20230228 OGA External Reviewer Application SSA

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

External Reviewer Application Instructions

OMB Control Number, 3045-0090

Justification – Part A Supporting Statement

Overview of Information Collection:

This is a request for approval of a Reinstatement, with change.

The External Reviewer Application is used by individuals who wish to serve as External Reviewers for AmeriCorps when external reviewers are needed to review grant applications and corresponding forms to confirm participation and conflict of interest requirements. The information collected will be used by AmeriCorps to select review participants for each grant competition. The information is collected electronically using AmeriCorps' web-based system and via email. AmeriCorps seeks to reinstate the recently discontinued information collection with revisions to add two new forms. The revisions are intended to improve data quality, collection, and utilization of data. The information collection will otherwise be used in the same manner as the existing application. The current application was discontinued on February 28, 2023.

The existing (discontinued) instrument doesn’t change. We added two new forms designed to outline the participant agreement and certify that there is no conflict of interest when reviewers are confirmed as reviewers.

1. Need & Method for the Information Collection.

AmeriCorps awards grants to states, institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, Indian tribes, and U.S. Territories to operate AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs. This information collection comprises the questions that individuals complete in order to apply to be external/peer reviewers for AmeriCorps grant application reviews. The engagement of external/peer reviewers is permitted, and, at times, required by statute, and this information collection is necessary for the execution of that authority.

Information will be collected via online application and fillable PDF returned by email. Individuals will independently complete the application and corresponding forms.

Consequences if collection is not conducted: AmeriCorps will be unable to administer grant competitions with peer reviewers, which is a requirement for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) AmeriCorps Seniors competition and a best practice for the Day of Service competition and other competitions that use external peer reviewers. 42 U.S.C. §§ 5001, 12585, and 12651d.

2. Use of the Information.

Individuals seeking to be an AmeriCorps External Reviewer are prompted to create an account in AmeriCorps’ online system, which can be accessed via a link on AmeriCorps’ public website. Once an account has been established, the prospective Reviewer can log into the system and complete a Reviewer Profile. Upon completion of all the required fields, the prospective Reviewer can electronically submit the Reviewer Application. Once submitted, the application is reviewed by AmeriCorps staff to determine if the individual meets the requirements to become an External Reviewer for AmeriCorps. This information is used for the purpose of engaging External Reviewers and may be used to further that purpose and for any other lawful purpose. External reviewers also complete forms to confirm participation and conflict of interest requirements. These forms are submitted to AmeriCorps staff via email.

The burden to individuals is minimized to the degree possible by only asking for the information necessary to assess respondents’ qualifications to serve in this capacity. AmeriCorps does not estimate any significant psychological costs or learning costs in the collection of this information.

3. Use of Information Technology.

AmeriCorps will be accepting applicants’ response to these questions electronically via eGrants AmeriCorps’ secure online grants management system. The corresponding forms to confirm participation and conflict of interest requirements are submitted via email.

4. Non-duplication.

There are no other sources of information by which AmeriCorps can meet the purposes described in Section 2 (above).

5. Burden on Small Business.

This collection of information does not impact small businesses. The information collection is completed by individuals who want to serve as external peer reviewers in grant application competitions. The burden to individuals is minimized to the degree possible by only asking for the information necessary to assess respondents’ qualifications to serve in this capacity.

6. Less Frequent Collection.

If this information were not conducted or were conducted less frequently, AmeriCorps would be unable to administer grant competitions with peer reviewers, which is a requirement for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Senior Corps competition and a best practice for the Day of Service competition and other competitions that use external peer reviewers. 42 U.S.C. §§ 5001, 12585, and 12651d.

7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines..

There are no special circumstances that would require the collection of information in these ways.

8. Consultation and Public Comments.

The 60-day Notice soliciting comments on this information collection was published December 27, 2022 at 87 FR 79288. No public comments were received in response to the Federal Register Notice. The 30-day Notice was published March 17, 2023 at 88 FR 16416.

One of nine consulted individuals and groups responded to the consultation request. They responded that the instrument was clear, cost estimates were accurate, format was clear and streamlined, and did not identify any challenges. No updates were made to the instruments as a result of this consultation.

9. Gifts or Payment.

Individuals who are selected to serve as peer reviewers and who perform duties in this role receive an honorarium between $200-$1000 depending on the time commitment for the peer review role they perform.

10, Privacy & Confidentiality.

