[Federal Register: December 2, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 231)]
[Notices]
[Page 70141-70143]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02de04-61]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OARM-2004-0001; FRI-7844-5]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for
Review and Approval; Comment Request; General Administrative
Requirements for Assistance Programs: EPA Administrative Capability
Questionnaire, EPA ICR Number 0938.10, OMB Control Number 2030-0020
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new collection.
DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 3,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OARM-
2004-0001, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by
e-mail to oei.docket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information--
Mail Code-28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460,
and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marguerite Pridgen, Office of Grants
and Debarment--Mail Code 3903-R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
564-5308; fax number: (202) 565-2470; e-mail address:
pridgen.marguerite@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR
1320.12. On August 19, 2004 (69 FR 51462), EPA sought comments on this
ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments.
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. OARM-2004-0001, which is available for public viewing at the Office
of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
EPA
[[Page 70142]]
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The EPA
Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number
for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for
the Office of Environmental Information Docket is (202) 566-1752. An
electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA
Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to submit
or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of
the public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket
that are available electronically. Once in the system, select
``search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified above.
Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments,
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available
for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change,
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide
a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is
placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket
.
Title: General Administrative Requirements For Assistance Programs:
EPA Administrative Capability Questionnaire.
Abstract: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is establishing
procedures for assessing administrative capability of non-profit
organizations applying for EPA grants. Under the new procedures, EPA
will require certain non-profit applicants to complete a checklist
entitled ``EPA Administrative Capability Questionnaire'' and return it
to EPA with supporting documentation. The responses to the form will be
a basis for assessing administrative capability and deciding whether to
award grants to the non-profit applicant. Applicants that provide
information that demonstrates they are administratively capable will be
``certified'' for the next four years, and therefore, would not have to
resubmit the questionnaire and supporting documents in the next four
years unless administrative management issues arise before the
certification period has ended. Note: One potentially significant
revision since the publication of the first Federal Register notice has
been the inclusion of an additional (optional) data element. This data
element ``CPA CERTIFICATION (OPTIONAL),'' at the end of the
questionnaire, allows the applicant to further demonstrate that the
recipient has established fiscal controls and accounting procedures
which assure that project funds are distributed and accounted for
properly.
In applying for a non-construction, discretionary grant from EPA,
each applicant is currently required to complete and submit Standard
Form (SF) series forms SF424, SF424A, and SF424B. By signing the
SF424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs'', the applicant is
assuring compliance with various statutory and regulatory requirements
(40 CFR part 30--Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher
Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organizations) and is
assuring that it ``[h]as the legal authority to apply for Federal
assistance and the institutional, managerial and financial capability
(including funds sufficient to pay the non Federal share of project
cost) to ensure proper planning, management and completion of the
project described in this application''. Despite this assurance, EPA's
Office of the Inspector General and Office of Grants and Debarment
within EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management have
documented numerous instances of non-profit recipients that have
inadequate administrative systems to manage EPA funds or lack the
capability to successfully perform the project scope of work.
Recognizing that it is preferable to address such issues before,
rather than after a grant is awarded, EPA is prescribing uniform pre-
award procedures for evaluating the administrative and programmatic
capability of non-profit applicants. As part of these procedures, EPA
will require that non-profit applicants seeking funding for a new award
in excess of $200,000 complete a checklist entitled ``EPA
Administrative Capability Questionnaire'' and return it to the
designated EPA office with supporting documentation. In limited cases
EPA may also require non-profit applicants seeking new awards below
this threshold to complete the same questionnaire, where the Agency
learns that significant weakness/deficiencies may be present that could
compromise a non-profit's administrative capability. Note that much of
the information to be collected in the proposed questionnaire is
currently being collected from grant recipients during EPA's post-award
monitoring activities (ref.: OMB 2030--0020, Expiration date 12/31/05).
The information to be collected also directly relates to the
administrative management systems which recipients are required to
establish under 40 CFR part 30.
For purposes of this Notice, EPA uses the term ``administrative
capability'' interchangeably with the term ``managerial and financial
capability''. The term ``administrative capability'' means the
capability of an applicant or recipient to develop and implement
administrative systems required by 40 CFR part 30, including systems
related to financial management, property management, procurement
standards and financial reporting and recordkeeping. For purposes of
this Notice, EPA uses the term ``programmatic capability''
interchangeably with the term ``institutional capability''. The term
``programmatic capability'' means the technical capability of an
applicant or recipient to successfully carry out a project, taking into
account factors such as past performance on similar projects, prior
experience, timely progress reporting, the qualifications of key
personnel and allocation of roles and responsibilities for proper
project management, and the adequacy of equipment, resources and
facilities.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 4.0
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire,
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
[[Page 70143]]
and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to
be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources;
complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or
otherwise disclose the information.
Respondents/Affected Entities: EPA non-profit applicants
recommended for new assistance awards of greater than $200,000.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
Frequency of Response: Once every four years.
Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 400.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $16,875, includes $0 annualized
capital or O&M costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is a increase of 400 hours in the
total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of
Approved ICR Burdens. This increase is due to the addition of a new
Data Collection Instrument (protocol) to the others already utilized in
EPA's ``General Administrative Requirements For Assistance Programs''--
OMB Control Number 2030-0020 (Expiration Date: 12/31/2005). This new
protocol is necessary to maintain and enhance EPA's Federal stewardship
responsibilities.
Dated: November 14, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-26559 Filed 12-1-04; 8:45 am]
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