[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4306-4307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01206]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Generic Clearance for 
Financial Reports Used for ACF Mandatory Grant Programs (Office of 
Management and Budget #: 0970-0510)

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposes to 
extend approval of the existing overarching generic clearance for 
Financial Reports used for ACF Mandatory Grant Programs (OMB #0970-
0510) as well as all information collections currently approved under 
the overarching generic. There are no changes to the proposed types of 
information collection or uses of data as described in the overarching 
generic, and there are no changes proposed to currently approved 
information collections for which we are requesting an extension. 
Burden estimates for the next 3 years have been adjusted based on use 
to date.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is 
soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information 
collection described above.

ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of 
information and submit comments by emailing [email protected]. 
Identify all requests by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Description: ACF programs require detailed 
financial information from their grantees that allows ACF to monitor 
various specialized cost categories within each program, to closely 
manage program activities, and to have sufficient financial information 
to enable periodic thorough and detailed audits.
    The information included on the standard Federal Financial Report 
Form (SF-425; OMB #4040-0014) provides only minimal, bare-bones, non-
program specific financial information insufficient for these purposes. 
This generic clearance allows ACF programs to efficiently develop and 
receive approval for financial reports that are tailored to specific 
funding recipients and the associated needs of the program. This 
umbrella generic is a mechanism that is available to all ACF mandatory 
grant programs to use to obtain OMB approval of financial forms. 
Currently only a small number of ACF's mandatory grant program 
financial forms are covered under this umbrella; it does not cover all 
ACF mandatory grant program financial forms. Program offices use the 
information collected under this generic information collection to:

 Monitor program operations and prepare technical assistance 
and guidance as needed
 Assess the effect of program changes and make informed 
decision
 Assist in the computation of the grant awards issued to each 
program's grantees
 Assist in the computation of the Child Support Services 
program's annual incentive payments
 Determine that child support collections are being properly 
distributed (Child Support Services Program only)
 Ensure funding recipients are meeting funding requirements 
established by Congress
 Produce annual financial and statistical reports as may be 
required by Congress and respond to periodic detailed inquiries from 
Congress

    ACF may require an information collection approved under this 
generic from funding recipients to obtain or retain benefits.
    Prior to a new form being submitted for review under this umbrella 
generic, ACF will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing 
the agency's intention to request an OMB review of the form and 
providing a 14-day period for public comment on that specific request. 
ACF will review any comments received and address them as appropriate. 
ACF will provide a copy of any comments received and will provide a 
description of how comments were considered in the submission form 
along with the request package for the individual collection. ACF will 
then follow standard OMB requirements for a generic information 
collection and submit a generic information collection request for each 
individual data collection activity under this generic clearance. Each 
request will include the individual form(s) and instructions, a summary 
of any comments received, and a short overview of the proposed purpose 
and use of the data collected. OMB should review requests within 10 
days of submission.
    Respondents: ACF-funded mandatory grant programs.

Annual Burden Estimates

    Find currently approved information collections here: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=202308-0970-008. The 
request to OMB will include an extension request for approved 
information collections that are planned to continue beyond spring 
2024. The current list of ongoing collections follows, but more 
collections may be approved prior to submission of the extension 
request to OMB. We will update the list in the subsequent Federal 
Register notice, if needed.

Burden Estimates--Ongoing Requests

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                      Study                          Number of     responses per     hours per     Burden hours
                                                    respondents     respondent       response
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ACF-196P, TANF Pandemic Emergency Assistance                 137               1               6             822
 Fund (PEAF) Financial Report for States,
 Territories and Tribes.........................
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) ACF-696                56               4               5           1,120
 Financial Report for States and Territories....
Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) ACF-696T              221               1               7           1,547
 Financial Report for Tribal Grantees...........
Child Support Services Program Financial                     168               4              14           9,408
 Reporting Forms (OCSE-34 and OCSE-396).........
Form CB-496: Title IV-E Programs Quarterly                    67               4              25           6,700
 Financial Report...............................

[[Page 4307]]

 
Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance Federal                   66               1            1.67             110
 Financial Report (ORR-2) Supplemental Data
 Collection.....................................
Refugee Support Services Federal Financial                    53               4               4             848
 Report (SF-425) Supplemental Data Collection...
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................             768        Avg: 2.7        Avg: 8.9          20,555
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Burden Estimates--New Requests

    Based on use of this generic, we have revised burden estimates for 
the next 3 years.

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                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                 Instrument                      Number of      responses per      hours per       Burden hours
                                                respondents       respondent        response
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Mandatory Grant Financial Reports...........           1,200                3                9           32,400
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    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-01206 Filed 1-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-88-P