Notice2023-03691
Agency Information Collection Activities: DOT Technical Assistance PRA
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
February 23, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICR) abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the information collection and their expected burdens.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11513-11514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03691]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0120]
Agency Information Collection Activities: DOT Technical
Assistance PRA
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice of request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICR)
abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the
information collection and their expected burdens.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 27, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments within 30 days of publication of this
notice to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503,
Attention DOT Desk Officer. All comments received are part of the
public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All
comments should include the Docket number DOT-OST-2022-0120.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a7e4258435c43444d694547475f44435e434f596a4e455e044d455c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="df8bb7adb6a9b6b1b89cb0b2b2aab1b6abb6baac9fbbb0abf1b8b0a9">[email protected]</span></a> or contact Victor Austin at 202-366-2996.
Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday,
except for Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),
Public Law 104-13, Section 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised
at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part
1320, require Federal agencies to issue two notices seeking public
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1),
1320.12. On November 22, 2022, OST published a 60-day notice (87 FR
71408) in the Federal Register soliciting comments on the ICR that the
agency was seeking OMB approval. OST received no comments after issuing
this 60-day notice. Accordingly, DOT announces that these information
collection activities have been re-evaluated and certified under 5 CFR
1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and approval pursuant to 5
CFR 1320.12(c). Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed
collections of information, it must provide 30 days for public comment.
44 U.S.C. 3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to
approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after
the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-(c); 5 CFR
1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes
that the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file relevant
comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public comments
before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore,
respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB within 30
days of publication to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR
1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
The summaries below describe the nature of the information
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by
the PRA.
Title: DOT Technical Assistance PRA.
OMB Control Number: 2105-0584.
Background: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) enacted as the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (H.R. 3684, Public Law
117-58, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL) created
several new programs at the US Department of Transportation (DOT) that
allow local governments, non-profit organizations, tribal governments,
and other political subdivisions of state or local governments to apply
directly for DOT discretionary grant funding. In response to President
Biden's Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for
Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government and Executive
Oder 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, DOT has
included criteria in its notices of funding opportunity to prioritize
the needs of disadvantaged communities for many of these new programs.
The Thriving Communities Initiative will include programs by which
DOT will utilize cooperative agreements and procurements with technical
assistance and capacity building providers to support communities
seeking to advance transformative, equitable, and climate-friendly
infrastructure projects that benefit disadvantaged communities.
Further, the Thriving Communities Initiative will solicit applications
for grants and in-kind technical assistance that will assist
communities in analysis and delivery of projects. Specifically, these
include the Thriving Communities program, the Rural and Tribal
Infrastructure Assistance Pilot Program (see Sec. 21205 of Pub. L.
117-58), and Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Assistance Program
(see 23 U.S.C. 611 as amended by Sec. 71001 of Pub. L. 117-58).
DOT will utilize a Letter of Interest (LOI) or use a simplified in-
take form from communities interested in receiving technical assistance
and capacity building through these programs. Technical assistance and
capacity building is offered by the Government at no charge and with no
required non-federal share.
Establishment of the program has two distinct tasks: (a)
contracting of technical assistance advisors through a Notice of
Funding Opportunity (NOFO) or existing procurement vehicles; and (b)
recruitment of project sponsors who will receive technical assistance
services. Responding to both will occur on a voluntary basis, utilizing
an electronic platform.
For item A, eligible applicants to provide technical assistance
through the Thriving Communities Program will request cooperative
agreement funding through an application process in response to a
published NOFO. The application for Fiscal Year 2022 was a one-time
information collection. DOT estimated approximately 20 hours was
required to complete the NOFO application process used to select
capacity builders under the Thriving Communities program. DOT estimates
the recipients of Thriving Communities program funding will spend
another 4 hours, annually, submitting post-award reports. In addition,
reporting requirements will be submitted by the select capacity
building providers and technical assistance recipients during the
implementation, and evaluation phases.
For item B, the intake form to be used by communities seeking
technical assistance is estimated to take no more than 1 hour to
complete. Recipients of technical assistance support are estimated to
spend no more than 1 hour annually providing feedback and evaluation of
the quality of services received through the program.
For the Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Assistance Program,
project sponsors will make an application in response to a Notice of
Funding Opportunity. Successful applicants will receive reimbursable
grants to procure technical assistance to develop projects. Preparation
of a NOFO response is estimated to require 25 hours of staff time.
Successful applicants must also prepare progress reports as a condition
of funding. Progress reporting is estimated to require 4 hours per
year.
For the Rural and Tribal Assistance Program, project sponsors will
make an
[[Page 11514]]
application in response to a Notice of Funding Opportunity. The
application process is streamlined for this program and is estimated to
require 15 hours to complete. Award recipients must also prepare
progress reports as a condition of funding. Progress reporting is
estimated to require 4 hours per year.
Respondents to Item A (technical assistance providers): for-profit
companies, non-profit organizations, or other technical assistance
providers.
Respondents to Item B (requestors of grants or technical
assistance): philanthropic entities, non-profit organizations, other
Federal agencies, state or local governments and their agencies, and
Indian Tribes.
Frequency: Once a year.
Thriving Communities Program
Number of respondents to NOFO: 46.
Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO respondents: 24.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 1,104.
Number of requestors of technical assistance: 373.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours for requestors of technical
assistance: 373.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours for respondents to technical
assistance: 45.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $179,596.
Asset Concession and Innovative Finance Grant Program
Estimated Number of respondents to NOFO: 50.
Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO respondents: 25.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 1,250.
Estimated Award Winners: 30.
Estimated Hours for Progress Reporting, per Award: 4.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours for Progress Reporting: 120.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $161,660.
Rural and Tribal Assistance Grants
Estimated Number of Respondents to NOFO: 12.
Estimated Burden Hours per NOFO Respondents: 15.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for NOFO respondents: 180.
Estimated Award Winners: 12.
Estimated Hours for Progress Reporting, per Award: 4.
Estimated Annual Burden Hours for Progress Reporting: 48.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $26,904.
Total for All Thriving Communities Initiative Programs
Estimated Total Hours: 3,120.
Estimated Total Cost: $368,160.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this information collection, including: (1) Whether the proposed
collection is necessary for the DOT's performance; (2) the accuracy of
the estimated burdens; (3) ways for the DOT to enhance the quality,
usefulness, and clarity of the collected information; and (4) ways that
the burden could be minimized, including the use of electronic
technology, without reducing the quality of the collected information.
The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request
for OMB's clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter
35, as amended; 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135; and 23 CFR chapter 1, subchapter
E, part 450.
Dated: February 16, 2023.
Mariia Zimmerman,
Strategic Advisor for Technical Assistance and Community Solutions,
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-03691 Filed 2-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9P-P
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