[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 104 (Friday, May 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32440-32443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11598]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2020-0027-N-9]


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its 
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information 
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is 
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities 
identified below.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
July 28, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the ICR activities by mail to 
either: Ms. Qiana Swayne, Information Collection Clearance Officer, 
Office of Railroad Policy and Development, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; or Ms. 
Kim Toone, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Office of 
Administration, Office of Information Technology, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590. 
Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge receipt of their respective 
comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard stating, 
``Comments on OMB Control Number 2130-0615,'' and should also include 
the title of the ICR. Alternatively, comments may be faxed to (202) 
493-6216 or (202) 493-6497, or emailed to Ms. Swayne at 
[email protected], or Ms. Toone at [email protected]. Please refer 
to the assigned OMB control number in any

[[Page 32441]]

correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in 
response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its 
information collection submission to OMB for approval.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its 
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to 
provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information 
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. 
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, 
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR 
regarding: (1) Whether the information collection activities are 
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether 
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's 
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, 
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to 
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways 
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on 
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
    FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the 
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of 
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, FRA reasons 
that comments received will advance three objectives: (1) Reduce 
reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in 
a ``user-friendly'' format to improve the use of such information; and 
(3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce 
information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
    The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB 
clearance as the PRA requires:
    Title: Grants Management Requirements for Federal Railroad 
Administration. Grant Awards and Cooperative Agreements.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0615.
    Abstract: FRA solicits grant applications for projects including, 
but not limited to, preconstruction planning activities, safety 
improvements, congestion relief, improvement of grade crossings, and 
rail line relocation, as well as projects that encourage development, 
expansion, and upgrades to passenger and freight rail infrastructure 
and services. FRA funds projects that meet FRA and government-wide 
evaluation standards and align with the DOT Strategic Plan.
    FRA administers award agreements for both construction and non-
construction projects that will result in benefits or other tangible 
improvements in rail corridors, service, safety, and technology. These 
projects include completion of preliminary engineering, environmental, 
research and development, final design, and construction.
    FRA requires systematic and uniform collection and submission of 
information, as approved by OMB, to ensure accountability of Federal 
assistance provided by FRA. Through this information collection, FRA 
will measure Federal award recipients' performance and results, 
including expenditures in support of agreed-upon activities and 
allowable costs outlined in an FRA Notice of Grant Award. This 
information collection includes OMB-required reports and documentation, 
as well as additional forms and submissions to compile evidence 
relevant to addressing FRA's important policy challenges, promoting 
cost-effectiveness in FRA programs, and providing effective oversight 
of programmatic and financial performance. FRA issues and manages 
awards in compliance with 2 CFR part 200: Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards. The forms for which FRA is seeking renewal of its current 
approval are listed below. All non-research awards are subject to the 
application, reporting, closeout, and other processes described in this 
notice.
    Form(s): All FRA forms are located at FRA's public website; all SF 
forms are located at Grants.gov. FRA forms 30 (FRA Assurance and 
Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 
Responsibility Matters and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements), 31 (Grant 
Adjustment Require Form), 32 (Service Outcome Agreement Annual 
Reporting), 33 (Final Performance Report), 34 (Quarterly Progress 
Report), 35 (Application Form), 217 (Categorical Exclusion Worksheet), 
229 (NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership Supplier Scouting--FRA 
Item Opportunity Synopsis), 251 (Applicant Financial Capability 
Questionnaire), and 252 (Payment Summary Spreadsheet). SF forms 270 
(Request for Advance or Reimbursement), 424 (Application for Federal 
Assistance), 424 A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs), 
424B (Assurance for Non-Construction Programs), 424C (Budget 
Information for Construction Programs), 424D (Assurances for 
Construction Programs), 425 (Federal Financial Report), and LLL 
(Disclosure of Lobbying Activities).
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Generally includes States and local governments 
and railroads.
    Frequency of Submission: Varied; on occasion/monthly.
    Reporting Burden:

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                                                                                                           Average time                    Total annual
              Form name                          Form             Grant activity/process   Total annual     (hours) per    Total annual     dollar cost
                                                                                             responses       response      burden hours     equivalent
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Grant Application....................  FRA F 35................  Application............             250              34        8,500.00     $348,415.00
Application for Federal Assistance...  SF 424..................  Application............             250             1.1          275.00       11,272.25
Budget Information for Non-            SF 424A.................  Application............              75               3          225.00        9,222.75
 Construction Programs.
Assurances for Non-Construction        SF 424B.................  Application............              75            0.25           18.75          768.56
 Programs.
Budget Information for Construction    SF 424C.................  Application............             175               3          525.00       21,519.75
 Programs.
Assurances for Construction Programs.  SF 424D.................  Application............             175            0.25           43.75        1,793.31
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities....  SF LLL..................  Application............             250            0.17           42.50        1,742.08
Applicant Financial Capability         FRA F 251...............  Application............             168               2          336.00       13,772.64
 Questionnaire.

