[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 106 (Friday, June 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30069-30070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11745]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of Disability Employment Policy


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Research To Support the Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship

ACTION: Notice of information collections and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting public comments regarding this 
ODEP-sponsored information collection to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

DATES: Comments pertaining to this information collection are due on or 
before August 3, 2021.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronic submission: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail submission: 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-5315, Washington, 
DC 20210.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the DOL, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) if 
the information will be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) the 
accuracy of the DOL's estimates of the burden and cost of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (4) ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information collection; and (5) ways to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meredith DeDona by telephone at 202-
693-7864 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship 
(PIA) focuses on engagement and outreach strategies to promote and 
implement inclusive practices within apprenticeship programs, such as 
those registered with the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of 
Apprenticeship. These strategies aim to enable individuals with 
disabilities, including working-age youth and adults ages 16-64, to 
gain credentials and skills to succeed in growing industries. PIA also 
seeks to glean federal and state policy options through such outreach 
and engagement, which includes several stakeholder engagement and 
outreach activities. The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) 
of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) intends to design and conduct a 
process evaluation of the DOL-funded PIA. The goal of this four-year 
study is to build an understanding of the experiences, barriers, and 
successes of PIA during the implementation of the partnership.
    The overall study is comprised of several components: (1) A 
knowledge development phase to understand what is currently known about 
inclusive apprenticeship programs, review the literature on inclusive 
apprenticeship, and analyze existing data on inclusive apprenticeship; 
(2) technical assistance to PIA and its partners to understand and 
enhance their use of data for process improvement; and (3) a process 
evaluation of the implementation of PIA.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
three proposed data collection instruments that will be used in the 
evaluations:
    1. Survey of PIA Apprenticeship Intermediary Organizations (AIOs), 
partners, and community of practice members. Survey of up to 90 AIOs, 
partner organizations, and community of practice members to collect 
information on their role in PIA and their experiences with inclusive 
apprenticeship programs.
    2. Topic guide for site visit interviews with AIO program staff and 
partners. Virtual semi-structured interviews with up to 12 program and 
partner staff for each of the approximately 6 AIOs partnering under 
PIA, beginning fall 2021.
    3. Focus group guide for apprentices. Virtual semi-structured focus 
groups with up to 60 apprentices enrolled in inclusive apprenticeship 
programs, assuming that all ten invited apprentices at approximately 6 
AIOs partnering under PIA agree to participate, beginning fall 2022.
    This information collection is subject to the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA). A Federal agency generally cannot

[[Page 30070]]

conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is 
generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless 
the OMB approves it and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. 
In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person 
shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information that does not display a valid OMB Control 
Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
    The DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for 
three (3) years. OMB authorization for an Information Collection Review 
cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes 
that currently approved information collection requirements submitted 
to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo 
review.
    Agency: DOL-ODEP.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Title of Collection: Research to Support the Partnership on 
Inclusive Apprenticeship.
    OMB Control Number: 1230-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 74.
    Frequency: Once.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 74.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 59 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

                                          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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AIO, PIA partner, and community               30               1              30             0.5              15
 of practice member survey......
AIO program staff and partner                 24               1              24             1.0              24
 interview topic guide..........
Apprentice focus group guide....              20               1              20             1.0              20
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    Total.......................              74  ..............              74  ..............              59
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    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

    Dated: May 27, 2021.
Jennifer Sheehy,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Disability Employment Policy, 
U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2021-11745 Filed 6-3-21; 8:45 am]
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