SUPPORTING STATEMENT
ASSESSMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING
AGENCY NEEDS, CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITY
INTRODUCTION
This is to request the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) three-year approval for the information collection entitled, Assessment of Transportation Planning Agency Needs, Capabilities and Capacity.
Part A. Justification
Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.
The FHWA will collect information on the current state of the practice, data, methods, and systems used by state, metropolitan, regional, local, and tribal transportation planning entities to support their required planning process in accordance with Title 23 United States Code 134 and 135. This information will also be used to develop and deliver existing and future Federal Highway Programs through successful partnerships, value-added stewardship, and risk-based oversight. Underpinning this effort will be a renewed focus on enhancing organizational capacity, which translates into having a skilled workforce and supporting systems that are optimally positioned and equipped to deliver the FHWA's mission.
This information collection supports the DOT’s Strategic Goals of “National Leadership” and “Corporate Capacity” by providing an ongoing mechanism to review and assess our transportation planning program and ensure that we develop and advocate solutions to national transportation need and that organizational resources are optimally deployed.
2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is the information to be used.
The information will be collected via internet-based questionnaires of State DOTs and regional planning agencies. It will be collected by FHWA and will be used to better understand agency capabilities and needs so that FHWA can provide targeted and effective support to these agencies.
3. Extent of automated information collection.
Internet-based questionnaires will be developed and administered to State DOTs, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO), and/or Regional Planning Oreganizations (RPO). The questionnaires will involve questions related to their planning programs regarding the “State of the Practice on Scenario Planning” and the “Travel Model Improvement Program.” The respondent can save a partially complete questionnaire and reenter later which reduces the strain and provides flexibility.
Describe efforts to identify duplication.
There is no duplication or existing source for the information to be collected. FHWA has conducted an extensive literature review of previously collected data and found no uniform source of data available for all agencies.
5. Efforts to minimize the burden on small businesses.
This information collection does not involve small businesses.
6. Impact of less frequent collection of information.
Without these data FHWA will not be in a position to properly support state and regional agencies. Instead, data will have to be collected on a agency-by-agency bases causing massive inefficiencies.
7. Special Circumstances.
There are no special circumstances associated with this information collection.
8. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d).
The FHWA published a Federal Register notice on January 9, 2013 (Volume 78-6, page 1917), which solicited public comments on our intent to seek OMB’s renewed approval for this information collection. No comments were received.
Payment or gifts to respondents.
No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.
10. Assurance of confidentiality.
None of the information is considered confidential; it is all available to the public.
11. Justification for collection of sensitive information.
None of the information required is of a sensitive or private nature.
12. Estimate of burden hours for information requested.
Each State, MPO, and RPO will be solicited to provide information up to four times per year (twice on the TMIP Planning Toolbox and twice on the Scenario Planning Practice). The annual number of burden hours (professional and clerical staff) per respondent to answer questions on the current state of the practice, data, methods, and systems used by state, metropolitan, regional, local, and tribal transportation planning entities to support their required planning process is estimated to be 6 (4 quarters x 1.5 hours per quarter). The total annual burden for all respondents is estimated to be 5,700 burden hours (6 burden hours per respondent times 950 respondents).
The TMIP Planning Toolbox will take and estimate 1.5 hours to complete and the Scenario Planning Practice will take and estimate 1.5 hours to complete.
This annual burden consists of staff time of each respondent. The burden was determined as follows:
Professional staff time:
1 hour/respondent x 950 respondents x 4 times per year = 3,800 hours
Clerical staff time:
.50 hours/respondent x 950 respondents x 4 times per year = 1,900 hours
5,700 hours
13. Estimate of the total annual costs burden.
The annual associated salary cost to respondents is estimated to be $237,538 based on an average salary of $38 per hour (approximately $79,000 per year) for professional staff and $18 per hour (approximately $37,000 year) for clerical staff.
Professional staff cost for preparation of work programs:
3,800 hours x $38 per hour = $144,400
Clerical staff time:
1,900 hours x $18 per hour = $34,200
Subtotal Direct Salaries $178,600
Overhead/fringe benefits at 33%: $ 58,938
Total annual respondent cost: $237,538
14. Estimates of costs to the Federal Government.
The cost to the Federal Government consists of the staff time and related expenses to review questionnaire responses general oversight. The Government will incur an annual estimated cost of approximately $52,535, as follows:
Professional staff time:
1/2 person‑year (1 week per respondent x 950 respondents) per year times an average salary of $79,000
Federal direct salary cost per year: $ 39,500
Overhead/fringe benefits at 33%: 13,035
Total annual Federal agency cost: $ 52,535
Explanation of the program change or adjustments.
There are no program changes or adjustments.
16. Publication of results of data collection.
The results of the questionnaire will be published and publicized on the FHWA website.
17. Approval for not displaying the expiration date of OMB approval.
Approval for not displaying the expiration date is not being requested.
Exceptions to the certification statement.
There are no exceptions to the certification statement for this information collection.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SAMPLE |
| Author | frauser1 |
| Last Modified By | USDOT_User |
| File Modified | 2013-01-14 |
| File Created | 2013-01-10 |