This request pertains the collection
of performance data for the discretionary grants authorized under
chapter 20 of title 38 of the United States Code. The collection of
information is necessary for the proper oversight of discretionary
grant funds administered by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’
Employment and Training Service as required by law and regulation.
These discretionary grant funds fund approximately 150 homeless
veterans’ reintegration projects to serve roughly 17,000 homeless
veterans and incarcerated veterans at-risk of homelessness
annually. The discretionary grant funds are also used to fund
approximately 66 Stand Down events annually.
US Code:
38
USC 2021(b) Name of Law: Homeless Veterans Comprehensive
Assistance Act of 2001
US Code: 38
USC 2021A(c) Name of Law: Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless
Veterans with Children Reintegration grant program
The total burden hours for this
ICR has increased from 5,540 to 11,004 since the last approval.
There are several reasons for this. The first and main reason for
this increase is that the previous ICR did not use grantees’ actual
reported hours. Since all of the forms were new at that time, the
small number of surveyed grantees had no way to know how long it
would take to fill out the forms. A more recent survey found that
the actual number of hours it took respondents to complete the
forms, based on their 2-3 years of experience, was much higher than
the original group estimated. For example, the original group
estimated that it would take three hours per quarter to complete
the VETS-701. In fact, it takes an average of ten hours per active
quarter. Also, VETS now requires eight quarterly reports per grant
(if funding continues for a second consecutive year) instead of
four, which increased the number of times most grantees must submit
the VETS-701 and VETS-702. This change allows us to track the
longer-term impact on HVRP participants and is required by the
Workforce Opportunities Investment Act. Since two-thirds of our
grantees in any given year also operated a similar grant in the
previous program year, the total burden hours would have increased
somewhat even if there were no other factors. Third, the original
ICR only accounted for the number of successful applicants who
would fill out the VETS-700 form. However, this left out the
unsuccessful applicants who were required to submit the form as
part of their application package. This ICR includes all
respondents, not just the respondents who would later become our
grantees. Finally, we have also added the VETS-704 since the
previous ICR, which will help VETS to more quickly determine the
appropriate geographical distribution of HVRP grants.
$399,040
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Rebekah Haydin 972
850-4720
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.