NonSub Change - Tech Updates

To: Kelsi Feltz

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Anastasia Brown

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: June 5, 2024

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program Data Reporting (OMB # 0970-0624)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collection, Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program Data Reporting (OMB #0970-0624).

Background

The Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant (MG) Program Data Reporting was approved by OMB in February, 2024. Under this data collection, resettlement agencies submit MG Program data to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Upon OMB approval of the collection, the Refugee Arrivals Data System (RADS) team within ORR began building the new reporting module in ORR’s database. Over the course of building the database system, ORR program staff and RADS teams have identified minor technical changes needed to accurately capture the approved information.

Overview of Requested Changes

Changes include updated options to certain drop-down menus or acceptable values, clarification to instructions for certain fields, or correction to conflicting guidance within the instructions. Specific changes include the following:

• Instructions, pages 1, 2, 7, 9; Data Collection Form, and Instructions Attachment: The Client Information Form has been renamed the Individual Information Form, to better clarify data collected at individual versus case level.

• Instructions, pages 3-4 #1 within the Individual Information Form: Additional guidance is provided on updating an Alternative ID after an Alien Number is issued.

• Instructions, page 6, #14 within the Individual Information Form: County is described as a non-mandatory field, but instructions also indicate that an empty field is not allowed. This contradiction has been edited to reflect that this is in fact a mandatory field.

• Instructions, pages 6-7, #19 within the Individual Information Form: Outdated guidance on when to report “No” has been removed.

• Instructions, pages 6-7, #18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 33, 35 within the Individual Information Form: Additional guidance is provided for cases where the date is unknown.

• Instructions, pages 7-8, #24, 26 within the Individual Information Form: Clarification is added on when this field is mandatory.

• Instructions, pages 12-13, #5 within the MG Status Form, and Data Collection Form: A new field has been added to capture Case Status Date, in addition to Case Status. Numbering for subsequent fields/instructions updated accordingly.

• Instructions Attachment (Acceptable Values Table) within the MG Status Form: Acceptable values were simplified and reduced within the Case Status field.

• Instructions Attachment (Acceptable Values Table) within the MG Status Form: One acceptable value was amended within the 240 Day Status field.

Time Sensitivities

The RADS team is actively building the new reporting module, and the planned release date for Phase One of the new MG data reporting module in RADS was scheduled for May 30th, 2024. In addition, resettlement agencies need to receive the finalized/approved forms in a timely manner in order to be able to make all necessary updates to their data management systems by the submission deadline. Finally, technical trainings are scheduled to review the new module with resettlement agencies to ensure they are well prepared to submit first reports, and these needed technical changes need to be incorporated into those trainings.