[[Page 32442]]

 
FRA Assurances and Certifications      FRA F 30................  Application............             250            0.25           62.50        2,561.88
 Regarding Lobbying; Debarment,
 Suspension and Other Responsibility
 Matters and Drug-Free Workplace
 Requirement.
Federal Financial Report (new          SF 425 New Awards.......  Awards & Maintenance...             500             1.5          750.00       30,742.50
 awardees submit each quarter).
Federal Financial Report (existing     SF 425 Existing Grantees  Awards & Maintenance...             864             1.5        1,296.00       53,123.04
 awardees submit each quarter).
Request for Advance or Reimbursement.  SF 270..................  Awards & Maintenance...             860               1          860.00       35,251.40
Payment Summary Spreadsheet..........  SF 252..................  Awards & Maintenance...             860             0.5          430.00       17,625.70
Quarterly Progress Report (new         FRA F 34 New Awards.....  Awards & Maintenance...             500               2        1,000.00       40,990.00
 awardees submit each quarter).
Quarterly Progress Report (existing    FRA F 34 Existing         Awards & Maintenance...             864               2        1,728.00       70,830.72
 awardees submit each quarter).         Grantees.
Grant Adjustment Request Form........  FRA F 31................  Awards & Maintenance...             212               1          212.00        8,689.88
Service Outcome Agreement (SOA)        FRA F 32................  Awards & Maintenance...              24               1           24.00          983.76
 Annual Reporting.
Certification of Compliance or Non-    Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..              15               3           45.00        1,844.55
 Compliance with Buy America
 Requirements for Steel, Iron, or
 Manufactured Products being produced
 by Awardee.
Certification of Compliance with Buy   Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1              62           62.00        2,541.38
 America for Rolling Stock.
Waivers--Requests/Applications for     Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..              15            1200       18,000.00      737,820.00
 Waivers, excluding FRA Form 229
 (narrative request).
NIST Manufacturing Extension           FRA F 229...............  Buy America Component..              15              18          270.00       11,067.30
 Partnership Supplier Scouting--FRA--
 Item Opportunity Synopsis (FRA F
 229).
Awardee Investigations (including FRA  Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               3             333          999.00       40,949.01
 initiated investigations).
Awardee direct reply to FRA after      Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               2               1            2.00           81.98
 request to conduct investigation of
 bidder/offeror.
Additional Documents to FRA from       Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1               4            4.00          163.96
 Awardee/Investigated Party.
Transmission of Awardee/Bidder/        Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               2             0.5            1.00           40.99
 Offeror Reply to Petitioner.
Awardee/Investigated Bidder/Offeror    Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1               8            8.00          327.92
 response to Petitioner Comment.
Written request to FRA for             Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1               4            4.00          163.96
 information bearing on substance of
 investigation which has been
 submitted by petitioner, interested
 parties, or awardees.
Detailed Statement to FRA Regarding    Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1               8            8.00          327.92
 Confidentiality of Previously
 Submitted Information to Agency.
Awardee Determination to make award    Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1              40           40.00        1,639.60
 before resolution of investigation
 one of this sections specified
 reasons.
Notification to FRA by Awardee to      Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1               1            1.00           40.99
 make award during pendency of
 investigation.
Request to FRA for Reconsideration of  Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1              80           80.00        3,279.20
 Initial Decision by Party Involved
 in Investigations.
Pre-Award Audit......................  Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1              33           33.00        1,352.67
Final Contract between Awardee and     Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1              16           16.00          655.84
 Bidder/Offeror.
Post Award Audit.....................  Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1             256          256.00       10,493.44
Rolling Stock Domestic Content         Narrative Request.......  Buy America Component..               1             120          120.00        4,918.80
 Improvement Plans.

[[Page 32443]]

 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  Narrative Request.......  Awards & Maintenance...               2           15552       31,104.00    1,274,952.96
Environmental Assessment (EA)........  Narrative Request.......  Awards & Maintenance...               4            3120       12,480.00      511,555.20
Categorical Exclusion Worksheet......  FRA F 217...............  Awards & Maintenance...              50             156        7,800.00      319,722.00
Final Performance Report.............  FRA F 33................  Closeout...............              79               8          632.00       25,905.68
                                                                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total............................  ........................  .......................        6,551.00       21,078.02       88,293.50    3,619,150.57
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    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 88,293.50 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent: 
$3,619,150.57.
    Under 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b) and 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), 
FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or sponsor, 
and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

Brett A. Jortland,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2020-11598 Filed 5-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P