Supporting Statement_Proposed by HDS

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

Approval of a new collection for the Federal Bureau of Investigations Hazardous Devices School Course Application (FD-731)

OMB Control # 1110-xxxx

Part A. Justification

1. Necessity of Information:

Pursuant to EO 12968, the FBI has the authority to issue temporary access to law enforcement sensitive and classified information.

Pursuant to EO 13549, eligibility for access to classified information by State, Local, Tribal, and Private sector entities personnel must be determined by a sponsoring agency. The level of access granted must not exceed the Secret level, unless the sponsoring agency determines (in this case the FBI) on a case-by-case basis that the candidate has a demonstrated and foreseeable need for access to Top Secret, Special Access Program, or Sensitive Compartmented Information.

Pursuant to EO 13549, an agency head, or the agency head's designee, to authorize in an emergency and when necessary to respond to an imminent threat to life or in defense of the homeland, in accordance with section 4.2(b) of Executive Order 13526, the disclosure of classified information to an individual or individuals who are otherwise not eligible for access in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 12968.

2. Needs and Uses:

The FD-731 is a form used to collect personally identifiable information (PII) and information regarding their employment and qualifications to attend FBI hazardous instructional courses. The information collected is the minimum information that is needed to conduct a review of student’s status prior to being granting limited access to law enforcement sensitive and classified information.

3. Use of Technology:

Currently, there are plans to automate the FD-731 form, however, it is anticipated that 12-18 months of development time is needed. The form is necessary for every student requesting instruction at the Hazardous Devices School. Applicants can email or fax an electronic copy or, mail a hard-copy FD-731 to their closest FBI Field Office or to the Hazardous Devices School.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication:

The information collected will be used to determine suitability of individuals to both attend FBI instructional courses and access law enforcement sensitive and classified information.

5. Methods to Minimize Burden on Small Businesses:

This information will have no significant impact on small entities. Small businesses will not be affected by this collection.

6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection:

If collection is not conducted, the FBI HDS will not be able to appropriately determine individual eligibility and qualifications to attend FBI hazardous training.

7. Special Circumstances Influencing Collection:

FD-731 submissions are collected to provide the FBI with a proper method of working with the U.S. public safety bomb technician community to meet their training needs.

8. Public Comments and Consultations:

The FBI sponsors and participates in training seminars, industry meetings, and conferences with the user community. These meetings are held regularly and provide an open forum to discuss matters of mutual concern, including reporting procedures. The FBI consults with users on an individual basis as needed. Additionally, the 30 and 60-day Notices of Information Collection was published in the Federal Register and no comments were received.

9. Payment of Gift to Claimants:

The FBI does not provide any payment or gift to respondents.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality:

Information requested in this collection may be considered confidential personal information. Its release is governed by law, regulations, and agency procedures.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions:

This collection does not include questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimate of Hour Burden:

Number of respondents 1000

Frequency of response as needed

Total annual responses 1000

Minutes per response 45 minutes

Annual hour burden 750 hours

13. Estimate of Cost Burden:

Respondents will not incur any costs other than their time to respond. Respondents will not incur any capital, start up, or system maintenance costs associated with this information collection.

14. Estimated Annualized Costs to Federal Government:

Note: The FD-731 forms are received and processed by the same personnel. Therefore, the associated costs were added together on one line.

Personnel salaries for analysis

of incoming information: 500 hours x $55/hr (GS 14) = $27,500

Total Cost: $27,500

15. Reasons for Change in Burden:

This form is necessary to collect personally identifiable information (PII) and information regarding student’s employment and qualifications to attend FBI hazardous instructional courses.

16. Plans for Publication:

There are no plans to publish the information collected.

17. Expiration Date Approval:

Due to the administrative burdens related to replacing expired forms when no information on those forms has been changed, the FBI is requesting approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collected.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement:

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

Part B. Statistical Methods

The FBI does not employ statistical methods in this information collection.

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