03-31785. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

NARA is giving public notice that the agency has submitted to OMB for approval the information collection described in this notice. The public is invited to comment on the proposed information collection pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to OMB at the address below on or before January 28, 2004, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Mr. Jonathan Womer, Desk Officer for NARA, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the proposed information collection and supporting statement should be directed to Tamee Fechhelm at telephone number 301-837-1694 or fax number 301-837-3213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), NARA invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed information collections. NARA published a notice of proposed collection for this information collection on October 1, 2003 (68 FR 56651 and 56652). No comments were received. NARA has submitted the described information collection to OMB for approval.

In response to this notice, comments and suggestions should address one or more of the following points: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of NARA; (b) the accuracy of NARA's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance 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 the use of information technology. In this notice, NARA is soliciting comments concerning the following information collection:

Title: Applicant Background Survey.

OMB number: 3095-0045.

Agency form number: NA Form 3035.

Type of review: Regular.

Affected public: Applicants for NARA jobs.

Estimated number of respondents: 2,593.

Estimated time per response: 5 minutes.

Frequency of response: On occasion (when an individual applies for a job at NARA).

Estimated total annual burden hours: 216 hours.

Abstract: A diverse workforce enhances our agency by ensuring that we can draw on the widest possible variety of viewpoints and experiences to improve the planning and actions we undertake to achieve our mission and goals. By promoting and valuing workforce diversity, we create a work setting where these varied experiences contribute to a more efficient and dynamic organization and employees can develop to their full potential. To achieve these ends and in accordance with our Strategic Plan, we constantly work to improve our performance in hiring and promoting people in underrepresented groups.

This form is used to obtain source of recruitment, ethnicity, race, and disability data on job applicants to determine if the recruitment is effectively reaching all aspects of the relevant labor pool and to determine if there are proportionate acceptance rates at various stages of the recruitment process. Use of this form allows us to objectively determine the barriers to recruitment and selection that affect underrepresented groups. There is no source of this information other than directly from applicants.

Response is optional. The information is used for evaluating recruitment only and plays no part in the selection of who is hired. The information is not provided to selecting officials and plays no part in the selection of individuals. Instead, it is used in summary form to determine trends over many selections within a given occupation or organizational area. The information is treated in a very confidential manner. No information from the form is entered into the personnel file of the individual selected and all the forms are destroyed after the conclusion of the selection process.

The format of the questions on ethnicity and race are compliant with OMB requirements and comparable to those used by other Federal agencies. This form is a further simplification and update of a similar DOI applicant background survey used by NARA for many years.

Dated: December 12, 2003.

L. Reynolds Cahoon,

Assistant Archivist for Human Resources and Information Services.