Notice2021-23028
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request: VETS' Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program Reporting
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 22, 2021
Issuing agencies
Labor DepartmentVeterans Employment and Training Service
Abstract
VETS is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed revision of certain information the agency collects from grant recipients. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 202 (Friday, October 22, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 202 (Friday, October 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58696-58698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23028]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Veterans' Employment and Training Service
Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request: VETS'
Jobs for Veterans State Grants Program Reporting
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: VETS is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the
proposed revision of certain information the agency collects from grant
recipients. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal
agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days
for public comment in response to the notice.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all written comments received by
December 21, 2021.
ADDRESSES: A copy of this Information Collection Request (ICR) with
applicable supporting documentation, including a description of the
likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total
burden, may be obtained for free by contacting Rebekah Haydin by
telephone at (240) 867-2302 (this is not a toll-free number) or by
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#541c352d303d3a7a063136313f353c14303b387a333b22"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f6be978f929f98d8a49394939d979eb692999ad8919980">[email protected]</span></a>.
Submit written comments about this ICR by email to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ade5ccd4c9c4c383ffc8cfc8c6ccc5edc9c2c183cac2db"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84cce5fde0edeaaad6e1e6e1efe5ecc4e0ebe8aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebekah Haydin, by telephone at (240)
867-2302 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#084069716c6166265a6d6a6d636960486c6764266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="723a130b161b1c5c2017101719131a32161d1e5c151d04">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Labor, as part of
continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts
a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and
Federal agencies an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or
continuing collections of information before submitting them to the OMB
for final approval. This program helps to ensure requested data can be
provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial
resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood,
and the impact of collection requirements can be properly assessed.
The Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service
(VETS) administers funds for the Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG)
to each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
U.S. Virgin Islands on an annual fiscal year basis. These non-
competitive, formula-driven grants are codified under Title 38, United
States Code, (38 U.S.C.) Section 4102A(b)(5):
``Subject to subsection (c) make available for use in each state by
grant or contract such funds as may be necessary to support--(A)
disabled veterans' outreach program specialists appointed under section
4103A(a)(1) of this title, (B) local veterans' employment
representatives assigned under section 4104(b) of this title, and (C)
the reasonable expenses of such specialists and representatives
described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, for training,
travel, supplies, and other business expenses . . .''
VETS provides funds to states in accordance with an allocation
formula required by 38 U.S.C. 4102A(c)(2)(B) and as published in
regulation at Title 20, Part 1001, Subpart F of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR). The Assistant Secretary for Veterans' Employment and
Training monitors and supervises the distribution and use of those
funds as required by 38 U.S.C. 4102A(b)(6). Additionally, and in
accordance with 38 U.S.C. 4107(b), the Secretary reviews performance
and provides an annual report to Congress that includes a
characterization of the quality and character of priority of services
provided to veterans (38 U.S.C. 4215 and 20 CFR 1010.320, 1010.330),
efforts to coordinate with the Veterans Administration in accordance
with 38 U.S.C. 4102A(b)(3) and 4109; and incentive fund usage as
described in 38 U.S.C. 4112.
VETS is requesting continued approval for the information
collection that streamlines the annual funding request process for
grantees, reports the use of grantee funds in sufficient detail to
allow interim adjustments that ensure all appropriated funding is
expended properly, and provides data needed for VETS' Annual Report to
Congress.
The forms and reports collect required programmatic and financial
data from states and territories requesting and obligating grant funds.
The continued use of standardized formats for collecting this
information helps to ensure that requested data is provided in a
uniform way, reporting burdens are minimized, the impact of collection
requirements on respondents are properly assessed, collection
instruments are clearly understood by respondents, and the information
is easily consolidated for posting in accordance with statutory
requirements.
VETS is proposing the following revisions to the forms:
<bullet> Add activity to budget for and report on management and
[[Page 58697]]
administrative costs. Currently, grant recipients have no appropriate
way to reflect the direct-charged salaries and benefits of staff
supported by the grant other than Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program
(DVOP), Local Veterans' Employment Representative (LVER), and
consolidated DVOP/LVER staff. By adding an ``Mgmt & Admin Costs''
activity to the VETS-401 Budget Information Summary, VETS-402
Expenditure Detail Report, and VETS-403 Technical Performance
Narrative, grantees will be able to easily budget for and report on
these expenses.
