November 1, 2024
MEMORANDUM FOR: Reviewer of 1220-0180
FROM: Leslie Bennett, Chief
Division of Management Systems
Bureau of Labor Statistics
SUBJECT: Nonsubstantive Change Request for the Data Sharing Agreement Applications
The BLS is in the process of moving headquarters from Washington DC to Suitland, Maryland. The new location in Suitland will not have an onsite room for researchers accessing restricted BLS data. Therefore, research projects that were previously conducted onsite will be moved into the BLS Virtual Data Enclave (VDE) that is currently in use for offsite projects using NLSY Geocode and CFOI-Masked data.
As a result, BLS is requesting the following minor modifications to the Data Sharing Agreements package (1220-0180), which allows BLS to gather agency-specific data security information not collected through the standard application process (SAP). Updates have been primarily made to the form titles and instruction pages.
The existing form used by both onsite researchers and those accessing BLS data at Census Federal Statistical Data Centers (FSRDCs) will now be used only by FSRDC researchers. No changes have been made to the existing form except for adding a subtitle and removing indicators of fields that apply to only FSRDCs, since those now apply to all applicants using the form.
The existing “BLS VDE Confidential Data Access Information Form” will now be used by two different groups, the current NLS Geocode/CFOI-Masked researchers and those using more restricted data who were previously onsite. The group using more restricted data have a few additional requirements for the room they’re working in, so the current form has been split into two versions:
The form for the existing NLS Geocode/CFOI-Masked group has minor edits to the instructional bullets on the first page, the IP address field has been updated to indicate that the address must be “static” and requires an IT executive attestation, and one of the Software checkboxes has been removed (that software is no longer offered in the VDE and no researchers selected it in the past.)
The only difference in the form for the highly restricted data group (formerly onsite) is the description on the instructional page describing what constitutes an acceptable workplace setup.
Subtitles have also been added to each version to distinguish between the forms.
The “Researcher SAC form” will be removed from the package, as this was used exclusively to process background checks required by DOL security for anyone accessing BLS facilities.
Attached for you review and approval are the updated applications.
Current OMB approval of the Data Sharing Agreement Applications is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026. These changes will not result in any changes in burden estimates for each application.
If you have any questions about this request, please contact Erin Good at good.erin@bls.gov.
Attachments
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | To reduce the downward trends in CED response rates , CE plans to conduct a CEQ incentives experiment for 1-year, from Novembe |
| Author | PICKERING_C |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-10-08 |