2019-28309. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Job Corps Placement and Assistance Record

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL), Employment Training Administration (ETA) is soliciting comments concerning a proposed extension for the authority to conduct the information collection request (ICR) titled “Job Corps Placement and Assistance Record.” This comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

DATES:

Consideration will be given to all written comments received by March 2, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation, including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden, may be obtained free by contacting Lawrence Lyford by telephone at 202-693-3121 (this is not a toll-free number), TTY 1-877-889-5627 (this is not a toll-free number), or by email at [e-mail].

Submit written comments about, or requests for a copy of, this ICR by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Job Corps, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4507, Washington, DC 20210; by email: [e-mail]; or by Fax [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lawrence Lyford by telephone at 202-693-3121 (this is not a toll free number) or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DOL, 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for final approval. This program helps to ensure that 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.

Job Corps is the nation's largest residential, educational, and career technical training program for young Americans. The Economic Opportunity Act established Job Corps in 1964 and it currently operates under the authority of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. For over 55 years, Job Corps has helped prepare over 3 million at-risk young people between the ages of 16 and 24 for success in our nation's workforce. With 121 centers in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, Job Corps assists students across the nation in attaining academic credentials, including High School Diplomas (HSD) and/or High School Equivalency (HSE), and career technical training credentials, including industry-recognized certifications, state licensures, and pre-apprenticeship credentials.

Job Corps is a national program administered by DOL through the Office of Job Corps and six regional offices. DOL awards and administers contracts for the recruiting and screening of new students, center operations, and the placement and transitional support of graduates and former enrollees. Large and small corporations manage and operate 95 Job Corps centers under contractual agreements with DOL. These contract center operators are selected through a competitive procurement process that evaluates potential operators' technical expertise, proposed costs, past performance, and other factors, in accordance with the Competition in Contracting Act and the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Two centers are operated under demonstration grant arrangements. The remaining 24 Job Corps centers, called Civilian Conservation Centers, are operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service via an interagency agreement. DOL has a direct role in the operation of Job Corps, and does not serve as a pass-through agency for this program.

This information collection is subject to the 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 it is approved by OMB under the PRA 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 Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.

Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB control number 1205-0035.

Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. DOL encourages commenters not to include personally identifiable information, confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information in any comments.

DOL is particularly interested in comments that:

• 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 submission of responses).

Agency: DOL-ETA.

Type of Review: Extension without changes.

Title of Collection: Job Corps Placement and Assistance Record.

Forms: ETA Form 678.

OMB Control Number: 1205-0035.

Affected Public: Job Corps records staff and career transition specialists.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 34,000.

Frequency: Once placements occur.

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 34,000.

Estimated Average Time per Response: Varies.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,210.

Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $125,015.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

John Pallasch,

Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.