Abbreviated Supporting Statement, Part A

OMB Approval No. 1205-0436

Expiration Date: 01/31/2017

ABBREVIATED SUPPORTING STATEMENT

CLEARANCE FORM

A.1. Title: Quick Turnaround Survey of Feasibility Study, Eligible Training Provider List
A.2. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.5: Yes __X_ No _____	A.3. Assurances of confidentiality: None
A.4. Federal cost: $136.00	A.5. Requested expiration date (Month/Year): 12/2014
A.6. Burden Hour estimates: a. Number of Respondents: 52 a.1. % Received Electronically 100% b. Frequency: once c. Average Response Time: 15 minutes . Total Annual Burden Hours: 13 hours	A7. Does the collection of information employ statistical methods? _______ No _____X__ Yes (Complete Section B and attach OCEO review sheet).
A.8. Abstract: The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has contracted with IMPAQ International, LLC (IMPAQ) to conduct the Feasibility Study of Using Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) and Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI) Data for Consumer Reports. The purpose of the project is to explore potential ways that states might provide measures of education and job training program performance to potential customers. The goals of this study are to: 1) provide an overview of how ETPLs are managed and 2) to assess the capacity of states to use information gathered in the process of creating the ETPL to produce program report cards. As part of this research, ETA seeks approval to conduct a national, Web-based survey of state ETPL coordinators. The survey is intended to document how states and local areas are administering their ETPLs, as well as to gather information on whether and how existing ETPL processes could support education and training program report cards. The survey will focus on how ETPLs are managed in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Survey questions will cover topics including: who is responsible for managing the state’s ETPL, what (if any) data is used to certify programs for inclusion on the ETPL, the specific criteria that programs must meet to be certified, whether and how the ETPL is updated, whether providers from other states may be included on the ETPL, whether there are procedures for removing programs from the list and how current ETPL processes might support report card systems. Because the administration of the ETPL varies significantly by state and the goal of this survey is to get a complete picture of how ETPLs are administered, it will be necessary to survey one representative from each state as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. To identify the appropriate survey respondents, we are working with officials from DOL/ETA who will provide the relevant state contacts at their disposal. To maximize response rates, respondents will receive an email from ETA providing advance notice of the upcoming survey. Approximately one week later, respondents will receive an email invitation that will contain the Web survey link and login information. The survey will be relatively brief. Based on expert review, it is expected that it will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. From the date it is sent, respondents will then have up to three weeks to submit their responses. To increase response rates, weekly reminder emails will be sent to encourage respondents to complete the survey. For those who do not respond to the Web survey within the three week window, a representative will call the respondent and seek to conduct the survey over the phone. Based on the information gathered from the survey and a supplementary review of state and local ETPL documentation available online, ETA will give a thorough accounting of how all states manage their ETPLs. The report will highlight practices that are common, compare different aspects of ETPL policies across states, and provide an overall summary of current ETPL management. The report will also provide an assessment of whether there are existing ETPL procedures that could be used as part of a statewide report card system and, if so, how this might be accomplished. This data collection will not duplicate any information currently collected. Although identifiers will be used to monitor survey completion and link survey responses to states and regions, individual respondents will not be identified in published reports. However, responses identified by state may be shared with representatives from ETA.