[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75604-75605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24273]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Public Comment Request; Standardized Work Plan 
Form for Use With Applications to the Bureau of Health Workforce 
Research and Training Grants and Cooperative Agreements OMB No. 0906-
0049--Extension

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA 
submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Comments submitted 
during the first public review of this ICR will be provided to OMB. OMB 
will accept further comments from the public during the review and 
approval period. OMB may act on HRSA's ICR only after the 30-day 
comment period for this notice has closed.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than December 
4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the clearance 
requests submitted to OMB for review, email Joella Roland, the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, at [email protected] or call 
(301) 443-3983.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the ICR title for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Standardized Work Plan (SWP) 
Form for Use with Applications to the Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) 
Research and Training Grants and Cooperative Agreements OMB No. 0906-
0049--Extension
    Abstract: HRSA's BHW requires applicants for training and research 
grants and cooperative agreements to submit work plans via the SWP 
form.

[[Page 75605]]

Information in the SWP describes the timeframes and progress required 
during the grant period of performance to address each of the needs 
detailed in the Purpose and Need section of the application, as 
required in the Notice of Funding Opportunity announcement. Applicants 
use the SWP form when they submit their proposals, and award recipients 
and Project Officers use the SWP information to assist in monitoring 
progress once HRSA makes the awards. After awards are made, recipients 
complete a Quarterly Progress Update (QPU) to provide information to 
BHW on a quarterly basis on each activity listed in the SWP.
    A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register on August 25, 
2023, vol. 88, No. 164; pp. 58284-85. There were no public comments.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Information collected by 
the SWP form and QPUs standardizes and streamlines the data used by 
HRSA in reviewing applications and monitoring awardees. The form asks 
applicants to provide a description of the activities or steps the 
applicant will take to achieve each of the objectives proposed during 
the entire period of performance. The current standardized format and 
data submission by applicants increases efficiency in reviewing, 
awarding, and monitoring each project.
    The QPU is completed via HRSA's Electronic Handbook system and 
prompts recipients to report on progress of activities that were 
submitted using the SWP in the original application. The QPU 
automatically populates activities from the recipient's SWP form on a 
quarterly basis. For each activity listed in the submitted SWP for any 
particular quarter within the project period, recipients select and 
submit a single selection response for each activity status from a 
pull-down menu with five options: Activity is on Schedule, Activity is 
Complete, Timing is off track, Activity will be missed if action is not 
taken, and Activity cannot be achieved. Information provided is 
utilized by the program staff to regularly assess overall progress of 
program requirements and analyze data in order to monitor award 
recipient compliance and track progress against proposed targets and 
goals. Information gathered allows an improved and more efficient 
method for identifying whether projects' goals are being advanced or 
achieved, as set forth in 45 CFR 75.342. Program staff also use 
information provided over the period of performance to see emerging 
trends and to assess whether an award recipient requires technical 
assistance to address challenges that the award recipient may be 
experiencing with the implementation of the project. Seeking OMB 
extension approval comports with the regulatory requirement imposed by 
45 CFR 75.206(a), Paperwork clearances.
    Likely Respondents: Respondents are applicants for, and recipients 
of, BHW's research and training grants and cooperative agreements.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this ICR are summarized in the table below.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                     Number of       Number of         Total        burden per     Total annual
            Form name               respondents    responses per     responses     response  (in   burden hours
                                                    respondent                        hours)
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Standardized Work Plan (SWP)....           1,000               1           1,000            1.00           1,000
Quarterly Progress Update (QPU)            1,000               4           4,000             .10             400
 Form...........................
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    Total.......................       \1\ 1,000  ..............           5,000  ..............           1,400
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\1\ The 1,000 SWP respondents reflects the number of new grant applications submitted annually. The 1,000 QPU
  respondents reflects the current volume of funded, active grants.


Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2023-24273 Filed 11-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P