SSA Response

1.       SSA has been involved in an interagency effort to develop a standard form (SF-PPR) for all P&As to use. How will this ICR interface with that? Will SSA use this form in place of the SF-PPR? If so, why?

Once the standard form is operational, SSA plans to use that form and not this.  We do not know when this will take place.  This is also assuming that the standardized form has all elements we need to collect.

2.      What does it mean when the supporting statement says “small businesses will be reimbursed?” Reimbursed for what?

We indicated in #13 of the Supporting Statement that there is no cost burden to the awardees as they will be reimbursed; however, we meant that the PABSS will each be granted a certain amount of money per year per the grant they receive.

3.      Is the annual cost of $7 million to the federal govt the cost for producing this information collection?

The cost for the entire PABSS program is $7 million.  This includes the data system.

4.      the supporting statement says that 100% of respondents will submit responses electronically. Therefore, it is unclear why the OMB expriation date cannot be provided on the electronic survey.

In #17 of the Supporting Statement we requested an exemption from placing the expiration date for the OMB number on the form.  However, since the responses are entirely electronic, and SSA’s standard practice with fully electronic forms is to place the expiration date on our electronic applications, we will place the OMB expiration date on the electronic survey.