OMB83C Change Memo

United States Department of Education

January 12, 2021

MEMORANDUM

TO: Lindsay Abate

Office of Management and Budget Desk Officer

FROM: Christopher McCaghren

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs

RE: Change Request for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program Part B and Part F Application (1840-0113)

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) (P.L. 116-260), enacted on December 27, 2020, provided $22.7 billion for assistance to institutions of higher education (IHEs) under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). Section 314(a)(2) of this Act provides funding for grants to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In order for the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to calculate the amount for which each HBCU is eligible, additional data is required. Therefore, the Department is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) consider a change request to the approved HBCU Part B and Part F application (1840-0113). If this request is not approved, the Department will not be able to award these funds as required by the CRRSAA.

On May 20, 2019, under procedures established by 5 CFR 1320, OMB approved the HBCU Part B and Part F application under normal processing for use through May 2022. This process included a 30-day comment period.

The changes proposed by the Department will modify the approved application to meet the requirements of Section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA. Specifically, the Department proposes adding two data points to the collection that are necessary to calculate awards based on the formula required by the CRRSAA: total number of students enrolled and total endowment size. The Department has estimated 1 hour of additional burden per respondent to provide this information.

If this change request is not approved, these grants to HBCUs would be delayed. Therefore, the Department is requesting approval of this change request no later than January 19, 2021 in order to process awards in a timely manner.

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