03-2704. Submission for OMB Emergency Clearance and Review; Comment Request for New Information Collection: Scholarship for Service Program Internet Web Site

AGENCY:

Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget for emergency clearance and review of a new information collection for a Scholarship For Service Program internet website. Approval of the Scholarship For Service Program internet website is necessary to facilitate the timely registration, selection and placement of program-enrolled students in Federal agencies.

The SFS Program was established by the National Science Foundation in accordance with the Federal Cyber Service Training and Education Initiative as described in the President's National Plan for Information Systems Protection. This program seeks to increase the number of qualified students entering the fields of information assurance and computer security in an effort to respond to threats to the Federal Government's information technology infrastructure. The program provides capacity building grants to selected 4-year colleges and universities to develop or improve their capacity to train information assurance professionals. It also provides selected 4-year colleges and universities scholarship grants to attract students to the information assurance field. Participating students who receive scholarships from this program are required to serve a 10-week internship during their studies and complete a post-graduation employment commitment equivalent to the length of the scholarship or one year, whichever is longer.

In anticipation of the fall 2002 graduating classes of participating institutions, OPM projects an additional 30 students to be placed, with up to 200 students presently needing placement. This is a new collection of information. Based on other programs that collect similar information, we estimate the collection of information for registering and creating an online resume to be 45 minutes to 1-hour in length of time to answer questions. We estimate the total number of hours to be 200.

Comments are particularly invited on: whether this information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Office of Personnel Management, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey at [phone], fax [phone] or e-mail to [e-mail]. Please include your complete mailing address with your request.

DATES:

Comments on this proposal should be received within five (5) calendar days from the date of this publication. We are requesting OMB to take action within ten (10) calendar days from the close of this Federal Register Notice.

ADDRESSES:

Send or deliver comments to: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Employment Service, ATTN: Rob Timmins, 1900 E Street, NW., Room 1425, Washington, DC 20415-9820, E-mail: [e-mail]; and Stuart Shapiro, OPM Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, New Executive Office Building, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Office of Personnel Management.

Kay Coles James,

Director.