[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57890-57891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20346]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT


Submission for Renewal of a Previously Approved Information 
Collection 3206-0258: Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF 85P) 
and Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions (SF 85P-S)

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: 60-day notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to request 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) renew a previously-approved 
information collection, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF 
85P) and Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions (SF 85P-S).

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until November 16, 
2020. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by the following method:
    Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and docket 
number for this document. The general policy for comments and other 
submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions 
available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov as they are 
received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact 
information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this ICR, with applicable 
supporting documentation, may be obtained by contacting Lisa Loss, 202-
606-1800, or U. S. Office of Personnel Management, Suitability 
Executive Agent Programs, P. O. Box 699, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, or 
sent by email to [email protected].

[[Page 57891]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM is soliciting comments for this 
collection as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    1. 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;
    2. 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;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. 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 
submissions of responses.
    The Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, SF 85P and 
Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions, SF 85P-S, are 
information collections completed by applicants for, or incumbents of, 
Federal Government civilian positions, or positions in private entities 
performing work for the Federal Government under contract (SF 85P 
only). The collections are used as the basis of information for 
background investigations to establish that such persons are:
     Suitable for employment or retention in Federal employment 
in a public trust position or fit for employment or retention in 
Federal employment in the excepted service when the duties to be 
performed are equivalent in degree of trust reposed in the incumbent to 
a public trust position;
     Fit to perform work on behalf of the Federal Government 
pursuant to the Government contract, when the duties to be performed 
are equivalent in degree of trust reposed in the individual to a public 
trust position;
     Eligible for physical and logical access to federally 
controlled facilities or information systems, when the duties to be 
performed by the individual are equivalent to the duties performed by 
an employee in a public trust position.
    For applicants, the SF 85P and SF 85P-S are to be used only after a 
conditional offer of employment has been made. The SF 85P-S is 
supplemental to the SF 85P and is used only as approved by OPM, for 
certain positions such as those requiring carrying of a firearm. e-QIP 
(Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing) is a web-
based system application that houses the SF 85P and SF 85P-S. A 
variable in assessing burden hours is the nature of the electronic 
application. The electronic application includes branching questions 
and instructions which provide for a tailored collection from the 
respondent based on varying factors in the respondent's personal 
history. The burden on the respondent is reduced when the respondent's 
personal history is not relevant to particular question, since the 
question branches, or expands for additional details, only for those 
persons who have pertinent information to provide regarding that line 
of questioning. Accordingly, the burden on the respondent will vary 
depending on whether the information collection relates to the 
respondent's personal history.
    OPM recommends renewal of the form without any proposed changes, 
except to underlying authorities, which have been revised in the period 
since the last renewal, and the Privacy Act Information Statement, to 
acknowledge the transfer of background investigations files from OPM to 
the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. No other changes 
are recommended at this time. Ongoing assessments will occur to ensure 
the SF 85P and SF 85P-S reflect and collect pertinent information for 
the investigative process and align with governing policies, rules, and 
regulations requiring use of these forms.

Analysis

    Agency: Office of Personnel Management.
    Title: Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions (SF 85P) and 
Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected Positions (SF 85P-S).
    OMB Number: 3206-0258.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Number of Respondents: 112,894 (SF 85P); 11,717 (SF 85P-S).
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 155 minutes (SF 85P); 10 minutes (SF 
85P-S).
    Total Burden Hours: 282,235 (SF 85P); 1,953 (SF 85P-S).

Office of Personnel Management.
Alexys Stanley,
Regulatory Affairs Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2020-20346 Filed 9-15-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-53-P