Office of Community Services (OCS) Community Economic Development (CED) Standard Reporting Format
OMB Information Collection Request
0970 - 0386
Supporting Statement Part A - Justification
September 2022
Submitted By:
Office of Community Services
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Summary
The Office of Community Services (OCS) uses a standardized semi-annual reporting format, implemented in 2011 and most recently renewed in 2020 (approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - OMB No.: 0970-0386). Grant recipients of the Community Economic Development (CED) program are required to use this reporting format, called the Performance Progress Report (PPR), to submit performance data twice a year. OCS uses this data to develop comprehensive performance snapshots on each CED grant, as well as to track program performance over time and to conduct cohort analyses. These reports are also used to inform annual reports to Congress on each project’s performance. OCS’ intent is to obtain approval to continue the use of the PPR for collecting performance data twice a year from CED grant recipients.
The PPR forms collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data elements deal with program outputs and outcomes, while the qualitative questions provide space for grant recipients to discuss their successes and challenges, as well as changes to their grant that might not be captured in the quantitative section.
By requiring grant recipients to report on a consistent set of data elements on a twice-annual basis, OCS improves its understanding of grant recipient success, strengthens its understanding and knowledge of each grant recipient’s progress, and ultimately enhances the efficacy and effectiveness of CED grant dollars. Overall, the standardized reporting format increases the quality and clarity of the data collected by OCS, while providing a singular, clear data collection tool for grant recipients.
The proposed changes to the PPR form are minor and fall into two categories:
Wording edits to the form that provide clarity to the use on what information is requested.
Requesting grant recipients report the names of businesses created or expanded in the explanation field.
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
One of the ongoing priorities at the Office of Community Services (OCS) is to improve performance and accountability. Monitoring the Community Economic Development (CED) program closely in order to better measure success and to understand and replicate the programs and projects that excel has been and continues to be a priority for OCS. OCS works in partnership with states, communities, and other agencies to provide a range of human and economic development services and activities, which ameliorate the causes and characteristics of poverty and otherwise assist persons in need. OCS continues to have great success in the realm of poverty reduction and community development. However, measuring that success in a systematic way has not always been easy.
The Performance Progress Report (PPR) is a critical part of the evaluation strategy for the CED program and allows OCS to continue to collect program data that supports a performance-based environment that emphasizes accountability and achieving results.
The legislative requirement for the CED program is in Title IV of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and Training and Educational Services Act (COATS Human Services Reauthorization Act) of Oct. 27, 1998, Pub. L. 105-285, section 680(b) as amended:
“The Secretary shall require all activities receiving assistance under this section to be evaluated for their effectiveness. Funding for such evaluations shall be provided as a stated percentage of the assistance or through a separate grant awarded by the Secretary specifically for the purpose of evaluation of a particular activity or group of activities.”
Adoption of the PPR in 2011 ensured that all grant recipients provide the relevant data needed in order to comply with their grant requirements through their semi-annual PPR. The current PPR (OMB Control Number 0970-0386) used by CED grant recipients was approved in 2011, was renewed in 2014, 2017, and 2020 (with minor updates). The standardized reporting format ensures accurate program data collection, and the PPR clarifies the data elements and time periods involved in each data collection effort. OCS uses this data to develop comprehensive performance snapshots on the programs, as well as to track program performance over time and to conduct cohort analyses.
Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
The primary purpose of the PPR forms is to collect data in a uniform and systematic manner for a CED discretionary grant program. The reporting format gathers uniform program performance data from each grant recipient and ultimately informs reporting on program-level outputs and outcomes. OCS utilizes an online reporting system that automatically aggregates grant recipient data and provides the response rates necessary to execute comprehensive snapshot, cohort, and longitudinal analyses of program outcomes. This allows for improved monitoring and evaluation of the CED program.
