Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - Application for Broadband Grant Programs

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
NTIA IIJA Digital Equity Planning Program Application Forms Form and Instruction	New
NTIA IIJA Middle Mile Grant Program Application Forms Form and Instruction	New
NTIA IIJA PRA Memo to OMB_version FINAL-1 ABD-initialed.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-04-20
NTIA IIJA Supporting Statement PRA Emergency Review Request FINALv2.docx Supporting Statement A	2022-04-19

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
252974	NTIA IIJA Digital Equity Planning Program Application Forms Form and Instruction	New
252956	NTIA IIJA Middle Mile Grant Program Application Forms Form and Instruction	New

ICR Details

OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202204-0660-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NTIA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - Application for Broadband Grant Programs
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 05/10/2022
Date Submitted to OIRA: 04/29/2022

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	6 Months From Approved
Responses	950	0
Time Burden (Hours)	9,000	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	387,516	0

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Abstract: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2021 (Infrastructure Act or Act), which was adopted on November 15, 2021 and is also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provided $65 billion of funding for programs to close the digital divide and ensure that all Americans have access to reliable, high speed, and affordable broadband service. NTIA administers six broadband connectivity grant programs funded by the Act. Given the challenges that the grant application process can pose for disadvantaged communities, NTIA seeks to make this process more equitable for all potential applicants of the broadband grant programs enacted by the Infrastructure Act, including those with limited resources and/or technical expertise. In order to do so, NTIA created new forms for use in the application process which will provide structured questions and guidance concerning the kind of discrete and structured data required for successful applications. The new forms will create greater efficiencies in the NTIA grant program, which will likely result in enhanced timing and information accuracy beneficial to program applicants. NTIA believes that a significant number of prospective applicants will be Tribal governments or other entities associated with disadvantaged communities. NTIA further believes that the above-discussed new forms would offer these applicants greater opportunities for meaningful participation in the Broadband programs than they would otherwise enjoy. These new forms would affect the grant application requirements contained in the upcoming Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) NTIA will publish.

Emergency Justfication: This is an emergency review request in order to assist NTIA in meeting the statutory deadlines Congress set for the Infrastructure Act Broadband Grant Programs, reducing overall application review burdens, and providing greater opportunities for meaningful participation to applicants from disadvantaged communities. NTIA requests that OMB conclude its review by May 10, 2022.

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Authorizing Statute(s): Statute at Large: 135 Stat. 429 Name of Statute: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, 2021
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 24971	04/27/2022
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
NTIA IIJA Digital Equity Planning Program Application Forms	N/A, N/A	Budget Narrative Form for DE Planning Program ,   Detailed Budget Justification for DE Planning Program
NTIA IIJA Middle Mile Grant Program Application Forms	N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A, N/A	Budget Narrative Form for MMG Program ,   Community Anchor Institution List Form ,   Detailed Budget Justification for MMG Program ,   MMG Project Questions ,   Pro Forma Financial Projection Form ,   Table of Funded and Unfunded Collaborators

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	950	0	0	950	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	9,000	0	0	9,000	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	387,516	0	0	387,516	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new information collection.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $766,488

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 04/29/2022

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