2021-11653. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Refugee Support Services (RSS) and RSS Set Aside Sub-Agency List (0970-0556)

AGENCY:

Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION:

Request for public comment.

SUMMARY:

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) seeks approval for a revision to an existing information collection, requesting Refugee Support Services (RSS) grantees and RSS Set Aside grantees to provide the agency name, city, state, website, and funding amount for each contracted sub-grantee. Additionally, ORR seeks approval to have the option to make this information public. This would enhance the accessibility of refugee service provider information to eligible clients in support of the service referral responsibilities of the State Refugee Coordinators. Similar information for ORR's discretionary grants is currently made public.

DATES:

Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES:

Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing [e-mail]. Alternatively, copies can also be obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests, emailed or written, should be identified by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description: This data collection requests RSS grantees and RSS Set Aside grantees to provide the agency name, city, state, website, and funding amount for each contracted sub-grantee.

The information will be used for national resource mapping pertaining to ORR RSS funding at the local level. Improved communication and the knowledge of all local providers is important to ORR's overall oversight of the program. In addition to RSS formula funding to states and state replacement agencies who then issue sub-awards to local providers, ORR also awards discretionary grants that directly fund local refugee service providers. This report will provide ORR a complete picture of the availability all ORR resources to assist newly arrived refugees at the local level increasing our ability to identify gaps or target areas of need.

Respondents: State governments and replacement designees.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Total number of respondents	Total number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours	Annual burden hours
RSS and RSS Set Aside Sub-grantee List	56	3	2	336	112

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 112.

Comments: 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.

Authority: Refugee Act of 1980 [Immigration and Nationality Act, Title IV, Chapter 2 Section 412 (e)] and 45 CFR 400.28.

Mary B. Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.