04-6922. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Proposed Projects

Title: IV-E Foster Care and Adoption Financial Report (IV-E-1).

OMB No.: 0970-0205.

Description: This form is used by states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to facilitate the reporting of expenditures for the Foster Care and Adoption Assistance programs. State agencies (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) use this form to report data on a quarterly basis. The form provides specific data regarding financial disbursements, obligations and estimates. It provides states with a mechanism to request grant awards and certify the availability of state matching funds. Failure to collect this data would seriously compromise the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) ability to issue grant awards and monitor expenditures. This form is also used to prepare the ACF budget submission to Congress. ACF is implementing the On-Line Data Collection System (OLDC) to allow grantees the option to electronically submit the data.

Respondents: States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
IV-E-1	52	4	25	5200

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5200.

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer, E-mail address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information ; (c) 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

Dated: March 23, 2004.

Robert Sargis,

Reports Clearance Officer.