[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 216 (Friday, November 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71072-71074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24714]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2016-0762; FRL-10016-12-OMS]


Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; General 
Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to 
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``General 
Administrative Requirements for Assistance Programs'' (EPA ICR No. 
0938.22, OMB Control No. 2030-0020 to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is 
soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension 
of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2021. In 
addition, this ICR includes EPA's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise 
(DBE) Program as a result of the

[[Page 71073]]

relocation of the DBE Program from the Office of Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization to the Office of Grants and 
Debarment. The information collection activities for the DBE Program 
were previously covered under OMB Control Number 2090-0030. An Agency 
may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 5, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2016-0762 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by 
email to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information 
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth January, Office of Grants 
and Debarment, National Policy, Training and Compliance Division, Mail 
Code: 3903R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 
NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (617) 918-8655; fax number: 
(202) 565-2470; email address:[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) 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; (ii) 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; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) 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. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: The information is collected from applicants and 
recipients of EPA assistance to monitor adherence to the programmatic 
and administrative requirements of the Agency's financial assistance 
program which includes the Agency's DBE program. The information 
collected is used to make awards, pay recipients, and collect 
information on how Federal funds are being spent. EPA needs this 
information to meet its Federal stewardship responsibilities. This ICR 
renewal requests authorization for the collection of information under 
EPA's General Regulation for Assistance Programs, which establishes 
minimum management requirements for all recipients of EPA grants or 
cooperative agreements (assistance agreements). Recipients must respond 
to these information requests to obtain and/or retain a benefit 
(Federal funds). For awards made prior to December 26, 2014, 40 CFR 
part 30, ``Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations,'' establishes the 
management requirements for institutions of higher education, 
hospitals, and other non-profit organizations, as well as procurement 
requirements for non-governmental recipients. For awards made prior to 
December 26, 2014, 40 CFR part 31, ``Uniform Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local 
Governments,'' includes the management requirements for States, local 
governments, and Indian Tribal governments. These regulations include 
only those provisions mandated by statute, required by Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars, or added by EPA to ensure sound 
and effective financial assistance management. For awards made after 
December 26, 2014, 2 CFR 200 and EPA's implementation of 2 CFR 200 at 2 
CFR 1500 ``Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and 
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards'' establishes the management 
requirements for all entity types. These regulations include only those 
provisions mandated by statute, required by OMB Circulars, or added by 
EPA to ensure sound and effective financial assistance management. For 
all awards, 40 CFR part 33 ``Participation by Disadvantaged Business 
Enterprises in Procurement under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
Financial Assistance Agreements'' establishes DBE utilization 
requirements for all entity types. These regulations include only those 
provisions mandated by statue or added by EPA to ensure sound and 
effective financial assistance management with respect to DBE 
utilization. This ICR combines all of these requirements under OMB 
Control Number 2030-0020. The information required by these regulations 
will be used by EPA award officials to make assistance awards and 
assistance payments and to verify that the recipient is using Federal 
funds appropriately.
    Form Numbers:

EPA Form 190-F-04-001, ``EPA Payment Request''
EPA Form 190-F-05-001, ``Fellowship Stipend Payment Enrollment Form''
EPA Form 4700-4, ``Preaward Compliance Review Report for All Applicants 
and Recipients Requesting Federal Financial Assistance''
EPA Form 5700-52A, ``MBE/WBE Utilization Under Federal Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements''
EPA Form 5700-53, ``Lobbying and Litigation Certification for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements''
EPA Form 5700-54, ``Key Contacts Form,'' and EPA Form 5700-54-2, ``Key 
Contacts Form for Multiple Principal Investigators''
EPA Form 5770-2, ``Fellowship Application''
EPA Form 5770-3, ``Fellowship Facilities and Commitment Statement''
EPA Form 5770-5, ``Agency Fellowship Certification''
EPA Form 5770-7, ``EPA Fellowship Activation Notice''
EPA Form 5770-8, ``Fellowship Agreement''
EPA Form 5770-9, ``Completion of Studies Notice''
EPA Form 6600-01, ``EPA Administrative and Financial Onsite Review 
Questionnaire''
EPA Form 6600-06, ``Certification Regarding Lobbying''
EPA Form 6600-08, ``Lobbying Cost Certificate for Indirect Costs/

[[Page 71074]]

Certificate of Indirect Costs for State and Local Governments''
EPA Form 6600-09, ``EPA Administrative Capability Questionnaire''
NCER Form 5, ``Current and Pending Support''

    Respondents/affected entities: The primary recipients of EPA 
assistance agreements are State and local governments, Indian Tribes, 
educational institutions, and not-for-profit institutions.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Required to obtain an 
assistance agreement (40 CFR part 30, 40 CFR part 31, and 40 CFR part 
33 for awards made prior to December 26, 2014, and 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 
1500, and 40 CFR part 33 for awards made after December 26, 2014).
    Estimated number of respondents: 5,492 (total).
    Frequency of response: On occasion, quarterly, and annually.
    Total estimated burden: 102,122 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
    Total estimated cost: $6,149,228 (per year), includes $0 annualized 
capital or operation & maintenance costs.
    Changes in Estimates: Estimates are likely to stay substantially 
the same compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB and the former 
DBE ICR due to limited programmatic changes or changes in the estimated 
respondent universe.

    Dated: October 30, 2020.
Michael Osinski,
Director, Office of Grants and Debarment.
[FR Doc. 2020-24714 Filed 11-5-20; 8:45 am]
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