[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17982-17984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06599]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Workforce System Metrics

AGENCY: Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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[[Page 17983]]

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before May 31, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
via email to Leopold Spohngellert, Policy Fellow, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, at [email protected] or [email protected]. Do not 
submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Leopold Spohngellert, Policy Fellow, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
(917) 902-2482 or at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Economic Development Administration (EDA) leads the Federal 
economic development agenda by promoting innovation and 
competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in 
the worldwide economy. Guided by the basic principle that sustainable 
economic development should be driven locally, EDA works directly with 
communities and regions to help them build the capacity for economic 
development based on local business conditions and needs. The Public 
Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (PWEDA) (42 U.S.C. 3121 et 
seq.) is EDA's organic authority and is the primary legal authority 
under which EDA awards financial assistance. Under PWEDA, EDA provides 
financial assistance to both rural and urban distressed communities by 
fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and productivity through 
investments in infrastructure development, workforce development, 
capacity building, and business development to attract private capital 
investments and new and better jobs to regions experiencing economic 
distress. Further information on EDA programs and financial assistance 
opportunities can be found at www.eda.gov.
    To effectively administer and monitor its economic development 
assistance programs, EDA collects certain information from applications 
for, and recipients of, EDA investment assistance. The purpose of this 
notice is to seek comments from the public and other Federal agencies 
on a request for a new information collection for recipients of awards 
under the EDA American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Good Jobs Challenge. This 
is aligned with ensuring that Federal workforce investments are 
evidence-based and data-driven, and accountable to participants and the 
public. Award recipients will be required to submit identified program 
metrics and information for three key award stakeholders: (1) System 
Lead Entity/Backbone Organization, defined as the lead entity of a 
regional workforce training system or sectoral partnership; (2) 
Training Providers, defined as entities providing relevant training and 
learning in a regional workforce training system; and (3) Participants, 
defined as individuals directly trained and placed into jobs via a 
regional workforce training system. System Lead Entities/Backbone 
Organizations will also coordinate with relevant employers to 
understand program performance from the employers' perspective. All 
process, output, and outcome metrics are associated with the following 
objectives:
     System Lead Entity/Backbone Organizations: (1) Establish, 
strengthen, or expand sectoral partnerships or regional workforce 
training systems; (2) Target underserved populations and areas to 
participate in the skills training program to reduce systemic 
inequities and barriers to employment and enhance diversity, equity, 
and inclusion in industry, including by securing and offering wrap-
around services; (3) support employers in filling demand for good-
paying jobs, and (4) Leverage federal and non-federal funds to expand 
reach and support sustainability.
     Training Providers: Provide skills training to unemployed, 
underemployed, or incumbent workers with opportunity for increased 
wages through targeted upskilling to place them into quality jobs and 
provide employers with skilled workers.
     Participants: Position for employment and wage growth.
    AEDA will require all ARPA Good Jobs Challenge award recipients and 
stakeholders to submit this data at predetermined intervals (System 
Lead Entities/Backbone Organizations, semiannually; Training Providers, 
quarterly; and Participants, once at the beginning of their training) 
to determine results and sustainability of the original grant award 
throughout the period of performance.
    EDA is particularly interested in public comment on how the 
proposed data collection will support the assessment of job quality, 
including in ways that rely on pairing this information administrative 
data for analysis and other ways to minimize burden, or if alternative 
information should be considered.

II. Method of Collection

    Data will be collected electronically.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: New information collection.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Recipients of ARPA Good Jobs Challenge awards, 
which may include a(n): District Organization; Indian Tribe or a 
consortium of Indian Tribes; State, county, city, or other political 
subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a state or 
local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development 
activities or a consortium of political subdivisions; Institution of 
Higher Education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; 
or Public or private non-profit organization or association, including 
labor unions, acting in cooperation with officials of a political 
subdivision of a State. Additionally, training providers and 
participants in regional workforce training systems will be affected.
    Preliminary Estimated Number of Respondents: System Lead Entities/
Backbone Organization: 50 respondents, responding semiannually; 
Training Providers: 200 respondents, responding quarterly; and 
Participants: 10,000 respondents, responding once. As the Good Jobs 
Challenge is a new program, EDA anticipates that these estimates will 
be further refined based on data determined post-award.
    Estimated Time per Response: System Lead Entity/Backbone 
Organization: 1.5 hours; Training Providers: 5 minutes per Participant; 
Participants: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,150 hours.

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                                                                                                       Total
  Type of respondent (annual)         Number of      Hours per response  Number of responses per  estimated time
                                     respondents                                   year               (hours)
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System Lead Entities/Backbone    50 *..............  1.5 hours.........  2 (Semiannual).........             150
 Organizations.
Training Providers.............  200 (serving        5 minutes per       4 (Quarterly)..........           3,333
                                  10,000              participant.
                                  participants) *.
Participants...................  10,000 *..........  10 minutes........  1 (One-time)...........           1,666
                                --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  10,250 *..........  ..................  .......................           5,150
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* The number of responses should be considered estimates given the Good Jobs Challenge intended impact. Given
  investment alignment and program priorities are founded on equity, there could be lower number of stakeholders
  participating given their efforts to work with individuals most underserved.

    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $303,953 (cost assumes 
application of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics third quarter 2021 mean 
hourly employer costs for employee compensation for professional and 
related occupations of $59.02).
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory for System Lead Entities/
Backbone Organizations and Training Providers.
    Legal Authority: The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.).

V. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-06599 Filed 3-28-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-34-P