[Federal Register: March 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 56)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14138-14139]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr98-110]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

 
JTPA Section 402 Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Standardized 
Participant Information Reporting (SPIR) System; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed extension of the Standardized 
Participant Information Reporting system (SPIR). A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) may be obtained by contacting the 
addressee listed below.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before May 26, 1998.
    The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments 
which:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, (e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses).

ADDRESSES: Anna Goddard, Director, Office of National Programs, 
Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room 
N-4641, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: 
(202) 219-5500 (VOICE) (this is not a toll-free number) or INTERNET: 
GODDARD@doleta.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Employment and Training Administration of the Department of 
Labor is seeking an extension of its approved JTPA, Title IV, Section 
402 Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Standardized Participant 
Information Reporting (SPIR) system for a period of three program years 
(July 1, 1998 to June 30, 2001). This decision stems from favorable 
experience during both the pilot test year (ending June 30, 1995 with 
19 grantees participating) and two consecutive program years (ending 
June 30, 1997). DOL is currently reviewing

[[Page 14139]]

the performance standards and reporting system for this program in an 
effort to enhance program accountability and improve reporting. As a 
result, future changes to the reporting format and instructions may be 
necessary. However, for the purpose of this approval, only minor 
modifications have been made in reporting due to cross-program changes 
in the Federal Register Notice to the definition of Race/Ethnicity and 
all references from AFDC to TANF.

II. Current Actions

    The proposed ICR will be a continuation of an existing system 
currently in place and used by all Section 402 grantees as the primary 
reporting vehicle for individuals enrolled and terminated from the 
program, their demographic characteristics, training and services 
provided and outcomes including job placement and employability 
enhancements. This is a request for an extension of an existing 
collection from a previously approved ICR.
    Type of Review: Extension.
    Agency: Employment & Training Administration.
    Title: Standardized Participant Information Reporting system for 
the JTPA Section 402 Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Programs OMB 
Number: 1205-0350.
    Recordkeeping: Grantees shall retain supporting and other documents 
necessary for the compilation and submission of the SPIR for three 
consecutive years.
    Affected Public: Not-for-profit organizations.
    Cite/Reference/Form/etc: The collection instrument is the 
Standardized Participant Information Record (SPIR) and Instructions. A 
SPIR Form is provided for optional use in gathering information at the 
grantee field office level. The SPIR itself is a computer file in a 
specified form which is submitted by grantees via diskette, modem or 
INTERNET.
    Total Respondents: 53.
    Frequency: Quarterly and One-Time Report.
    Total Responses: 265 (53 times 5) (There are four quarterly 
submissions per year plus a fifth submission which includes the 13-week 
follow-up data obtained for individuals terminating in the last quarter 
of the program year.
    Average Time per Response: 3.6 additional burden hours. The average 
time per response varies widely depending on the degree of automation 
attained by individual grantees. Grantees also vary according to the 
numbers of individuals served in each program year. If the grantee has 
a fully developed MIS, the response time is limited to one-time 
programming plus processing time for each response. All efforts are 
being directed towards this end, so that response time for reporting 
will eventually sift down to an irreducible minimum with little human 
intervention. Currently, it is estimated at 3.6 hours per response.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 954 hours. (53 respondents times 5 
submissions times 3.6 hours each = 954 total hours)
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): No additional Burden Cost for 
capital/startup as all grantees are currently reporting using the SPIR.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): DOL's estimated annual 
burden cost for maintaining a centralized SPIR database system for JTPA 
Title IV-B programs is $265,000 (53 grantees times $5,000). The cost 
for programs who maintain and operate their own data systems will vary 
widely among grantees, from nearly no additional cost to some higher 
figure depending on the state of automation attained by each grantee. 
However, the majority of grantees use DOL's statistical support 
contractor SPR Associates for data management. Therefore, there is no 
extra burden cost to grantees unless they purchase new automated 
equipment.
    Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be 
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and 
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 18, 1998.
Anna Goddard,
Director, Office of National Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-7624 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-M