Supporting Statement (2011)

2

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

U.S. National Commission for UNESCO Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship

OMB Number 1405-0180, DS-7646

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. A critical component of U.S. foreign policy is the encouragement of freedom and the adoption of democratic processes throughout the world. This goal can be pursued, bilaterally and multilaterally, by means of public diplomacy. The initiative to rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2003 and the subsequent reestablishment of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, which was originally established under 22 U.S.Code 287o et seq., support this goal. The U.S. State Department, Office of UNESCO Affairs, Executive Secretariat of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, on approximately a biannual basis, awards a fellowship, whose funds come from private donations received by the Department of State. The Fellowship, named in honor of Mrs. Laura W. Bush, who UNESCO recognizes as an Honorary Ambassador, is awarded to a U.S. college student proposing to undertake activities that employ education, natural science, social and human science, culture, or communication and information – the mandate of UNESCO – to build strong ties among nations. The authority for this State Department fellowship is supported by 22 U.S.C. 2651a, 2656, 1431 et seq., and 2451 et seq. The State Department will collect and review proposals submitted by applicants.

2. As noted above, this information is collected as part of procedures to effectuate the stated goals of the U.S. Department of State. Information is to be submitted by applicants and collected by the Executive Secretariat of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO, within the Office of UNESCO Affairs (IO/UNESCO). The information will be reviewed for the purpose of identifying the most meritorious proposal, as measured against the published evaluation criteria.

3. Responses are requested to be submitted electronically, if possible, as the most efficient means of collecting and processing the data. The Office of UNESCO Affairs has established a password protected, restricted government access mailbox and portal (www.unesco.state.gov) for the protection of any sensitive information that may be contained in fellowship applications. The Office of UNESCO Affairs will also accept hard copy responses should an electronic response not be possible for an applicant.

4. The information collected is not duplicative of other information collections.

5. This collection of information does not impact small businesses or other small entities.

6. Not collecting this information on a timely basis will make it difficult for the Administration to implement its goals of promoting international collaborative efforts that build strong foundations of knowledge that bridge nations, encourage freedom, and promote democracy. A key component of this goal is the awarding and implementation of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship.

7. There are no special circumstances associated with this collection.

8. A notice was published in the Federal Register and we received 1 comment, which is attached. This comment was not germane because the Laura W. Bush Travelling Fellowship does not rely on taxpayer funds – it is funded through gifts to the State Department.

9. The Department does not make any type of payment to the respondent for the information other than awarding of the fellowship.

10. There are no assurances of confidentiality other than those contained in the Privacy Act and other relevant statutes.

11. The form does not request information of a sensitive nature.

12. The following data was used to calculate the estimated hour burden:

1. Number of Respondents: 100

2. Number of Responses: 100

3. Estimated form completion time: 10 hours

4. Annual hour burden: 1000

13. There are no costs to respondents associated with this collection.

14. IO/UNESCO staff estimates devoting 80 hours to evaluating the information submitted by applicants. Total cost to the Federal Government at $40/hour is $3200.

15. No changes to cost or burden are indicated.

16. The information collected will not be published or routinely tabulated. Announcement of awarding of Fellowships will be published on the website of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. No personal information will be released to the public.

17. IO/UNESCO will display the expiration date for OMB approval.

18. No exceptions to the certification statement identified in OMB Form 83-I are requested.

B. COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This collection does not employ statistical methods.