99-26726. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Proposed Project

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 198 (Thursday, October 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 55733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26726]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request 
Proposed Project

    Title: Objective Evaluation Report (OER).
    OMB No.: 0980-0144.
    Description: OER information is collection to provide the 
Administration for Native Americans with a final report on each 
discretionary grant project to meet ANA's legislatively required 
evaluation of grantee locally-determined grant objectives. This 
collection also complies with Department of Health and Human Services 
regulations and policies requiring grantees to submit progress reports 
and agencies to perform grant oversight.
    The information is collected in a narrative format without the use 
of a government form. Grantees provide self-evaluation information to 
explain the final status and accomplishments related to each funded, 
grantee-identified project objective(s). Project objectives are listed 
on an Objective Work Plan (OWP) which is approved and funded for each 
grant. An enclosure with every grant award provides instructions on 
completing and submitting the OER.
    Native American Program Specialists use the OER information to 
perform legislatively required Federal program oversight such as 
evaluate project and grantee performance, identify project outcomes 
suitable for use in program evaluation and Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA) analysis, and to identify grantees and projects that 
require more detailed Federal training and/or technical assistance. 
OERs are used in ANA competitive grant programs such as Social and 
Economic Development Strategies (SEDS), Native American Languages 
Preservation, Environmental Regulatory Enhancement, etc.
    The Administration for Native Americans simplified the way OER 
information is collected. Until June 1999, OERs were transcribed onto a 
government designed form where every project objective was listed; 
grantees often worked to fill in space under each objective to 
accommodate the volume of information they believed was required. 
Grantees now use their letterhead and present the level of detail they 
deem appropriate.
    Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                 Instrument                      Number of      responses per      hours per       Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent        response          hours
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Objective Evaluation Report (OER):..........             250                1                2              500
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 500.

    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and 
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the 
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed 
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Information Services, 370 L'Enfant promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447, 
Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified 
by the title of the information collection.
    The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Dated: October 5, 1999.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-26726 Filed 10-12-99; 8:45 am]
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