[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11513-11514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03691]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0120]


Agency Information Collection Activities: DOT Technical 
Assistance PRA

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation 
(DOT).

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICR) 
abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the 
information collection and their expected burdens.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days of publication of this 
notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, 
Attention DOT Desk Officer. All comments received are part of the 
public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All 
comments should include the Docket number DOT-OST-2022-0120.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please email 
[email protected] or contact Victor Austin at 202-366-2996. 
Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday, 
except for Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised 
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 
1320, require Federal agencies to issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On November 22, 2022, OST published a 60-day notice (87 FR 
71408) in the Federal Register soliciting comments on the ICR that the 
agency was seeking OMB approval. OST received no comments after issuing 
this 60-day notice. Accordingly, DOT announces that these information 
collection activities have been re-evaluated and certified under 5 CFR 
1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5 
CFR 1320.12(c). Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed 
collections of information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 
44 U.S.C. 3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to 
approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after 
the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-(c); 5 CFR 
1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes 
that the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file relevant 
comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public comments 
before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, 
respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 
days of publication to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 
1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summaries below describe the nature of the information 
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The 
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by 
the PRA.
    Title: DOT Technical Assistance PRA.
    OMB Control Number: 2105-0584.
    Background: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) enacted as the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (H.R. 3684, Public Law 
117-58, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL) created 
several new programs at the US Department of Transportation (DOT) that 
allow local governments, non-profit organizations, tribal governments, 
and other political subdivisions of state or local governments to apply 
directly for DOT discretionary grant funding. In response to President 
Biden's Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for 
Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and Executive 
Oder 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, DOT has 
included criteria in its notices of funding opportunity to prioritize 
the needs of disadvantaged communities for many of these new programs.
    The Thriving Communities Initiative will include programs by which 
DOT will utilize cooperative agreements and procurements with technical 
assistance and capacity building providers to support communities 
seeking to advance transformative, equitable, and climate-friendly 
infrastructure projects that benefit disadvantaged communities. 
Further, the Thriving Communities Initiative will solicit applications 
for grants and in-kind technical assistance that will assist 
communities in analysis and delivery of projects. Specifically, these 
include the Thriving Communities program, the Rural and Tribal 
Infrastructure Assistance Pilot Program (see Sec.  21205 of Pub. L. 
117-58), and Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Assistance Program 
(see 23 U.S.C. 611 as amended by Sec.  71001 of Pub. L. 117-58).
    DOT will utilize a Letter of Interest (LOI) or use a simplified in-
take form from communities interested in receiving technical assistance 
and capacity building through these programs. Technical assistance and 
capacity building is offered by the Government at no charge and with no 
required non-federal share.
    Establishment of the program has two distinct tasks: (a) 
contracting of technical assistance advisors through a Notice of 
Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or existing procurement vehicles; and (b) 
recruitment of project sponsors who will receive technical assistance 
services. Responding to both will occur on a voluntary basis, utilizing 
an electronic platform.
    For item A, eligible applicants to provide technical assistance 
through the Thriving Communities Program will request cooperative 
agreement funding through an application process in response to a 
published NOFO. The application for Fiscal Year 2022 was a one-time 
information collection. DOT estimated approximately 20 hours was 
required to complete the NOFO application process used to select 
capacity builders under the Thriving Communities program. DOT estimates 
the recipients of Thriving Communities program funding will spend 
another 4 hours, annually, submitting post-award reports. In addition, 
reporting requirements will be submitted by the select capacity 
building providers and technical assistance recipients during the 
implementation, and evaluation phases.
    For item B, the intake form to be used by communities seeking 
technical assistance is estimated to take no more than 1 hour to 
complete. Recipients of technical assistance support are estimated to 
spend no more than 1 hour annually providing feedback and evaluation of 
the quality of services received through the program.
    For the Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Assistance Program, 
project sponsors will make an application in response to a Notice of 
Funding Opportunity. Successful applicants will receive reimbursable 
grants to procure technical assistance to develop projects. Preparation 
of a NOFO response is estimated to require 25 hours of staff time. 
Successful applicants must also prepare progress reports as a condition 
of funding. Progress reporting is estimated to require 4 hours per 
year.
    For the Rural and Tribal Assistance Program, project sponsors will 
make an

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application in response to a Notice of Funding Opportunity. The 
application process is streamlined for this program and is estimated to 
require 15 hours to complete. Award recipients must also prepare 
progress reports as a condition of funding. Progress reporting is 
estimated to require 4 hours per year.
    Respondents to Item A (technical assistance providers): for-profit 
companies, non-profit organizations, or other technical assistance 
providers.
    Respondents to Item B (requestors of grants or technical 
assistance): philanthropic entities, non-profit organizations, other 
Federal agencies, state or local governments and their agencies, and 
Indian Tribes.
    Frequency: Once a year.

Thriving Communities Program

    Number of respondents to NOFO: 46.
    Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO respondents: 24.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 1,104.
    Number of requestors of technical assistance: 373.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours for requestors of technical 
assistance: 373.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours for respondents to technical 
assistance: 45.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $179,596.

Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Grant Program

    Estimated Number of respondents to NOFO: 50.
    Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO respondents: 25.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 1,250.
    Estimated Award Winners: 30.
    Estimated Hours for Progress Reporting, per Award: 4.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours for Progress Reporting: 120.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $161,660.

Rural and Tribal Assistance Grants

    Estimated Number of Respondents to NOFO: 12.
    Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO Respondents: 15.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 180.
    Estimated Award Winners: 12.
    Estimated Hours for Progress Reporting, per Award: 4.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours for Progress Reporting: 48.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $26,904.

Total for All Thriving Communities Initiative Programs

    Estimated Total Hours: 3,120.
    Estimated Total Cost: $368,160.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection is necessary for the DOT's performance; (2) the accuracy of 
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the DOT to enhance the quality, 
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that 
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic 
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information. 
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request 
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.
    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 
35, as amended; 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135; and 23 CFR chapter 1, subchapter 
E, part 450.

    Dated: February 16, 2023.
Mariia Zimmerman,
Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance and Community Solutions, 
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-03691 Filed 2-22-23; 8:45 am]
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