Memo - Non Sub Change Inc Burden Nov 2017

DATE: November 28, 2017

TO: Steph Tatham

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

FROM: Molly Jones

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

SUBJECT: Non-Substantive Change Request – Increase number of respondents for Formative Data Collections for Policy Research and Evaluation (0970-0356)

Background

In March 2015, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), received approval of a revision to the generic clearance: Formative Data Collections for Policy Research and Evaluation (0970-0356). OPRE conducts research on a wide variety of policy and programmatic areas. OPRE’s research serves to provide further understanding of current programs and service populations, explore options for program improvement, and assess alternative policy and program designs. Under this generic clearance, ACF/OPRE conducts discussions that can inform future research and support current research, but that are not highly systematic or intended to be statistically representative. Since approval, OPRE projects have successfully used this generic clearance to provide critical formative information to: (1) inform the development of OPRE research, (2) maintain a research agenda that is rigorous and relevant, (3) ensure that research products are as current as possible and (4) inform the provision of technical assistance.

Change Request

This request is to increase the number of respondents under OMB#0970-0356 from 3,000 to 3,600. Project use of this generic clearance exceeded the previous estimates provided and has now reached the burden ceiling. Given the usefulness of this tool and demand for use, we request to increase the number of respondents to accommodate additional ICRs under this generic.

The overarching generic expires on March 31, 2018. Prior to this date, we will submit a revision that will reflect the increase in use over the previous three years. This information collection request will provide both a 60- and 30-day public comment period.

Consistent with the original intent of this clearance, OPRE will use the additional burden hours to provide critical formative information to: (1) inform the development of OPRE research, (2) maintain a research agenda that is rigorous and relevant, (3) ensure that research products are as current as possible and (4) inform the provision of technical assistance. Specific activities continue to be dependent on the research project and the particular samples vary based on the content of the discussion and the programs or policies of interest. Data collection efforts generally include semi-structured discussions or conference calls, focus groups, and/or Telephone or in-person interviews.

Since a primary goal of the information collections conducted under this clearance is to improve the evaluations of ACF programs and demonstrations, respondents could include key stakeholder groups involved in ACF projects, state or local government officials, service providers, experts in fields pertaining to ACF research, or others involved in conducting ACF research or evaluation projects.