VETS-704, Applicant Synopsis.
    OMB Control Number: 1293-0014.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; Private 
Sector--businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,078.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 2,662.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,004.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

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

    Dated: Signed in Washington, DC, this 12th day of September, 
2019.
Joseph S. Shellenberger,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-20213 Filed 9-18-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-79-P