FR Doc E5-8234

[Federal Register: January 4, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 2)]
[Notices]
[Page 366-369]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04ja06-89]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired

[[Page 367]]

format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
Currently the Employment Administration is soliciting comments
concerning the proposed extension with change of the Standard Job Corps
Center Request for Proposal and Related Contracting Information
Reporting Requirements. A copy of the proposed information request
(ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the
addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the
addressee section below on or before March 6, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Renee Evans, Office of Job Corps, 200 Constitution Avenue,
Room N-4464, Washington, DC 20210. E-mail address: raevans@doleta.gov;
Telephone number: (202) 693-3091 (This is not a toll-free number); Fax
number: (202) 693-2767.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The Job Corps is an intensive, residential training program for
economically challenged young people aged 16 to 24 who are out of
school and out of work. Job Corps is authorized by Title I, Subtitle C,
of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. WIA provides that up to
20 percent of the individuals enrolled in the Job Corps may be
nonresidential participants. The program is principally carried out
through a nationwide network of 122 Job Corps centers. The centers are
located at facilities either owned or leased by the Federal Government.
The Department has a direct role in the operation of Job Corps, and
does not serve as a pass-through agency for this program. It is the
Department's responsibility to establish Job Corps centers and to
select operators for them. Of the 122 current centers, 28 are operated
through interagency agreements by the Departments of Agriculture and
Interior. These centers are located on Federal lands controlled by
these two agencies. The remaining 94 centers are managed and operated
by large and small corporations and nonprofit organizations selected by
the Department in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations,
and in most cases through a competitive procurement process. Many of
the current contractors manage and operate more than one center.

II. Review Focus

The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments
which:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through 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.

III. Current Actions

The Request for Proposal (RFP) provides potential offerors with the
Government's expectations for the development of proposals to operate
Job Corps Centers. The proposals developed by offerors in response to
the RFP are evaluated in terms of technical factors and costs. These
proposals serve as the principal basis for selection of a successful
offeror. The operation of the Job Corps program is such that many
activities required of contractors must be coordinated with other
organizations, both Federal and nonfederal. Most of the information
collection requirements of Job Corps Center operators stem directly
from operational needs or are necessary to ensure compliance with
Federal requirements and the terms of the contract. Statistical reports
are normally generated from source documents directly by the Federal
Government, not the contractors. Over the years, several paper forms
have been automated, and in many instances, eliminated. Data is entered
directly into a database and reports are generated as a result of the
data. Examples of these are ETA Forms 2110 (Center Financial Report),
2181 & 2181A (Center Operations Budget), 6-127 (Job Corps Utilization
Summary), 6-131A (Disciplinary Discharge), 6-131B (Review Board
Hearings), 6-131C (Rights to Appeal), 6-40 (Student Profile), 6-61
(Notice of Termination) and 3-38 (Property Inventory Transcription.) In
addition, several forms are now provided in Portable Data File (PDF)
format. These forms are the 6-125 (Job Corps Health Staff Activity), 6-
128 (Job Corps Health Annual Service Costs), 6-112 (Immunization
Record), 6-135 (CM Health Record Envelope), 6-136 (CM Health Record
Folder), 6-37 (Inspection Residential & Educational Facilities), 6-38
(Inspection Water Supply Facilities), and 6-39 (Inspection of Waste
Treatment Facilities Costs.)
Type of Review: Extension of Regular Collection.
Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
Title: Standard Center Job Corps Request for Proposal and Related
Contractor Information Gathering Reporting Requirements.
OMB Number: 1205-0219.
Recordkeeping: Center operators are required to keep accurate
records on each Job Corps student. All records are required to be
maintained on Center for five years.
Affected Public: Business, for profit and not-for-profit
institutions, and Tribal Governments.

Burden Summary

I. The annual burden hours estimated for the preparation of the
Standard Center Job Corps Request for Proposal submitted by new and
experienced contractors is 15,300 hours.
II. Data collection for the Center Financial and the Center
Operations Budget Reports is made more than quarterly, and is essential
to ensure contractor financial compliance with contractual requirements
and to ensure orderly operations of the program (1,522 hours).

