2016-19849. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Training Evaluation Form

AGENCY:

Office of the Assistance Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: October 18, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number) or email at [e-mail] for a copy of the proposed forms or other available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at [e-mail] or telephone [phone]. This is not a toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at [phone].

Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: Training Evaluation Form.

OMB Approval Number: 2577-0271.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Form Number: HUD 50945.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Executive Order 13571, “Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service,” issued on April 27, 2011, states “The public deserves competent, efficient, and responsive service from the Federal Government. Executive departments and agencies (agencies) must continuously evaluate their performance in meeting this standard and work to improve it.” Executive Order 12862 “Setting Customer Service Standards,” issued on September 11, 1993, requires agencies that provide significant services directly to the public to identify and survey their customers, establish service standards and track performance against those standards, and benchmark customer service performance against the best in business.

To that end, the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) will use a standardized training assessment instrument to evaluate learners' reactions to training or technical assistance programs. With the information collected, PIH will measure, evaluate, and compare the performance of its various training programs over time. The design of this form follows industry-accepted best practices, allowing additional comparisons to other training programs in business and government.

Examples of how the Training Evaluation Form is currently being used and will be used are: To inspect HUD insured and assisted properties, prospective contract inspectors are required to successfully complete HUD Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) inspection training. The training consists of a pre-requisite computer-based component followed by an instructor-led component, each of which is evaluated using the Training Evaluation Form. To become familiar with the UPCS inspection process and requirements, thereby facilitating and enhancing maintenance of properties and preparation for upcoming contract inspections, public housing agency (PHA) employees and multifamily property owners and agents (POAs) are able to take a computer-based UPCS training, which is also evaluated using the Training Evaluation Form.

PIH proposes to use the training form in the future to evaluate training offered to contract inspectors who will be conducting Uniform Physical Condition Standards-Voucher (UPCS-V) inspections of 2.2 million Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher units.

PIH also proposes to use the training form in the future for all other training offered to PIH program participants and stakeholders on major regulatory changes. These sessions may be held as technical assistance seminars, conferences, briefings, or online webinars.

Respondents (i.e., affected public): The training evaluation form will be completed by members of the public and individuals at state and local government entities who participate in a HUD training course.

Information collection	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Responses per annum	Burden hour per response	Annual burden hours	Hourly cost per response	Annual cost
Training Eval. Form	64,590	1	64,590	.033	2,123	$24.83	$52,937
Total	64,590	1	64,590	.033	2,123	24.83	52,937

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:

(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to these questions.

Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

Dated: August 11, 2016.

Merrie Nichols-Dixon,

Deputy Director for Policy, Program and Legislative Initiatives.