[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69778-69779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27411]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio, 
New Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), 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). 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 
Apprenticeship Evidence-Building Portfolio. A copy of the proposed 
Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before February 18, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods:
    Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Janet Javar, 
Chief Evaluation Office, OASP, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-2312, 
200 Constitution Avenue NW, 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. 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: Janet Javar by email at 
[email protected] or by phone at (202) 693-5954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. Background: The Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) of the U.S. 
Department of Labor (DOL) intends to design and conduct evaluations of 
DOL-funded apprenticeship initiatives through the Apprenticeship 
Evidence-Building Portfolio. The portfolio of initiatives includes the 
Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grants, Closing 
the Skills Gap grants, Transitioning Service Member Apprenticeship 
demonstration, and other DOL investments. The goal of this five-year 
study is to build evidence on apprenticeship models, practices, and 
partnership strategies in high-growth occupations and industries.
    The overall study is comprised of several components: (1) An 
implementation study of the Scaling Apprenticeship, Closing the Skill 
Gaps, and other similar DOL initiatives to develop typologies of 
apprenticeship models and practices, identify promising strategies 
across the portfolio, and to better understand the implementation of 
models to help interpret impact evaluation findings; (2) an impact 
evaluation to examine the effectiveness of the models on participants' 
outcomes, such as employment earnings and career advancement; (3) an 
implementation study on the Transitioning Service Member Apprenticeship 
demonstration to understand service delivery design and implementation, 
challenges, and promising practices. DOL will submit additional ICRs 
for future data collection requests for this overall study.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
proposed data collection instruments that will be used in the 
evaluations: Baseline survey and informed consent of program 
participants; baseline survey and informed consent of program staff; 
interview guide for program staff; interview guide for program 
partners; focus group guide for program participants; interview guide 
for military apprenticeship placement counselors; and focus group guide 
for military participants.
    1. Baseline survey and informed consent of program participants. 
Survey of program participants to collect baseline information.
    2. Baseline survey and informed consent of program staff. Survey of 
program staff, including supervisors, instructors, and counselors, to 
collect baseline information.
    3. Interview guide for program staff. Site visits to approximately 
21 Scaling Apprenticeship and Closing the Skills Gaps grantees 
beginning in spring 2020. These visits will last two and a half days 
each. During these site visits, we will conduct one-on-one or small-
group semi-structured interviews with program staff. We will also 
observe program activities to help us describe key program components, 
assess the quality of program delivery, and understand participant 
needs. The observations will not involve additional burden.
    4. Interview guide for program partners. Also during these site 
visits, we will conduct one-on-one or small-group semi-structured 
interviews with staff from program partners, including employers, 
training and education providers, and community stakeholders.
    5. Focus group guide for participants. Also during these site 
visits, we will conduct one focus group per site with approximately 10 
program participants.
    6. Interview guide for military apprenticeship placement 
counselors. Site visits to approximately 8 VETS grantees beginning in 
spring 2020. These visits will last one and a half days each. During 
these site visits, we will conduct one-on-one interviews with military 
apprenticeship placement counselors. We will also observe other 
relevant program activities to help us describe key program components. 
The observations will not involve additional burden.
    7. Focus group guide for military participants. Also during these 
site visits, we will conduct one focus group per site with 
approximately 6 program participants.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, DOL is soliciting 
comments concerning the above data collection for the Apprenticeship 
Evidence-Building Portfolio. 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

[[Page 69779]]

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.
     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--for example, 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    III. Current Actions: At this time, DOL is requesting clearance for 
the baseline survey and informed consent of participants; baseline 
survey and informed consent of staff; interview guide for program 
staff; interview guide for program partners; focus group guide for 
participants; interview guide for apprenticeship placement counselors; 
and focus group guide for military participants.
    Type of Review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1290-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Program staff, program partners, and participants 
of the Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies grants, 
Closing the Skills Gap grants, and Transitioning Service Member 
Apprenticeship demonstration. Additionally, apprenticeship placement 
counselors of the Transitioning Service Member Apprenticeship 
demonstration.
    Comments submitted in response to this 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.

                                          Estimated Annual Burden Hours
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                                                                                  Average burden
    Type of instrument (form/        Number of       Number of     Total number      time per        Estimated
            activity)               respondents    responses per   of responses      response      burden hours
                                                    respondent                        (hours)
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Baseline survey and consent--          \1\ 5,000               1           5,000            0.25           1,250
 program participants...........
Baseline survey and consent--            \2\ 200              25           5,000            0.25           1,250
 program staff..................
Interview guide--program staff..          \3\ 28               1              28             1.0              28
Interview guide--program                  \3\ 42               1              42             1.0              42
 partners.......................
Focus group guide--program                \4\ 70               1              70             1.5             105
 participants...................
Interview guide--military                      6               1               6             1.0               6
 apprenticeship placement
 counselors.....................
Focus group guide--military               \5\ 16               1              16             1.5              24
 participants...................
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    Total.......................           5,362  ..............          10,162  ..............           2,705
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\1\ Assumes 5,000 participants randomized every year.
\2\ Assumes 200 staff assist in participant randomization every year, each serving 25 participants.
\3\ Assumes 7 sites visited per year with 4 program staff and 6 partner interviews per site.
\4\ Assumes 1 focus group with 10 participants per each site visited.
\5\ Assumes 1 focus group with 6 participants in each of 8 sites, spread over three years.


Christina Yancey,
Chief Evaluation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2019-27411 Filed 12-18-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P