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III. Data previously collected on the forms listed below is now
being collected in an electronic information system (477 hours). Data
is entered utilizing a personal computer that transmits the data
electronically to a centralized database. From this database many
management and performance reports are created. Student personnel
requirements such as: Student payroll information, student training and
education courses received, student leave, disciplinary actions and
medical information is also being collected in an electronic
information system. Because identical information is being collected
for multiple purposes, the burden for additional data entry has been
reduced. The initial data entry is maintained in the national database
and used for multiple reporting purposes, therefore reducing the need
to enter the data more than once.

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Number of Submissions Total annual Total burden
Required activity ETA form No. respondents per year submissions Hours per submission hours
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Job Corps Utilization Summary............. 6-127 122 12 1464 0.01875 (1 minute).......... 24
Disciplinary Discharge.................... 6-131A 1500 1 1500 0.01875..................... 25
Review Board Hearings..................... 6-131B 1500 1 1500 0.01875..................... 25
Rights to Appeal.......................... 6-131C 1500 1 1500 0.01875..................... 25
Student Profile........................... 6-40 1500 1 1500 0.01875..................... 25
Notice of Termination..................... 6-61 1500 1 1500 0.01875..................... 25
Property Inventory Transcription.......... 3-28 126 52 6552 0.0275 (3 minutes).......... 328
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Total................................. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............................ 477
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IV. Major recordkeeping and operational forms listed below that
pertain to student and facility administrative matters are now provided
in Portable Data Files or PDF forms. The total burden for processing
these forms is 37,648 hours.

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Number of Submissions Total annual Total burden
Required activity ETA form No. respondents per year submissions Hours per submission hours
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Job Corps Health Staff Activity........... 6-125 122 1 122 0.25 (25 min)............... 51
Job Corps Health Annual Service Costs..... 6-128 122 1 122 0.25........................ 51
Immunization Record....................... 6-112 71000 1 71000 0.05 (5 min)................ 5,917
CM Health Record Envelope................. 6-135 71000 1 71000 0.125 (13 min).............. 15,383
CM Health Record Folder................... 6-136 71000 1 71000 0.125....................... 15,383
Inspection of Residential & Educational 6-37 122 4 488 0.05........................ 41
Facilities.
Inspection of Waste Treatment Facilities 6-39 23 4 92 1.25 (1hr. 25 min).......... 130
Costs.
Inspection of Water Supply Facilities..... 6-38 122 4 488 1.25........................ 693
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Total................................. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............................ 37,648
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V. A total of 7,578 burden hours are estimated for the preparation
of the Center Operating Plans listed below that are required for the
operation of a Job Corps center.

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Number of Submissions Total annual Hours per Total burden
Required activity ETA form No. respondents per year submissions submission hours
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Center Operation Plan................................... .............. 94 1 94 30 2820
Maintenance............................................. .............. 122 1 122 5 610
C/M Welfare............................................. .............. 122 1 122 2 244
Annual VST.............................................. .............. 122 1 122 24 2928
Annual Staff Training................................... .............. 122 1 122 1 122
Energy Conservation..................................... .............. 122 1 122 5 610
Outreach................................................ .............. 122 1 122 2 244
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Total............................................... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. 7,578
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Total Estimated Burden: 62,525 hours.
Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): The Office of Job Corps has
automated the data collection process for its Centers. The Center
Information System allows all centers to directly input data into a
national database. As a result, the burden hours associated with the
preparation of forms has decreased significantly. The maintenance cost
associated with the system is estimated

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to be $2.7 million a year for hardware and software.
Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): The costs to contractors
for accomplishing recordkeeping requirements is contracted and computed
by the Federal government annually. While precise costs cannot be
identified, at the present time and based on past experience, the
annual and related costs for contractor staff are estimated to be
$955,458, which represents an average cost of $14.00 per hour.
Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also
become a matter of public record.

Dated: December 22, 2005.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Administrator, Office of Job Corps.
[FR Doc. E5-8234 Filed 1-3-06; 8:45 am]

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