GRR form supporting statement - Update for 2019 extension_Final 4.4.19

ACF’s Generic Clearance for Grant Reviewer Recruitment Forms

OMB Information Collection Request

0970 - 0477

Supporting Statement

Part A

February 2019

Submitted By:

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Administration for Children and Families

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

4^th Floor, Mary E. Switzer Building

330 C Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20201

1. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

This request by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is to extend approval for the generic clearance for a Grant Reviewer Recruitment (GRR) form. An approval for a generic clearance was developed because each of the thirteen program offices within ACF has a slightly different need for information about reviewer applicants. Therefore, the GRR forms request slightly different information, yet they serve an identical function. Also, the abbreviated clearance process of the generic clearance allows for the program offices to gather a suitable pool of candidates within the varied time periods available for reviewer recruitment.

These forms will collect information electronically, will be voluntary, low-burden and uncontroversial.

Within ACF, each program office is responsible for reviews of all eligible applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). These reviews are required to be objective, effective and economical in compliance with statues, regulations and policies. Therefore, it’s incumbent on each program office to assemble a pool of experts knowledgeable in the relevant fields to select the best qualified applications.

The review process is in accordance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) Grants Policy Directive (GPD) 2.04 "Awarding Grants", the DHHS Awarding Agency Grants Administration Manual (AAGAM), Chapter 2.04.104C "Objective Review of Grant Applications”, and the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, Sections 799(f) and 806(e).

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

The purpose is to select qualified reviewers for the grant peer review process based on professional qualifications using data entered by candidates and the uploaded writing sample and/or curriculum vitae and/or resume.

These forms will be on individual program offices’ web-pages that allow for online data entry resembling paper forms. In the future they may be incorporated into the On Line Data Collection (OLDC) system which offers on line access and offers additional conveniences. An alternative format may also be using an online survey platform to gather information from potential reviewers.

In addition, all ACF peer review web sites will include the following language (offset) which was approved by the DHHS Office of General Counsel. A section of each grant reviewer recruitment form will contain a menu that includes the OMB categories used to identify race and ethnicity.

Diversity of Membership of Peer Review Panels

The Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services is committed to increasing the diversity of the non-federal peer reviewers utilized in the competitive grants review process. The Fiscal Year 2014 Strategic Plan contains the following action item “We will develop strategies to increase the representation of diverse perspectives on the grant review panels, and track our progress in increasing diversity among reviewers”. In order to achieve this goal, we are requesting that you voluntarily indicate your race and/or ethnic heritage on the self-identification section by checking the appropriate box on the reviewer application form. Please note that this section utilizes the standard Federal identification categories. Your assistance is invaluable in enabling the agency to promote broad representation, especially for underserved and underrepresented groups, and track our progress on this important goal.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction.

The forms include options such as, but not limited to, user-entered fields, drop-down menus, check boxes, radio buttons and an upload function to allow uploading of the curriculum vitae or resume. Some program offices will utilize online platforms or e-mail to collect data.

3. Efforts to Identify Duplication

There is no duplication since ACF has no other vehicle for program offices to collect information from potential grant reviewers.

3. Involvement of Small Entities

Individuals who apply to serve as ACF reviewers may be affiliated with small entities. However, the information requested is the minimum needed to identify well-qualified applicants and the burden on applicants will not be significant.

3. Consequences If Information Collected Less Frequently

Individuals will have to submit an application only one time to be included in a program’s reviewer database, unless they wish to update information previously submitted. Without these application forms, ACF will not be able to identify and select well-qualified grant reviewers in a consistent, standardized manner as required.

3. Consistency With the Guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)

This request is fully consistent with 5CFR 1320.5(d)(2)

3. Consultation Outside the Agency

Federal Register Notice and Comments

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), ACF published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the agency’s intention to request an OMB review of this information collection activity. This notice was published on December 20, 2018, Volume 83, Number 244, page 65354, and provided a sixty-day period for public comment. During the notice and comment period, no comments were received.

Consultation with Experts Outside of the Study

ACF has consulted with representatives from several other Operating Divisions in HHS to determine the best practices for soliciting new reviewers.

3. Payment to Respondents

There will be no payment to respondents for submitting an application. Applicants chosen as ACF grant reviewers will receive standard compensation for their service in that capacity.

3. Assurance of Confidentiality

Information submitted in these reviewer applications will be kept private.

3. Questions of a Sensitive Nature

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

3. Estimates of Annualized Hour and Cost Burden

Total burden, including previously approved collections that are ongoing in addition to requested burden over the next three years is 2,561 hours (1,061 + 1,500 = 2,561 hours).

Previously Approved and Ongoing

The following generic information collections were previously approved under 0970-0477 and are still in use.

Form	Number of Respondents	Responses per respondent	Hours per response	Total burden hours
OCS Grant Reviewer Recruitment Form	100	1	.16	17
Eligibility Information From Applicants: Reviewer Information Form for General Reviewer and for Specific Reviewer	95	1	.17	16
ORR Grant Reviewers Electronic Recruitment Form	250	1	.16	42
FYSB Discretionary Grant Reviewer Recruitment Form	400	1	.15	60
OCSE Reviewer Recruitment Letter and Discretionary Grant Reviewer Recruitment Questionnaire	50	1	.08	4
ANA Panel Reviewer Profile Questionnaire	300	1	.31	94
Office of Head Start Reviewer Recruitment	550	1	1.5	825
Office of Child Care Reviewer Availability Request for the American Indian or Native Hawaiian Child Care Grants Review	30	1	.16	5
Total Ongoing Burden				1061

Requested Burden for New Generic Information Collections

Form	Number of Respondents	Responses per respondent	Hours per response	Total burden hours	Average Hourly Wage	Total Annual Cost
Grant Reviewer Recruitment Form	3000	1	.5	1500	$30	$45,000

The estimate is based on the average time that most individuals will need to complete the application will be between 5 to 90 minutes, the majority of the collections taking less than 30 minutes. These estimates are based on ACF program office needs during the first three years of approval.

The basis for the hourly wage is determined by the average salary of individuals in locales around the country who would have the type of qualifications needed to serve as peer reviewers. Therefore, an estimated hourly wage of $30¹ per hours is used to determine opportunity cost, i.e., $30 multiplied by 1500 hours equals $45,000 per year.

13. Estimates of Annualized Cost Burden to Respondents

There are no capital or startup costs and no operation and maintenance of services of services costs to respondents associated with this information collection.

14. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Government

The estimated annual cost to the government for staff to review and process these applications is approximately $50.00. The estimated time to review these applications averages about the same amount of time to review a typical standard resume, which would vary between 15 minutes to an hour. Assuming a 38 minute review average for 1,000 applications, the total annual cost to the government will be approximately $31,667.

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is a request to extend data collection under this generic clearance for grant reviewer recruitment. The types of collections, the planned uses of data, and overall burden requested over the next three years (1500 hours) remains the same, but the number of respondents and estimated time per response was adjusted based on ACF's experiences during the first three years of use of this generic. Additionally, previously approved collections that are ongoing are included in this request and account for 1,061 hours (1,061 + 1,500 = 2,561 hours).

16. Plans for Tabulations, Publications, and Project Time Schedule

There are no plans for tabulations or publications.

17. Reasons Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

The expiration date will be displayed.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.

1 Based on August 2018 BLS data for the labor categories: Social science and humanities research, Employment services, Education and health services, and Social assistance. https://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet

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