2023-03616. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request; Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Documentation

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

30-Day notice of revision and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission will describe the nature of the information collection, the categories of the respondents, the estimated burden ( i.e. the time, effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before March 24, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection should be made to Director, Information Management Division, 500 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20472, email address: [e-mail] or Kristen Fish, Supervisory Emergency Management Specialist, [e-mail] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Presidential Policy Directive 8 (PPD-8: National Preparedness), issued on March 30, 2011, establishes a National Preparedness Goal (NPG) that identifies the core capabilities necessary for preparedness and a National Preparedness System (NPS) which guides activities to enable the Nation to achieve the NPG. The NPS allows the Nation to track the progress of our ability to build and improve the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from those threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation.

The NPS provides an integrated approach to preparedness that can be implemented and measured at all levels of government. This system is an all-of-Nation and whole community approach to preparedness, from neighborhood organizations to civic groups and private businesses. It contains a methodical approach integrated across the preparedness cycle and links together programs and requirements into a comprehensive system, driving rational decision-making and allowing for a direct and defensible assessment of progress against clearly defined objectives.

The NPS is based on a consistent methodology for assessing the threats and hazards facing a given jurisdiction. The findings of the assessment drive planning factors and all other components of the preparedness cycle including resource requirements, existing capabilities and capability gaps, driving investments to close those gaps, making and validating improvements in capabilities through training and exercising, and continually assessing progress.

Section 648(b)(1) of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 (6 U.S.C. 748(b)(1)) also provides for these exercises and states the Administrator “shall carry out a national exercise program to test and evaluate the national preparedness goal, National Incident Management System, National Response, and other related plans and strategies.” The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) provides the program structure, multi-year planning system, tools, and guidance necessary for entities to build and sustain exercise programs that enhance homeland security capabilities, and ultimately, preparedness. The HSEEP After Action Report Improvement, Integrated Preparedness Plan, and National Exercise Program Support Request Forms provide the standardized methods for reporting the results of exercises, identifying exercise program priorities, and submitting exercise nominations necessary to validate national preparedness capabilities.

This proposed information collection previously published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2022, at 87 FR 75641 with a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received. The purpose of this notice is to notify the public that FEMA will submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance.

Collection of Information

Title: Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Documentation.

Type of Information Collection: Extension, with change, of a currently approved information collection.

OMB Number: 1660-0118.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form FF-008-FY-21-102 (formerly 091-0-1), After Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP); FEMA Form FF-008-FY-21-100 (formerly 008-0-26), Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP); and FEMA Form FF-008-FY-21-101 (formerly 008-0-27), National Exercise Program (NEP) Support Request Form.

Abstract: The Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Documentation collection provides reporting on the results of preparedness exercises and provides assessments of the respondents' capabilities so that strengths and areas for improvement are identified, corrected, and shared as appropriate prior to a real incident. This information is also required to be submitted as part of certain FEMA grant programs.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 253.

Estimated Number of Responses: 471.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,458.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $794,901.

Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: 0.

Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: 0.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $73,630.

Comments

Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 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; (c) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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.

Millicent Brown Wilson,

Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.