2014-01453. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects:

Title: ACF Grantee Survey of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

OMB No.: 0970-0076.

Description: The LIHEAP Grantee Survey is an annual data collection activity, which is sent to grantees of the 50 states and the District of Columbia administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The survey is mandatory in order that national estimates of the sources and uses of LIHEAP funds can be calculated in a timely manner; a range can be calculated of State average LIHEAP benefits; and maximum income cutoffs for four-person households can be obtained for estimating the number of low-income households that are income eligible for LIHEAP under the State income standards. The need for the above information is to provide the Administration and Congress with fiscal estimates in time for hearings about LIHEAP appropriations and program performance. The information also is included in the Departments annual LIHEAP Report to Congress. The survey, along with all other forms required of LIHEAP grantees, will be available electronically through the web-based Online Data Collection (OLDC) system to which all LIHEAP grantees currently have access. By making the survey available through OLDC, it will improve the accuracy and efficiency of grantee submissions by performing certain data validation checks before grantees complete their submission. It will also allow grantees to track the progress of ACF's review of the survey, as well as permit grantees to access archived surveys in the future.

Respondents: 50 States and the District of Columbia.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
LIHEAP Grantee Survey	51	1	3.50	178.50

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 178.50.

In compliance with the requirements of Section 506(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 Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. Email 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.

Robert Sargis,

Reports Clearance Officer.