Grants to States for Access and Visitation
OMB Information Collection Request
0970 - 0204
Supporting Statement Part A - Justification
May 2021
Submitted By:
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
SUPPORTING STATEMENT A – JUSTIFICATION
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
The State and Local Child Access and Visitation (AV) Survey (Survey) is due to expire October 31, 2021. The Survey is used by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) as the primary means for adhering to the statutory (Sec. 469B. [42 U.S.C. 669b] and regulatory (45 CFR Part 303) requirements for recipients of “Grants to States for Access and Visitation” to report program data to OCSE on an annual basis. The survey captures all required data points as specified in federal statute and regulation.
We are requesting an extension with no changes to the approved Survey (Attachment A) and associated Instruction Manual (Attachment B). This will allow grantees to continue collecting required program data and meet required Fiscal Year reporting deadlines.
Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
OCSE reviews and analyzes the Survey data submitted by states each year and, after a review and revision of numbers (if errors are found), compiles the information into an annual AV grant program update report. This report includes information on the AV grant program, a national trend analysis, and state-specific data including local provider locations and contacts. The Survey is an invaluable management tool for OCSE in identifying low-performing states and, as a result, providing them with needed technical assistance. The Survey also assists in knowledge sharing between states and informs the public of how program funds are utilized. The use of this survey does not require the use of statistical methods.
Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction
The Survey is accessed and submitted via the web-based AV portal on the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS). The State Details pages consist of open text fields and multiple choice options for grantees to provide information on the use of their funds. These pages automatically pre-populate the most recent submitted content; meaning text submitted in the previous year will pre-populate on the State Details pages the following year, leading to a burden reduction for many states that submit the same program information every year. States that wish to make changes can easily do so by editing pre-populated language or selecting “Clear” at the bottom of the page. The text boxes have a 4000 character limit with a minimum of one character, further reducing the burden on grantees.
The State Spreadsheet has been developed in Microsoft Excel and is accessible via the AV portal. States are expected to download the Spreadsheet and upload it to the AV portal where automatic data checks are run to ensure the form has no reporting discrepancies. If discrepancies are found, an email notification is sent to the state informing them of what errors were found. These checks reduce burden on grantees by allowing them to address errors quickly.
Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
The Survey is the only source available to or used by OCSE for obtaining the statutorily required data for the AV grant program.
Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities
Not applicable.
Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently
OCSE is required to collect the data annually in order to fulfill and adhere to the statutory and regulatory mandates governing the AV grant program. It is also important that the data be collected annually so that OCSE is able to monitor the grant properly and provide quality technical assistance to states.
Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
Not applicable.
Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency
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 January 26, 2021, Volume 86, Number 15, page 7100, and provided a sixty-day period for public comment. During the notice and comment period, one comment was received. The comment did not provide any suggestions for changes to the instrument or related burden.
Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents
Not applicable.
Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
Not applicable.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
Not applicable.
Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs
Information Collection Title |
Total Number of Respondents |
Annual Number of Responses Per Respondent |
Average Burden Hours Per Response |
Annual Burden Hours |
Average Hourly Wage |
Total Annual Cost |
Access and Visitation Survey - States and Jurisdictions |
54 |
1 |
16 |
864 |
$36.76 |
$31,760.64 |
Access and Visitation Survey - Local Service Grantees |
296 |
1 |
16 |
4736 |
$36.76 |
$174,095.36 |
Estimated Annual Burden Total: |
5600 |
Estimated Annual Cost Total: |
$205,856 |
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The cost to respondents was calculated using the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) job code for Social and Human Services Assistants [21-1093] and wage data from May 2020, which is $18.38 per hour. To account for fringe benefits and overhead the rate was multiplied by two which is $36.74. The estimate of annualized cost to respondents for hour burdens is $36.74 times 5600 or $205, 856.
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211093.htm
Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and Record Keepers
There are no additional costs to respondents or record keepers.
Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The review, analysis, and compilation of Survey data will be conducted by one OCSE staff member @ 15 percent time x annual salary ($100,000) = $15,000. The maintenance and oversight of the AV portal is currently contracted out at an estimated cost of $50,000 per year. The total estimated annual cost to the federal government is $65,000.
Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
There are no changes proposed to this information collection. This request is for an extension with no changes.
Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule
OCSE reviews and analyzes the Survey data submitted by states each year and, after a reconciliation of numbers (if errors are found), compiles the information into an annual AV grant program update report. This report is typically published each year and/or posted on OCSE’s website and sent to state child support agencies. The report also includes information on the AV grant program, a national trend analysis, and state-specific data.
Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
Not applicable.
Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
Not applicable.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Steele, Donna (ACF) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-05-06 |