NonSub Change Memo - BIF Updates (Standard & ARC site)

To: Josh Brammer

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Megan Reid and Tiffany McCormack

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: March 16, 2020

Subject: Nonsubstantive Change Request – Building Evidence on Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families (OMB #0970-0537)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collection, Building Evidence on Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families (OMB #0970-0537).

Background

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) has funded the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) study. BEES will include separate studies of up to 21 programs (or “sites”) aimed at improving employment outcomes and economic security for low-income individuals and families. Recruitment for these sites is currently underway and sites will join BEES on a rolling basis. OMB approved data collection instruments for this project on November 8, 2019. On February 21, 2020, OMB approved nonsubstantive changes to the standard Baseline Information Form (Attachment D) and a version of this form tailored to the ARC site (Attachment D-1: Baseline Information Form for Participants – ARC KY). The current request is to make additional, minor updates to the standard Baseline Information Form, some of which will also apply to the ARC Baseline Information Form.

Overview of Requested Changes

This request is to make minor changes to Attachment D: Baseline Information Form for Participants. Some of these changes will also apply to Attachment D-1: Baseline Information Form for Participants – ARC KY.

An overview of the requested changes is included below. These changes will not result in any changes in burden assumptions. Please see the updated Baseline Information Form documents to see how these changes are implemented.

Changes to the standard Baseline Information Form (Attachment D):

1. Added an “other” category to question A.3.

2. Added a “decline to answer” response option on the following questions, where it was previously missing: A.3, D.2, G.1A, G1.b, G.3, G.6, G.21, G.22, K.11a, K.11b, K.11c, K.11e

3. Added the text “because of a disability” to question F.1.

4. Edited the wording on question I.7.

Changes to the ARC Baseline Information Form (Attachment D-1):

1. Added an “other” category to question A.3.

2. Added a “decline to answer” response option on the following questions, where it was previously missing: A.3, D.2, G.1A, G1.b, G.3, G.6, G.21, G.22

3. Added the text “because of a disability” to question F.1.

4. Edited the wording on question I.7.

Time Sensitivities

Approval for the requested changes is desired as soon as possible, so that they can be implemented in the ARC site, which is starting baseline data collection in March.

Page 2 of 2