03-25441. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

Title: Child Care and Development Fund Quarterly Financial Report (ACF-696).

OMB No.: 0970-0163.

Description: States and territories use this form to facilitate the reporting of expenditures for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) on a quarterly basis. The form provides specific data regarding expenditures, obligations, and estimates. It provides states and territories with a mechanism to request grant awards and certify the availability of State matching funds. Failure to collect this data would seriously compromise the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) ability to monitor expenditures. This form may also be used to prepare ACF budget submissions to Congress. This information collection currently uses form ACF-696, for which Office of Management and Budget approval expires on December 31, 2003, updated for electronic submission.

Respondents: States and Territories that are CCDF grantees.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
ACF-696	56	4	5	1,120
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours				1,120

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. E-mail address: [e-mail]. 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 1, 2003.

Robert Sargis,

Reports Clearance Officer.