Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission.FMS

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK

REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS

A. Justification

A1. Need for Information Collection

The Corporation for National and Community Service (Corporation) has developed the Financial Management Survey (FMS) form in fulfillment of our pre-award policy (CFO-029, effective 1/17/02). The FMS will standardize the pre-award process and will ensure uniform consideration of the capacity of potential grantees of the Corporation to manage federal funds. We need the collection of this information to provide reasonable assurance that federal grant funds will be expended in ways to meet program objectives, the award terms and conditions, and applicable federal statutes, regulations and guidelines.

A2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used

The FMS will be used for the purpose of a pre-award assessment of the capacity of a potential grantee to manage federal funds in excess of $100,000; and the basis for determining the financial management areas in which a potential grantee, should it receive an award form the Corporation, may warrant technical assistance. This assessment involves responses to general questions.

A3. Minimize Burden: Use of Improved Technology to Reduce Burden

The Corporation has developed an electronic grant system, eGrants, to comply with the requirements of Public Law 106-107. Currently, the FMS information is collected on paper and reviewed by Grants Management Specialists in the Office of Grants Management at Headquarters and the Field Financial Management Center. We are working on building an electronic version either into eGrants or a PDF version for grantees to respond electronically.

A4. Non-Duplication

There are no other sources of information by which the Corporation can meet the purposes described in A2 (above).

A5. Minimizing for economic burden for small businesses or other small entities

This collection of information does not impact small businesses because they are not eligible to apply for grants. There is no economic burden to any other small entities beyond the cost of staff time to review the data of this form.

A6. Consequences of Non-Collection

Without the use of the FMS, the Corporation will be unable to review the potential grantee’s financial systems, determine how it manages funds, and assess the internal controls it has in place to segregate and report on Federal funds it might receive.

A7. Special Circumstances for Collections

None of the special circumstances apply to this collection.

A8. Provide copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the Agency’s notice

The Federal Register notice was published for public comments on Thursday, November 1, 2007, pages 61870-61871. No public comments were received from this notice.

A9. Payment to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts to respondents.

A10. Confidentiality

We do not include specific assurances; however, information provided by respondents is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.

A11. Sensitive Questions

The information collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

A12. Hour burden of the collection

The total burden hours estimated for this collection is about 20 hours, roughly one hour per response for approximately 20 potential grantees (respondents) per year. The FMS form will be completed once for first time grant applicants or current grantees recompeting for funding. There is no estimated annual hour burden outside of the customary and usual business practice.

A13. Cost burden of the collection

There is no cost to the respondent, other than those costs associated with the course of doing ordinary business.

A14. Cost to Government

There is no cost to the government.

A15. Reasons for budget and/ or program changes

There are no budget changes. But the annual time burden has decreased to reflect a decrease in the number of organization that will need to submit this form and the length of time it will take to complete it (based on historical information).

A16. Publication of results

Not applicable.

A17. Approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection

Not applicable.

A18. Exceptions to the certifications statement

There are no exceptions to the certification statement in OMB Form 83-I.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

Not applicable.