[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22726-22727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06913]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 3090-XXXX; Docket No. 2023-0001; Sequence No. 8]


Submission for OMB Review; Data Collection for a National 
Evaluation of the American Rescue Plan

AGENCY: Office of Evaluation Sciences; General Services Administration 
(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of request for comments regarding a request for a new 
OMB clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, OES is 
proposing new data collection activities conducted for the National 
Evaluation of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). The objective of this 
project is to provide a systematic look at the contributions of 
selected ARP-funded programs toward achieving equitable outcomes to 
inform program design and delivery across the Federal Government. The 
project will include in-depth, cross-cutting evaluations and data 
analysis of selected ARP programs, especially those with shared 
outcomes, common approaches, or overlapping recipient communities; and 
targeted, program-specific analyses to fill critical gaps in evidence 
needs.

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 2, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for this information 
collection should be sent within 30 days

[[Page 22727]]

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: Elizabeth Martin, Program Manager, 
267-455-8556 at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The goal of this study is to look systematically across the 
selected subset of ARP programs, to provide an integrated account of 
whether, how, and to what extent their implementation served to achieve 
their intended outcomes, particularly with respect to advancing equity. 
More specifically, the study aims to learn how lessons from examination 
of ARP programs and interventions with shared outcomes, common 
approaches, or overlapping recipient communities may inform equitable 
program design and delivery across the Federal Government. The study 
aims to address these overarching evaluation questions:
     To what extent did ARP investments and policy 
interventions advance equitable outcomes for those they were designed 
to serve?
     What strategies contributed to the successes, and where 
are different strategies needed?
     Where multiple ARP programs aim to reach similar outcomes, 
especially among a shared population:
    [cir] To what extent is there coordination across programs in their 
administration, customer experience strategies, or performance or 
outcome measurement practices?
    [cir] To what extent are there collective impacts that could be 
attributed to more than one program? What kinds of impacts, if any, are 
observed?
    [cir] What kinds of secondary effects are observed that may not be 
captured in targeted outcome measures?
    The list of 32 programs covered in the May 2022 White House report 
``Advancing Equity through the American Rescue Plan'' provided the 
scope of programs included in the National Evaluation. A partnership 
between the Office of Management and Budget Evidence Team and GSA's 
Office of Evaluation Sciences, this study is also guided by leadership 
from the White House ARP Implementation Team, who participate on the 
Steering Committee, as well as a team of agency experts across the 
Federal Government.
    To build evidence in support of the study goals, this project 
includes a series of up to five in-depth, cross-cutting evaluations of 
selected ARP programs or recipient communities of multiple ARP program 
investments with shared outcomes, common approaches, or overlapping 
recipient groups. These evaluations will be selected based on program, 
population, place, community, or a combination of these factors. A 
mixed-methods approach is anticipated in order to ensure that 
appropriate attention is paid to context and that data collection and 
analysis methods reflect the complexity of program implementation and 
address the specific evaluation questions identified through the 
ongoing planning and consultation process.
    The ARP National Evaluation will use a multiple-phased approach for 
this proposed information collection activity. In Phase 1 (current 
request) the research team seeks approval to carry out consultations 
with the relevant state and local agencies, community-based 
organizations, and program participants, including the formal 
recruitment process to establish community advisory boards for each of 
the planned in-depth evaluations.
    Under subsequent phases of the request, the project will update the 
information collection request for the instruments tailored to each in-
depth evaluation, to reflect the specific evaluation design, 
information collection methods and instruments, and associated burden. 
The proposed information collection activities cover mixed-method 
approaches to implement primarily outcome and process evaluations. Data 
collection activities for these studies may include: (1) interviews 
with program administrators and staff; (2) focus groups, (3) short 
surveys of program participants and/or eligible non-participants, and 
(4) data requests.
    Respondents: State and local program administrators, program staff, 
community-based program partners, and individuals who participate or 
are eligible to participate in the relevant ARP programs.

B. Annual Burden Estimates

    Currently, three cross-cutting in-depth evaluations are 
anticipated. The burden estimates below reflect the expectations for 
information collection and related activities associated with the 
conduct of those three studies, in addition to the anticipated burden 
for this initial, formative phase of the overall study. During Phase 1, 
we estimate the following: consultations with approximately 95 state 
and/or local program administrators or representatives from community-
based organizations, recruitment of up to 9 participants for each of up 
to seven Community Advisory Groups established across the three 
studies, and the initiation of the group meetings.
    The anticipated information collections to be undertaken in Phase 2 
are expected to vary in their approaches to data collection and sample 
size. The subsequent information collection requests will describe the 
specific study design and associated burden for each evaluation. The 
estimates below include our current expectations for the burden 
associated with these evaluations.
    Total Respondents: 1,241.
    Total Annual Responses: 15.
    Average Burden Hours per Response: 1.9.
    Total Burden Hours: 3,034.5.

C. Public Comments

    A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register at 88 FR 85621 on 
December 8, 2023. Two comments were received, but neither provided 
substantive comments relevant to this specific information collection 
request.
    Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information 
collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division, by 
calling 202-501-4755 or emailing [email protected]. Please cite OMB 
Control No. 3090-XXXX, Data Collection for a National Evaluation of the 
American Rescue Plan.

Lois Mandell,
Director, Regulatory Secretariat Division, General Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-06913 Filed 4-1-24; 8:45 am]
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