[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 14 (Wednesday, January 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3712-3714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00886]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2019-0021; OMB No. 1660-NW75]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Facility Access Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a new 
information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, this

[[Page 3713]]

notice seeks comments concerning the Facility Access Request forms. The 
purpose of the forms is to apply for access to a FEMA controlled 
facility. This information is used to create a profile in the Physical 
Access Control System. The personally identifiable information is used 
to authenticate the identity of Federal employees, contractors, and 
visitors who have entry authorization, and in the event of an 
emergency, to contact individuals.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use 
only one of the following means to submit comments:
    (1) Online. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID 
FEMA-2019-0021. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of 
Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW, 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-
3100.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket 
ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any 
personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice that is available via the link in the footer of 
www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J'son Tyson; Chief, Identity 
Credential and Access Management; FEMA/OCSO/FOD; 202-412-5600; 
j'[email protected]. You may contact the Information Management 
Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at email 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) requires all new FEMA employees, contractors, and visitors to 
complete a Facility Access Request, FEMA Form 121-3-1-3A, prior to 
accessing any FEMA facility. In addition, for certain facilities 
designated as high security, current FEMA employees, contractors, and 
visitors will be required to fill out a separate Facility Access 
Request, FEMA Form 121-3-1-3B. The collection of personally 
identifiable information (PII) on both Facility Access Request forms 
will be used to create a profile in the Physical Access Control System 
(PACS) and authenticate the identity of Federal employees, contractors, 
and visitors who request entry authorization.
    FEMA will use the information to run a background check through the 
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) on non-Federal visitors and 
individuals accessing high security facilities. NCIC is a computerized 
database administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that 
provides ready access to law enforcement agencies for making inquiries 
about an individual's criminal history. This check verifies that the 
individual does not have any outstanding warrants for criminal 
activities indicating a risk to the Department.
    All non-FEMA employees and contractors are visitors. Visitors who 
are employed by the U.S. Government or government contractors working 
for an agency other than FEMA must present a valid employee 
identification card issued by their employing agency and an on-site 
FEMA-employed sponsor must confirm the visit through the Facility 
Access Request. The visitor's first and last name, agency of 
employment, and armed status are recorded in PACS as well as the first 
and last name of the sponsor. This information may be provided in 
advance or, if no notice of the visit is given, at time of entry.
    U.S. citizens who are not employed by the U.S. Government or 
government contractors who intend to visit a FEMA facility are subject 
to a background check using the NCIC system. As with non-FEMA U.S. 
Government employees and contractors, all prospective visitors falling 
under the non-Federal U.S. citizen category must be sponsored by an on-
site FEMA employee who serves as the primary point of contact for the 
Office of the Chief Security Officer (OCSO) during the screening 
process. Sponsors initiate the screening process for non-Federal U.S. 
citizens by contacting the FEMA Access Control office to communicate 
their intention to host one or more visitors.
    To begin the screening process, FEMA OCSO collects PII from 
prospective visitors using FEMA Form 121-3-1-3A or FEMA Form 121-3-1-
3B, Facility Access Request, depending on the security level of the 
facility that the employee, contractor, or visitor requires access.
    OCSO grants or denies access based on the information provided by 
NCIC. The determination to grant or deny access is communicated back to 
the sponsor and recorded in the visitor management module of the PACS 
along with the date the NCIC search was conducted.
    Visitor management is governed by DHS Instruction Manual 121-01-
011-01, Visitor Management for DHS Headquarters and DHS Component 
Headquarters Facilities; FEMA Directive 121-1, Personal Identification 
Standard; FEMA Directive 121-3, Facility Access; and FEMA Instruction 
121-3-1, Credential and Access Reference.

Collection of Information

    Title: Facility Access Request.
    Type of Information Collection: New information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-NW75.
    FEMA Forms: FEMA Form 121-3-1-3A and 121-3-1-3B.
    Abstract: The purpose of these forms is to apply for access to all 
FEMA controlled facilities. This information is used to create a 
profile in the PACS. The PII is used to authenticate the identity of 
Federal employees, contractors, and visitors who have entry 
authorization, and in the event of an emergency, to contact 
individuals. Respondents are typically all occupations.
    Affected Public: Federal Government & State, local or Tribal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,500.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 20,500.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,485.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $127,098.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: None.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: None.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $23,027.

Comments

    Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption 
above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 
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; (c) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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,

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e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Maile Arthur,
Acting Records Management Branch Chief, Mission Support, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2020-00886 Filed 1-21-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-19-P