2023-16872. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection; OJP Solicitation Template

AGENCY:

Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Department of Justice (DOJ), will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until October 10, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have additional comments especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Jennifer Tyson, Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, 810 Seventh Street NW, Washington, DC 20531 or [e-mail] or (202) 598–0386.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, including whether the information will have practical utility;

—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;

—Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced; and

—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.

Abstract: The purpose of the solicitation template is to provide a framework to develop program-specific announcements soliciting applications for funding. A program solicitation outlines the specifics of the funding program; describes requirements for eligibility; instructs an applicant on the necessary components of an application under a specific program ( e.g., project activities, project abstract, project timeline, proposed budget, etc.); outlines program evaluation and performance measures; explains selection criteria and the review process; and provides registration dates, deadlines, and instructions on how to apply within the designated application systems. The approved solicitation template collection also includes the OJP Budget Detail Worksheet; the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) Tribal Community and Justice Profile, Budget Detail Worksheet, and Demographic Form; and the Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (FCQ).

The solicitation template collection was previously streamlined to move static instructions and guidance that do not frequently change from year to year to a Grant Application Resource Guide web page. The result is a more concise, user-friendly solicitation document that draws closer attention to the program-specific details and requirements in order to lessen confusion for the applicant. Additionally, it enables the agency to revise static guidance on the web page as necessary, reducing the need to re-issue program solicitations already released to the public.

Overview of This Information Collection

1. Type of Information Collection: Revision of a previously approved collection.

2. The Title of the Form/Collection: OJP Solicitation Template.

3. The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: No form number available. Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice.

4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as the obligation to respond: Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Governments (state agencies, tribal governments, local governments, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and faith-based organizations). The obligation to respond is required to obtain/retain a benefit.

5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: It is estimated that information will be collected annually from approximately 10,000 applicants. Annual cost to the respondents is based on the number of hours involved in preparing and submitting a complete application package. Mandatory requirements for an application under the OJP and CTAS Standard Solicitation Template include a program narrative; budget details and narrative, via the OJP standard BDW; Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items; Applicant Disclosure and Justification—DOJ High Risk Grantees; and the FCQ. With the exception of the Tribal Narrative Profile and added Demographic form, the mandatory requirements for an application under the CTAS Solicitation Template are the same as those for OJP. Optional requirements can be made mandatory depending on the type of program to include, but not limited to: documentation related to Administration priority areas of consideration ( e.g., Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government), project abstract, indirect cost rate agreement, tribal authorizing resolution, timelines, logic models, memoranda of understanding, letters of support, resumes, and research and evaluation independence and integrity. The estimated public reporting burden for this collection of information is now 32 hours per application. The 32-hour estimate is based on the amount of time to prepare a research and evaluation proposal, one of the most time intensive types of application solicited by OJP.

6. An estimate of the total annual burden (in hours) associated with the collection: The estimated public burden associated with this application is 320,000 hours.

7. An estimate of the total annual cost burden associated with the collection, if applicable: $0.

Total Burden Hours

Activity	Number of respondents	Frequency	Total annual responses	Time per response (hours)	Total annual burden (hours)
OJP Template	10,000	1/annually	10,000	32	20
Unduplicated Totals	10,000		10,000		320,000

If additional information is required contact: Darwin Arceo, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W–218, Washington, DC.

Dated: August 1, 2023.

Darwin Arceo,

Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.