The PPR is categorized by the following programmatic goals:
To create new businesses to employ low-income individuals
To expand existing businesses to employ low-income individuals
To create position to employ all individuals (low-income and non-low-income)
To create positions to employ low-income individuals
To create full-time positions with benefits for low-income individuals
To prepare low-income individuals for employment
To employ low-income individuals in positions created
To create full-time positions for low-income individuals with opportunity for advancement
To help low-income individuals retain new jobs
To leverage additional funds to increase project success
Each programmatic goal contains a set of associated questions to track program outputs and, where appropriate, outcome measures. In most cases, outcomes are measured by the retention of an output for either six or 12 months. Data obtained through the PPR is currently used and will continue to be used for multiple purposes to support CED program monitoring and evaluation.
Annual Report to Congress. By measuring program outcomes, OCS is able to analyze grant recipient performance and demonstrate the program’s success in the Annual Report to Congress. The report provides Congress with a snapshot of the performance of CED grant projects that were awarded, in progress, and completed in a given year. OCS uses data obtained through the PPR to present grant recipient performance on key indicators, such as number of businesses created or expanded, number of jobs created, or amount of funds leveraged, in a given year.
Technical Assistance. OCS uses the data obtained through the PPR to identify grant recipients in need of technical assistance based on individual grant recipient outcomes. This allows OCS to better allocate and manage limited technical assistance resources and funds.
Project Monitoring Dashboards. OCS develops monitoring tools and dashboards that incorporate data from the PPR. Such tools provide high-level program snapshots, help OCS staff and leadership monitor project progress, and allow for early identification of warning signs and grant recipient challenges so they can be reviewed and addressed quickly.
Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction
Grant recipients currently submit data for the PPR format through an online reporting system—The On-line Data Collection System (OLDC). The OLDC system reduces the burden on grant recipients by establishing clear reporting and data collection expectations and ensuring that all grant recipients provide the relevant data needed in order to comply with their grant requirements. The OLDC system can be accessed by grant recipients from anywhere with an internet connection, and it supports a streamlined data submission and revision process. Grant recipients are familiar with these reporting requirements and the system, which they have been using to submit their semi-annual PPRs since 2011.
Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
No similar data are available from other studies because this evaluation is specific to the CED discretionary grant program and its grant recipients. The current reporting format condenses the data collected from grant recipients into one instrument, clarifies the data elements requested from grant recipients, and sets specific guidelines for data collection. Ultimately, it provides a detailed and accurate picture of how the grant recipients are implementing and performing programs.
Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities
Many CED grant recipients are small entities. The PPR forms have been designed to ensure that the information being requested is held to the absolute minimum required to obtain accurate performance data. In addition, the reporting format establishes clear expectations for data collection and reporting — potentially reducing the burden for grant recipients that were collecting data that was not being used by OCS, or who were surprised by data elements requested and had to piece together information from varied sources. Additionally, grant recipients are now familiar with these reporting requirements and the system, which they have been using to submit their semi-annual PPRs since 2011.
Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently
Respondents are required to submit the PPR forms twice a year. Consistent and timely reporting is required in order to track grant recipients’ progress over the course of their grants, which last three, four, or five years. It is also required for tracking the progress of annual cohorts of grant recipients.
Regular semi-annual reporting is the current reporting requirement for the grant recipients and allows OCS staff to identify grant recipients in need of assistance, and to respond to those needs in time to keep the projects on track to meet their timelines and goals. Reducing the reporting requirement to an annual basis would diminish the opportunity for OCS staff to manage their CED grant portfolios and help under-performing grant recipients. OCS would only become aware of program challenges at the end of the fiscal year, which in many cases represents one-third of a grant recipient’s grant period. Additionally, the data collected in the semi-annual reports is included in annual reports to Congress.
Grant recipients are only required to submit semi-annual reports while their grants are active. An active grant recipient is defined as a grant recipient with currently open program dates, meaning the grant recipient’s projects are operational.
Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
This data collection fully complies with the guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5.
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 July 22, 2022, Volume 87, Number 140, page 43870, and provided a sixty-day period for public comment. During the notice and comment period, we did not receive comments.
Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents
The respondents are grant recipients and will not require an additional payment or gift.
Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
The grant recipient data collected from the CED PPR forms will not be treated in a confidential manner. The topics focus on the outputs and outcomes of programs funded with Federal dollars. There are no questions of an inherently sensitive nature in the questionnaire. OCS informs respondents about potential uses of information and inform that that information will be kept private to the extent permitted by law, as necessary.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
There are no questions of an inherently sensitive nature included in the PPR forms.
Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs
The estimated burden is not expected to increase from the current version. The PPR is estimated to result in a total of 273 annual burden hours. The job code used for estimating total annual cost is occupation code: 11-9151, Social and Community Service Managers. Using wage data from May 2021, average hourly wage is $36.92 https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119151.htm. To account for fringe benefits and overhead, we multiplied this by two ($73.84).
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 |
OCS CED Standard Reporting Format |
91 |
2 |
1.5 |
273 |
$73.84 |
$20,158.32 |
Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and Record Keepers
Respondents are not subject to capital and start-up costs. Any additional cost should be marginal.
Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The estimate annualized cost to federal government is $27,300. CED Program Specialists and federal contractors spend an average of 1.5 hour per response for providing reporting assistance, reviewing and approving reports, and analyzing data. Given 91 respondents with 2 responses per respondent, the estimated annual burden hours are 273. The average wage is $50 per hour from estimating federal grants management staff at the GS-12 and GS-13 levels. To account for fringe benefits and overhead, we multiplied this by two ($100).
The renewal of these forms will require no additional time or costs to the Federal Government as this reporting format is already underway.
Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
All questions on the current PPR will remain the same and estimated time per response has not changed. Overall burden estimates reflect the current number of grantees, which has changed since the previous approval.
OCS proposes making wording changes to provide clarity for grant recipients on what information the existing indicators are asking for and help OCS better understand the status of the project. The proposed changes to the PPR form are minor and fall into two categories:
Form A: OCS proposes requesting grant recipients report the names of businesses created or expanded in the explanation field on Form A for indicators A-01-B and A-04-B. The updated indicator would be labeled A-01-B (Total # of new businesses created. List name of businesses in Explanation Field (7)) and A-04-B (Total # of businesses expanded. List name of businesses in Explanation Field (7)). This request requires minor additional information from grant recipients that they already collect prior to reporting. The information helps OCS to understand the qualitative number reported for these indicators, identify if the scope of the project has changed, and track project progress.
Form B: OCS proposes wording edits to indicators on Form B to provide clarity on the information being requested and providing an instructional sentence under each heading. This includes wording edits to indicator A-01 to clarify to grant recipients the field only needs to be updated if there was a change to their project strategy. The updated indicator would be labeled A-01 (Changes in Project Strategy). This also includes adding “Grant Recipient” to indicators A-06 and D-08 to clarify the information is being requested for the organization, not the participating businesses in the project. The updated indicators would be labeled A-06 (Composition of Grant Recipient’s Board of Directors/Board Leadership) and D-08 (Composition of Grant Recipient’s Board of Directors/Board Leadership). This request does not require any additional information from grant recipients unless there have been any changes to their project. This information helps OCS understand and track if there has been a change to the project.
Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule
PPR forms are submitted by grant recipients through the OLDC. Grant recipients are required to submit the PPR at the end of April and October, during each year of their grant. For the semi-annual reporting period of September 30th-March 31st each year, the system is open from April 1st-30th for grant recipients to submit PPRs. For the semi-annual reporting period of April 1st-September 29th each year, the system is open from October 1st-31st for grant recipients to submit PPRs. Each PPR submission will be reviewed and used for data analysis for overall program reports as well as individual grant recipient monitoring reports throughout the year.
Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate
The OMB Control Number and expiration date will display on the bottom right corner of each page of the PPR forms.
Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
OCS is not seeking exception to certification for the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission for this data collection.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Jones, Molly (ACF) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2022-09-30 |