Supporting Statement:
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Program Forms
OMB Control Number: 1910-5127
Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The Department of Energy (DOE) requires collection of information for the Weatherization Assistance Program as included in Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0000051, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and the OMB requirements for (1) grant and financial administration, and (2) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. DOE provides Federal financial assistance and technical support to states and local governments under the EISA. Information gathered provides current information required to respond to OMB, congressional and consumer requests and budget preparation.
We request an emergency request at this point and request a waiver from sending a Federal Register Notice because of the urgency of the programs and the request of the White House. The WAP Program has $5 billion under ARRA to be spent by March 2012 compared to $200 M historically annually. In order to adequately monitor, report, and ensure transparency and accountability, we simply must require monthly reporting instead of quarterly reporting given the new huge increase in funding for this program.
DOE has reviewed its monitoring and oversight procedures, and has determined that reporting requirements must be modified to increase both the frequency of reports and the information needed to ensure that these programs are managed effectively and efficiently and achieve Administration goals for job creation and energy transformation.
The information collected is used by program staff to track the recipients’ activities, their progress in achieving scheduled milestones, and funds expended (including expenditure rates). The information also enables program staff to provide required or requested information on program activities to OMB, Congress and the public.
Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.
All Weatherization Assistance Program information is used by DOE to determine program production and answer congressional, budget and public inquiries. All of the remaining information is required to determine program compliance and set program goals and objectives as required in 10 CFR 440.
Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
The Department of Energy, Weatherization Assistance Program developed the Windows System Approach to Grant Administration (WINASGA). This system allows DOE to administer the WAP grants on line and provides all network users access to current program records. WINSAGA reduces data redundancy and paperwork and provides the universal, complementary date collection to showing the positive results of the program. States with WINSAGA enter state applications and reports directly into the system and sign and submit them electronically to Doe’s Regional Offices. All records entered or updated are forwarded to a national database at DOE Headquarters. Information also is downloaded into the Department of Energy’s integrated standard core accounting system (STARS). This allows the contracting officers to sing and send awards to states electronically.
Describe efforts to identify duplication.
The WAP program is the only federal program that provides weatherization services to low income Americans. The forms were designed to provide a consistent format for the collection of program information. This information will then be retrieved in a variety of formats to answer programmatic questions and inquiries.
If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
Small Businesses are not impacted.
Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
The requirement of submitting a Plan once a year by a State is contained in 10 CFR 440. If this information is not provided by the States to DOE there will be no source of information to respond to congressional, budge and general public inquiries of the program.
DOE recommends that the reporting of the activities for the Weatherization Assistance Program be quarterly for the Program Report and annually for the Monitoring, Technical Assistance and Leveraging reports. The quarterly report form has been reduced to capture specific WAP program information according to 10 CFR 440.
The monitoring, leveraging and technical assistance reports have been consolidated into one report and the reports will be submitted by the States on an annual basis.
Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
NONE. The information collection is not being conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.
If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, required by 5CFR 320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken in response to the comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside DOE.
N/A
Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
No payment or gift is being provided to the respondents.
Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
There is no identifiable confidential information being requested.
Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.
There is no collection in this package that involves questions of a sensitive, personal or private nature.
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.
The hours of burden for the monthly report is estimated to be 3 hours. The number of respondents is 58 States, territories and tribes.
The grantees burden is calculated as follows:
State burden hours: 3 hours x 58 grantees x 12 months = 2,088 hours
At the project management center level, it is estimated that it takes each project officer approximately one hour to review each state report.
PMC burden hours: 1 hour x 58 x 12 months = 696 hours
Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information.
The is as follows:
State burden costs = 2,088 hours x $40/hr. = $83.52K
PMC burden costs = 696 hours x $50/hr. = $34.8K
Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government.
By incorporating the latest computer software technology available, DOE will be able to significantly reduce the time spent on applying and reporting cost of the grant process at the State and PMC Offices along with the Financial offices the provide oversight for the grants.
Program Participant |
# of Hours to complete forms |
Fringe Benefit and Cost Per Hour |
Total Cost |
Weatherization Energy Office |
3 Hours |
$ 40.00 |
$120.00 |
PMC Office |
1 Hour to Review |
$ 50.00 |
$50.00 |
|
|
|
$220.00 |
DOE believes there are no additional costs to respondents other than the burden hours reported for
reporting and record keeping.
Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 (or 14) of OMB Form 83-I. This is a new information collection governed by a statutory requirement.
Increase in reporting frequency (quarterly to monthly) for certain metrics increases the burden hours.
For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.
There are no plans for publication.
If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.
The Department is not seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collections contained in this package.
Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.
There are no exceptions to the certification statement identified in item 19. “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act submissions” of OMB form 83-I.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Instructions for the Supporting Statement |
| Author | BRYANTL |
| Last Modified By | eXCITE |
| File Modified | 2009-12-10 |
| File Created | 2009-12-10 |