Supporting Statement for the
Application for Grants under the
Talent Search Program for Federal TRIO Programs
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, Title IV-A
Justification
The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is requesting a new collection (application) needed to make new grants under the Talent Search (TS) Program.
The new application will be used to award new grants and collect data under the TS Program. The TS Program provides grants to institutions of higher education, public and private agency and organizations, community-based organization with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and secondary schools. The TS Program provides grants for projects designed to identify qualified youths with potential for education at the postsecondary level and encourage them to complete secondary school and undertake a program of postsecondary education, publicize the availability of student financial assistance for persons who seek to pursue postsecondary education; and encourage persons who have not completed education programs at the secondary or postsecondary level to enter or reenter and complete these programs.
The new collection is necessary to respond to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). The HEOA made fundamental changes to the goals and purposes of the TS program through the addition of statutory outcome criteria and required activities. The HEOA changes require TS grantees to provide more intensive academic interventions than have been required in the past. Further, section 402A(c)(8)(C) of the HEA, as amended by the HEOA, has added requirements for a formal second review process for unsuccessful applicants. The TS Program’s proposed regulations have been amended to reflect the changes resulting from the HEOA, which includes a new section that establishes processes and procedures for a second review of unsuccessful applications.
The new application would include supplemental information on the changes to the minimum number of participants, required and permissible services or activities, outcome criteria used in assessing prior experience, selection criteria, and describe the processes and procedures for the second review of unsuccessful applications.
The TS Program grant competition is authorized by Title IV, Part A, Subpart 2, Sections 402A and B of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the HEOA; and governed by the program regulations in 34 CFR Part 643; and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), Parts 74, 75 (except for §§ 75.215-75.221), 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99.
The application package requests programmatic and budgetary information needed to evaluate new applications and make funding decisions, based on the authorizing statute, program regulations, and EDGAR. Failure to collect this information would prevent the awarding of appropriated funds; essential information would not be available for evaluating the applications in accordance with statute and regulations.
For Fiscal Year 2011, as a part of the Department’s goal to increase the electronic submission of applications, applications for grants under the TS Program will be submitted electronically via the Grants.gov portal. We estimate that the Department will receive 95 percent of the applications electronically.
The application package has been prepared in a format for easier and faster posting of information on the Web. Prospective applicants will be able to view and download the application through the FIND function on Grants.gov at www.grants.gov.
Since the information submitted in the application is unique to each respondent, no duplication exits as far as can be determined. There is no other collection instrument available to collect the information that is requested.
This information collection does not involve small businesses or other small entities.
The Department uses this information to make new multi-year grant awards only. Collection occurs once during a competition year. Applicants are only required to respond to this information collection once in each grant cycle. If this information is not collected or is collected less frequently, the Department would not be able to evaluate applications and make funding decisions based on the provisions in the authorizing statue and the program regulations.
No information will be collected in the manner covered under any of the special circumstances outlined.
The Department’s Regulatory Information Management Services will solicit comments on this information collection in the Federal Register, pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d), upon submitting the collection to OMB. A summary of any comments received will be shared with OMB. The Department will also solicit informal views and comments from persons outside the Department during yearly national and regional educational conferences. The Department published a 30-day Federal Register notice on August 5, 2010 – Vol. 75, page 47282 - to allow public comment on this collection. The Department also sought public comment through the publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on March 23, 2010 – Vol. 75, page 13814.
The Department will not provide any payments or gifts to respondents.
There is no assurance of confidentiality.
The application does not include questions about sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, or other items that are commonly considered sensitive and private.
Estimated burden hours for this collection of information are 40,860 hours. We estimate approximately 1200 respondents. Applications are submitted only once annually during a competition year.
In order to reach this current 40,860 total burden estimate, we reviewed the previous estimate when this application was last active, and factored in the changes resulting from the new regulations.
Additionally, the proposed regulations include a formal second review process for unsuccessful applicants. We estimate that approximately 30 applications will score within the funding band, resulting in 60 additional burden hours from the previous applications (30 applications received x 2 hours) = 60 hours.
