Justification

Justification for Non-Substantive Change to OMB 1205-0507

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has contracted for a random assignment, net impact evaluation of the H-1B Technical Skills Training (TST) grants. On March 1, 2013, ETA received approval to collect MIS and performance data from the TST grantees (1205-0507). ETA is now requesting a non-substantive change to that approval to allow it to select sites for the evaluation.

Background

ETA administers the H-1B Technical Skills Training (TST) and Jobs and Innovation Accelerator (JIAC) Grant Programs. To date, the Department has awarded $366 million in grants to 109 programs that include partnerships with business-related nonprofit organizations, education and training providers, and entities involved in administering the workforce investment system established under WIA Title I of the WIA, among others. Both the TST and the JIAC grantees are now in their second year of implementation and are actively enrolling participants.

A 60-day notice for collection of data from grantees was published January 23, 2012, and included a description of the site selection process. On March 1, 2013, ETA received approval to collect aggregate data on demographic characteristics, types of services received, placements, outcomes, and follow-up status under Information Collection Review (ICR) 1205-0507. ICR 1205-0507 also includes the data elements for the Participant Tracking System (PTS) and the informed consent form for the evaluation. Therefore approval to conduct the evaluation is included by reference of the approved forms. However, before random assignment can begin, ETA must identify the sites to include in the study.

The contract for the TST evaluation which includes both process and random assignment sites in the study was awarded in April, 2013. The contract includes a site selection analysis to identify 6 to 8 grantees that have the potential to implement a rigorous random assignment study that will begin in early spring, 2014. The contractor plans to develop the random assignment procedures and protocols between March and May 2014, at which time the statistical methodology will be developed for a new PRA clearance request to conduct the data analysis using the baseline data collected.

Site Selection Analysis

To select sites to conduct the process studies and random assignment portions of the evaluation, site analyses, telephone interviews and site visits will be conducted. ETA anticipates that telephone interviews with about 22 TST and 15 to 20 JIAC grantees must be conducted to identify the H1-B programs that warrant visits on-site. On-site visits will allow ETA to determine which sites have the potential for providing a sufficient number of participants for random assignment and site-specific impacts. The Information collected will only be used to select the sites. Site selection will be summarized in the evaluation’s reports; none of the interviews will be used as public information nor will the names of individuals interviewed be mentioned in any reports.