[Federal Register: February 27, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 39)]
[Page 9302-9303]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe04-37]
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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service
(hereinafter the ``Corporation'') has submitted a public information
collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR,
with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling
the Corporation for National and Community Service, Mr. Nathan Dietz,
at (202) 606-5000, extension 287, (Ndietz@cns.gov); (TTY/TDD) at (202)
606-5256 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern standard time,
Monday through Friday.
Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the
information collection activity, by any of the following two methods
within 30 days from the date of publication in this Federal Register:
(1) By fax to: (202) 395-6974, Attention: Ms. Katherine Astrich,
OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community
Service; and
(2) Electronically by e-mail to:
Katherine_T._Astrich@omb.eop.gov.
The OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Corporation, including whether the information will have practical
utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the Corporation's
estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be collected; and
Propose ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.
The Corporation seeks to reinstate its previously used
Accomplishments Survey to collect information about local project
volunteer activities, inputs, and accomplishments. This study will be
conducted under contract with Westat, Inc. (CNCSHQC03003, Task
Order WES03T001). This information will be used by the
Corporation to prepare its Annual Performance Reports, and to respond
to ad hoc requests from Congress and other interested parties.
The revised Accomplishment Surveys for National Senior Service
Corps Programs will be distributed to samples of volunteer stations for
each program. Local grantees, or projects, place volunteers in local
organizational settings where they are supervised by organizational
staff. These volunteer station supervisors will complete the survey.
Comments
A 60-day public comment Notice was published in the Federal
Register on November 4, 2003. This comment period ended on January 5,
2004 and resulted in two comments being received. Those comments are
addressed below:
Two respondents submitted public comments in response to the
announcement. The public comments and Corporation's responses are as
follows:
Comment: Project directors (Senior Corps grantees) have been asked
on previous data collections to follow up with nonrespondents. This is
extra work.
Response: Project directors will not be asked to follow up with
volunteer stations that are the survey respondents. The Corporation,
working with its contractor, will be responsible for following up with
volunteer stations that do not submit surveys.
[[Page 9303]]
Comment: Why is this data collection necessary? Any evaluation
asked of the Directors should center on grantees' opinions of
regulations, how the new requirements affect project performance, and
other questions about the direction Senior Corps is taking.
Response: The products of the surveys will be updated National
Accomplishment Reports for each of the three Senior Corps programs. The
information contained in these reports cannot be compiled with any
existing information collection systems.
With respect to regulations changes, Senior Corps project directors
and other members of the public use the Federal Register public comment
periods to provide feedback.
It is hoped that information from these surveys of volunteer
stations will provide project directors with insight about the way they
manage and place volunteers, and how Senior Corps grantees can
strengthen relationships with volunteer stations.
Comment: This study will only collect data on outputs, which is
less meaningful than data on outcomes. Outcomes measure the difference
programs make in their community.
Response: Reports based on outputs are important enough to warrant
reinstatement. Concrete accomplishment information, such as how many
houses RSVP volunteers helped to construct; how many juvenile offenders
Foster Grandparents helped to support in work release placements; or
how many miles Senior Companions drove their frail senior clients serve
as a solid foundation upon which to build longer term outcomes, which
will be the second part of this survey process. Combining
accomplishment information obtained through this survey process with
other data collected in progress reports will allow the Corporation and
its Senior Corps grantees to describe the programs from many
perspectives at the national level.
Comment: The proposal is for the accomplishment surveys to be sent
directly to stations. This is not appropriate given the lack of
business relationship between the Corporation and Senior Corps
stations, will result in a limited number of surveys being returned,
and will result in incomplete data.
Response: The survey plan calls for Senior Corps project directors
to receive information about volunteer stations in their networks
selected to participate. As a next step, survey instruments will be
sent to the Senior Corps grantees to deliver to the selected volunteer
stations. In this way, the process is identical to what is described in
the comment. The survey plan calls for Senior Corps project directors
to receive information about volunteer stations in their networks
selected to participate. As a next step, survey instruments will be
sent to the Senior Corps grantees to deliver to the selected volunteer
stations.
Comment: The last accomplishment survey was over 20 pages. Stations
are already overwhelmed by paperwork from many, many sources. This will
also decrease the number of surveys returned.
Response: The revised survey instrument is considerably shorter for
RSVP than it was for the last version of the Accomplishment Surveys. In
addition, the survey design allows for volunteer stations affiliated
with RSVP and Foster Grandparent projects to only receive and complete
the section(s) of the survey applicable to the Senior Corps volunteer
serving there.
Type of Review: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously
approved collection for which approval has expired.
Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
Title: Accomplishments Surveys of National Senior Service Corps
Programs.
OMB Number: Previously assigned 3045-0049.
Agency Number: None.
Affected Public: Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and Retired
and Senior Volunteer programs, and staff of agencies and organizations
serving as volunteer stations for volunteers from those programs.
Type of Respondents: Volunteer coordinators in volunteer stations.
Total Respondents: 2,500.
Frequency: March and April, 2004.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,875 hours total for all
respondents/sites. There are no Capital Costs, Operating Costs and/or
Maintenance Costs to report.
Dated: February 22, 2004.
David A. Reingold,
Director, Office of Research and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 04-4377 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]