Estimated number of respondents……………….. 1200
Estimated preparation time……………………… 34 hours
Estimated burden hours ------------------------------- 40,800
Estimated burden hours for second review……… 60 hours
Total estimated burden hours…………………… 40,860
Affected Public
(Estimated Burden Hours):
Public, State, Local Institutions |
876 respondents x 34 hours = 29,784 estimated burden hours |
Private Non-Profits |
324 respondents x 34 hours = 11,016 estimated burden hours |
Affected Public (Estimated Burden Hours) |
40,800 hours |
(Estimated Burden Hours for Second Review):
Public, State, Local Institutions |
Estimated burden hours for second review 22 respondents x 2 hours = 44 hours |
Private Non-Profits |
Estimated burden hours for second review 8 x 2 hours = 16 hours |
Affected Public (Estimated Burden Hours for Second Review) |
60 hours |
Total Affected Public Estimated Burden Hours……………40,860
Estimated Cost to Respondents for Regular Submission
Professionals: 1,200 personnel x 24 hours x $30 per hour = $864,000 Overhead at 50% of salary = $432,000 |
$1,296,000.00 |
Clericals: 1,200 x 7 hours x 12 per hour = $100,800 Overhead at 50% of Salary = $50,400 |
$151,200.00 |
Total estimated staff costs to respondents |
$1,447,200.00 |
(a) One time cost to applicant: Use of computer equipment to search for data and generate application in required format. Computer time is $200 and Printing is $10.00 (1,200 applicants x $210) |
$252,000.00 |
(b) Operation Cost Annual cost to applicant to find and maintain application materials is $100. (1,200 applicants x $100) |
$120,000.00 |
Total estimated annual costs to respondents |
$372,000.00 |
(Staff Costs: $1,447,200.00 + Annual Costs for responding: $372,000.00)
Estimated Cost to Respondents for Appeals Submission
Professionals: 30 personnel x 1 hour x $30 per hour total = |
$900.00 |
Clericals: 30 x 1 hour x $12 per hour total = |
$360.00 |
Total estimated staff costs to respondents for Appeals |
$1,260.00 |
Use of computer equipment to search for data and generate appeal in required format. Computer time is $200 and printing is $10 (30 applicants x $210) |
$6,300.00 |
Annual cost to applicant to compile materials for appealing is $100. (30 applicants x $100)
|
$3,000.00 |
Total Estimated annual cost to respondents for appeals. |
$9,300.00 |
Total Annual Costs to Respondents for Appeals: $10,560.00
(Staff Costs: $1,260.00.00+ $9,300.00 Annual Costs for Responding)
Annual Costs to Respondents (capital/start-up, and operation and maintenance): The total for the capital and start-up cost components for this information collection is zero. This information collection will not require the purchase of any capital equipment nor create any start up costs.
Cost to Federal Government:
Professional staff to develop clearance package (GS-14 employee) 160 hrs @$55.00 per hour |
$8,800.00 |
Overhead cost related to facilities, administration, and other indirect cost plus accrual of leave and fringe benefits @50% salary. |
$4,400.00 |
Other Department staff to review and approve the request |
|
GS-15 Employee |
$630.00 |
OMB Review 8hrs. X $45.00 per hour=$360.00 x 50% overhead=$180.00 |
$540.00 |
Estimated Sub-total |
$14,370.00 |
Cost for Federally-supervised review of applications |
|
Outside field reviewers – 150 TS readers @ $1,100 each |
$165,000 |
Processing applications – staff (12 staff x 40 hours x $48 per hours=$23,040) (Overhead cost: $23,040 x 50 percent = $11,520) |
$34,560.00 |
Contractor logistical support for workshops, achieving prior unfunded applications, application processing, field reading and slate preparation (14 weeks-reading) |
$1,284,281.00 |
Staff time for conducting supervised review. (4 weeks x 5 control reviews, and 25 panel chairpersons) (30 staff x 160 hours x $48 per hour=$230,400) (Overhead cost: $230,400 x 50 percent=$115,200) |
$345,600.00 |
Staff time for generating slate (3 staff x $48 x 40 hours=$5,760) (Overhead cost: $5,760 x 50 percent = $2,880) |
$8,640.00 |
Staff time to review and approve funding recommendations (4 hours per grant award x 464 awards) (464 awards x 4 hours per awards x $48 per hour = $89,088) (Overhead cost: $89,088 x 50 per cent = $44,544) |
$133,632.00 |
Staff time to generate, approve, and issue grant awards (6 hours per award x 464 awards=2,784 hours) ($48 per hr x 2,784 hours = $133,632) (Overhead cost: $133,632 x 50 percent = $66,816) |
$200,448.00 |
Total estimate cost to government (competitive year) |
$2,186,531.00 |
Since this collection is technically new, all 40,860 hours of burden are considered new burden and represent a program change. In addition, the current burden hour estimate is based on 1200 respondents, rather than 1000 respondents, as had been the basis for the previous collection.
Results of collected information will not be published for statistical purposes.
The Department will display on the form the expiration date for the OMB approval as required.
There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical statement.
The collection of information does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | PURPOSE: ACTION |
| Author | Deborah Walsh |
| Last Modified By | #Administrator |
| File Modified | 2010-08-11 |
| File Created | 2010-08-11 |