ACF-800_Supporting Statement A_27Jan2022

ACF-800: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Annual Aggregate Report

OMB Information Collection Request

0970 - 0150

Supporting Statement Part A - Justification

February 2022

Submitted By:

Office of Child Care

Administration for Children and Families

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

Section 658K of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act (42 U.S.C. 9858, as amended by Public Law 113-186) requires that states and territories submit annual aggregate data on the children and families receiving direct services under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). The implementing regulations for the statutorily required reporting are at 45 CFR 98.70 and 98.71. The ACF-800 includes data elements reflecting the scope, type, and methods of child care delivery, which are represented in annual aggregate reports to meet these requirements. This provides ACF with the information necessary to make reports to Congress, address national child care needs, offer technical assistance to grantees, meet performance measures, and conduct research.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

The aggregate administrative information received through this collection provides the means to analyze and evaluate the CCDF program and the extent to which states and territories are assisting families in addressing child care needs. This collection provides ACF with the information necessary to make reports to Congress (available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/resource/reports-to-congress), address national child care needs, offer technical assistance to grantees, meet performance measures, and conduct research.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

States and territories submit ACF-800 reports via the Child Care Automated Reporting System (CARS), which is a web-based data collection system through a secure internet web site. System edit checks provide immediate feedback concerning the accuracy of the submitted data. ACF provides technical assistance to states and territories in the use of the electronic system toward improved data accuracy and reliability.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

This data collection is required by section 658K of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act (42 U.S.C. 9858, as amended by Public Law 113-186) and does not duplicate any other reporting or record-keeping requirements. The implementing regulations for the statutorily required reporting are at 45 CFR 98.70 and 98.71.

No similar information is being collected on CCDF program participants and related child care services. Collection of the information specified on the ACF-800 is necessary to comply with the Federal statute and regulations, and to ensure the availability of data to respond to inquiries regarding the progress of the CCDF program and related issues.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

This data collection effort does not involve small business or other small entities

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

Section 658K of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act (42 U.S.C. 9858, as amended by Public Law 113-186) requires states and territories to transmit information collected on an annual basis. The data is submitted annually on the last day of the calendar year and covers the most recent Federal fiscal year (October through September). The first report was due December 31, 1997.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

The collection of this information is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.6

8. 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 November 2, 2021, Volume 86, page 62177, and provided a sixty-day period for public comment. We did not receive comments.

9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

Not applicable.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

This information collection does not require any assurance of confidentiality.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

This information collection does not require any assurance of confidentiality.

12. 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
ACF-800: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Annual Aggregate Report	56	1	40	2,240	$36.76		$82,342
Estimated Annual Burden Total:				2,240	Estimated Annual Cost Total:	$82,342

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 $36.76. The estimate of annualized cost for all states and territories (56) for $36.76 times 40 hours is $82,342.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm

13. Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents and Record Keepers

Operational costs for systems software computer time will average about $4,000 a year per state and territory (respondent), i.e., $224,000 per year.

14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

ACF accepts ACF-800 reports via CARS, a web-based data collection system. System edit checks provide immediate feedback concerning the accuracy of the submitted data. The electronic system performs audit checks and provides feedback to the states and territories. In addition, program analysts review the information to ensure consistency and contact grantees as necessary when information is incomplete or questionable. Maintenance and modest enhancements to the ACF-800 web site and provision of technical assistance/ training to states and territories for completing and submitting the ACF-800 report are estimated to cost approximately $100,000 per year. Data analysis and publication costs are estimated to cost approximately $50,000. Total estimated cost is approximately $150,000.

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

ACF made minor updates to the ACF-800, none of which impact burden estimates. OCC did correct the estimated burden in the OMB submission system, to match the time estimate that has been on the form for the past three years (40 hours). The minor changes to the form include the following:

• Replacing “Complete Name of Grantee” and “Address” with “State/Territory Name” to align with the ACF-118 State and Territory Plan form (OMB #0970-0114)

• Removing one question (15-3) that has not been asked since FY2021.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Fiscal Year 1998 through 2019 data from the ACF-800 has been processed and reported in a variety of places. Specifically, data has been incorporated into the Office of Child Care (OCC) Report to Congress, used by ACF to respond to requests from Congress, track ACF's performance under the Government Performance and Results Act, and respond to inquiries regarding the progress and effectiveness of the CCDF program as well as posted on the CCB website. ACF plans to continue similar reporting of data.

Data is typically published six to nine months after data submission deadline first on the OCC website and subsequently in the OCC Report to Congress.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

The expiration date is currently and will continue to be displayed at the top right corner of the ACF-800 Form.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to this form.