<bullet> Remove several reporting requirements. On the VETS-501
Staffing Directory, VETS proposes removing the requirement to enter
each staff position's office name and number, email address, intensive
service coordinator designation, and program manager designation. VETS
no longer needs that information. On the VETS-403 Technical Performance
Narrative, VETS proposes removing the requirement to submit a Q5
spending plan since there are no special rules for spending JVSG
funding in the fifth quarter (or in later quarters) as opposed to the
first four quarters. All expenditures must be made in accordance with
the terms and conditions of the grant, regardless of the quarter in
which the expenditure occurred.
<bullet> Remove the subform allowing for reporting on the cash
basis of accounting. VETS has historically allowed recipients to report
financial expenditures using either the cash basis of accounting (on
the VETS-402A) or the accrual basis of accounting (on the VETS-402B).
To align with 2 CFR 2900.14 as well as to accommodate certain
programmatic changes, VETS has determined that JVSG recipients must
report using the accrual basis of accounting. The VETS-402A subform
that accommodates the cash basis will be discontinued. The VETS-402B
subform will simply be referred to as the VETS-402 form since there
will be no subforms.
<bullet> Reorganize the VETS-401 Budget Information Summary for
clarity. VETS proposes to remove certain parts of Section B into a new
section of the form, which will become Section D. The removed
components include the number of full-time equivalents to be supported
by each activity's allocation and the automatically-calculated salary
and benefits to total expense ratio and cost per position. The
reorganization will also include transposing Section C's rows and
columns so that it is easier for users to compare entries with Section
B. Certain row header names will be adjusted for clarity (e.g.,
changing ``PS+PB/Total ratio'' to ``Salaries + Benefits/Total
Percentage'') and for alignment with the SF-425 object class categories
(e.g., changing ``Personnel Benefits'' to ``Fringe Benefits''). Where
appropriate, the renaming described on the VETS-401 will also be
reflected on the VETS-402 and VETS-403.
<bullet> Formatting and structural changes to make forms compliant
with Section 508 accessibility requirements. VETS is committed to
ensuring the forms can be read by accessibility software to the
greatest possible extent. Some changes to the format and appearance of
the forms will be made for this purpose.
VETS continues to require the submittal of a quarterly manager's
report in accordance with 38 U.S. Code 4104(f) and Veterans' Program
Letter 07-19, but the required information may be submitted in any
format.
With respect to the continuation of the approved collection of
information, VETS is particularly interested in comments on these
topics:
(1) Whether the continued collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance and oversight of the Jobs for Veterans State
Grant, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of the VETS' estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques, when appropriate, and other forms of information
technology.
This information collection is subject to the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA). A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a
collection of information, and the public is generally not required to
respond to an information collection, unless the OMB approves it and
displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition,
notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally
be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of
information that does not display a valid OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR
1320.5(a) and 1320.6.
The DOL seeks PRA authorization for this information collection for
three (3) years. OMB authorization for an Information Collection Review
cannot be for more than three (3) years without renewal. The DOL notes
that currently approved information collection requirements submitted
to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo
review.
Agency: DOL-VETS.
Type of Review: Revision.
Title of Collection: VETS' Jobs for Veterans State Grant Program
Reporting.
Forms:
1. VETS-401, JVSG Budget Information Summary;
2. VETS-402, JVSG Expenditure Detail Report (EDR);
3. VETS-403, JVSG Technical Performance Narrative (TPN);
4. VETS-501, JVSG Staffing Directory.
OMB Control Number: 1293-0009.
Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 54.
Frequency: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 3,402.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,062.
Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours
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Average burden
Type of instrument (form/ Number of Number of Total number time per Estimated
activity) respondents responses per of responses response burden hours
respondent (hours)
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VETS-401 Budget................. 54 1 54 1.5 81
VETS-402 EDR.................... 54 \1\ 6 324 2 648
VETS-403 TPN.................... 54 4 216 2 432
VETS-501 Staffing............... 54 1 54 1.5 81
Managers Report \2\............. 54 51 2,754 1.75 4,819
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[[Page 58698]]
Unduplicated Total.......... 54 118 3,402 9 6,062
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\1\ The VETS-402 EDR is a workbook that is updated on a quarterly basis until all funds are expended or the
period of performance has ended. On average, grantees need six quarters to expend each year's funding.
\2\ Managers Reports are submitted by a number of respondents and requires a time commitment that is determined
largely by grantees' discretion. Values on this row reflect actual estimates rather than VETS requirements.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).
Signed in Washington.
James Rodriguez,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Veterans' Employment and Training Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23028 Filed 10-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-79-P
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