The following Privacy Act Statement is provided on the instrument:

Form 3045-0090

Privacy Act Statement: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552a (e)(3), this Privacy Act Statement explains why AmeriCorps is requesting the information on this form.

Authority: AmeriCorps is authorized to collect the information requested on this form pursuant to National and Community Service Act, as amended by National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993.

Purpose: The principal use of this information will be to assess qualification and eligibility of external reviewer for AmeriCorps grant competitions and process honoraria.

Routine Uses: The information you provide on this form may also be disclosed internally with authorized AmeriCorps employees and contractors who may have a need to know it in connection with your application. A list of routine uses associated with this form can be found in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN), CNCS-04-CPO-MMF-Member Management Files (MMF), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/01/23/2020-01080/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records.

Disclosure: Providing this information is voluntary, however failure to provide it may result in inability in processing your application.

11. Sensitive Questions.

The information collection includes the social security numbers and banking information of respondents who have been selected to serve as peer reviewers. This information is collected for the sole purpose of processing honoraria payments and is managed in the secure AmeriCorps’ online grants management system.

12. Burden Estimate.

Because this is a reinstatement of a previously discontinued collection, the previously approved responses and burden are shown as zero. The new forms are expected to increase the burden hours from what was previously approved by 15 minutes per response, resulting in an increase over the previously approved 250 burden hours of 175 burden hours, for 375 in total requested burden hours.

	Requested	Program Change Due to New Statute	Program Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses for this IC	500	0	0	500	0	0
Annual IC Time Burden (Hour)	375	0	175	250	0	0
Annual IC Cost Burden (Dollars)	$11,993	0	$5,996	11,993	0	0

The estimated respondent burdens and labor costs are shown in the following table. 

  

Estimation of Respondent Burden
Number of respondents	500
Responses per respondent	1
Number of responses	500
Hours per response	0.75
Total estimated hours (number of responses multiplied by hours per response)	375
Cost per hour (hourly wage)	$47.97
Annual public burden (estimated hours multiplied by cost per hour)	$17,989

  

Note: The cost per hour is based on the average of eight 2023 OPM GS hourly rates (base + locality) for a GS-11, step 1 employee living in our eight regions of operation, plus the 36.25% civilian personnel full fringe benefit rate from OMB memorandum M-08-13. The average cost per hour is $35.21 (average hourly rate) + $12.76 ($35.21 average hourly rate x 36.25% fringe) = $47.97/hour (rounded to the nearest penny). 

  

The 2021 GS-11, step 1 hourly rates for the eight regions of operation are as follows: Austin, TX ($33.94), Atlanta, GA ($34.97), Columbus, OH ($34.47), Concord, NH ($33.11), Denver, CO ($36.68), Kansas City, MO ($33.59), Los Angeles, CA ($38.34) and Philadelphia, PA ($36.34). The average hourly rate is the sum of these hourly rates divided by eight = $35.21/hour (rounded to the nearest penny). 

13. Estimated nonrecurring costs.

There are no nonrecurring costs.

14. Estimated cost to the Government.

The estimated cost to the Government is shown in the following table. It is estimated that it will take the Government 0.45 hour(s) to review and verify the information contained in each response. This estimate was developed by staff involved in the management of current activity. 

  

Estimation of Cost to the Government
Number of responses	500
Hours per response	0.45
Total estimated hours (number of responses multiplied by hours per response)	215
Cost per hour (hourly wage)	$64.50
Annual burden (estimated hours multiplied by cost per hour)	$14,512.503

  

Note: The cost per hour is based on the cost per hour of Federal contractors performing this work.   

15. Reasons for changes. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the burden worksheet.

This is a restatement of a previously approved information collection, resulting in 375 total burden hours, reflecting 250 previously approved burden hours and 175 new burden hours as a result of two new forms due to agency discretion.

16. Publicizing Results.

A list of individuals who are selected to serve as peer reviewers and who perform this role in an application review can be requested for the purpose of transparency in federal grantmaking. Respondents who are selected to serve as external peer reviewers provide written consent that they understand and agree to make their name public.

17. OMB Not to Display Approval.

This request does not seek approval to not display the expiration date. The expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection will be displayed.

18. Exceptions to "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions."

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

19. Surveys, Censuses, and Other Collections that Employ Statistical Methods.

This request does not include surveys or censuses and does not use statistical methods.

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