2022-28119. Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures

AGENCY:

Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before February 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

To access and review all the documents related to the information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2022-SCC-0159. Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, the Department will temporarily accept comments at [e-mail]. Please include the docket ID number and the title of the information collection request when requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Manager of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave, SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. The Department is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures.

OMB Control Number: 1845-NEW.

Type of Review: New ICR.

Respondents/Affected Public: Private Sector; State, Local, and Tribal Governments.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 2,043.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 20,430.

Abstract: Federal Student Aid (FSA) is requesting a new information collection to collect the required information from institutions regarding foreign gifts and contracts as specified in the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended. Section 117 of the HEA, codified at 20 U.S.C. 1011f, provides that institutions of higher education must file a disclosure report with the Secretary of Education on January 31 or July 31, whichever is sooner, under certain circumstances.

In June of 2020, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) established a collection of information, Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures, 1801-0006, through ED's Partner Enterprise Business Collaboration (PEBC) system. That collection is under an OMB control number for ED's Office of the General Counsel (OGC), which has worked closely with FSA in recent years with respect to administration of Section 117.

With this request for a new collection, the Department would be returning the collection of this information to FSA, which is the office with primary responsibility for the administration of Section 117 within the Department going forward. At present, the Department plans to continue to collect this data through its PEBC system. The specifics of this data collection will not change the current process or reporting.

Dated: December 21, 2022.

Kun Mullan,

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development.