Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
User Access Request Form for EPIC System Portal (ESP)
OMB Control Number: [To be assigned upon approval]
Part A. Justification
Necessity of Information
1. The ESP is an internet portal that provides a gateway to DEA’s El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) law enforcement platforms that enables federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to access sensitive but unclassified criminal data for investigations related to drug and human trafficking, firearms smuggling, money laundering, and other offenses. Access to this system is controlled through a vetting process. Law enforcement personnel seeking access must submit a user access request form. This form is necessary to ensure that only authorized personnel are granted access. The system operates under the authority of federal laws and regulations governing law enforcement information sharing, including the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b), which regulates the disclosure of records containing personally identifiable information. In addition to disclosures permitted under the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) allows for the disclosure of relevant records derived from them as a routine use.
Needs and Uses
2. The user access request form allows law enforcement personnel to apply for access to the ESP system. This system facilitates real-time access to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement data, enhancing case coordination and investigative efforts. The collected information ensures that access is granted only to individuals with a legitimate law enforcement need.
Use of Technology
3. The user access request form will be available electronically via the ESP portal, allowing applicants to submit the required information through a secure, web-based interface rather than relying on paper-based submissions. This digital process reduces administrative burden on both the requester and the agency by enabling validation of credentials, real-time status tracking, and expedited processing of access requests. Additionally, the security architecture ensures that the electronic submission process maintains confidentiality and compliance with federal security standards.
Efforts to Identify Duplication
4. The information collected through this form is unique to the ESP portal and serves as the primary method for granting federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement access to all DEA systems available to them. ESP centralizes user authentication and authorization for multiple DEA-managed databases and investigative tools, avoiding duplicative processes. This system eliminates the need for separate access requests for each DEA data source which eliminates duplication.
Methods to Minimize Burden on Small Businesses
5. Not applicable. This collection does not impact small businesses or other small entities
Consequences of Less Frequent Collection
6. Failure to collect this information would compromise system security and law enforcement operations. Without a proper vetting process, unauthorized individuals could gain access to sensitive information, posing risks to ongoing investigations.
Special Circumstances Influencing Collection
7. This information collection does not require respondents to report more frequently than quarterly, submit responses in fewer than 30 days, or retain records for more than three years. Respondents only need to apply once to obtain access to the system, and their credentials remain valid unless their employment status changes, or their access needs to be revalidated.
Public Comments and Consultations
The 60 day notice was posted on July7, 2025, 90 FR 35315, and expired on September 25, 2025. No public comments were received at this time. The 30 day notice was posted on November 17, 2025, 90 FR 51409 and expired on December 17,2025. No public comments were received at this time.
Payment or Gift to Claimants
9. No payments or gifts will be provided to respondents for completing this form.
Assurance of Confidentiality
10. Confidentiality is maintained through access control measures, encryption, and continuous system monitoring. The ESP system complies with federal privacy and security guidelines, including NIST Special Publication 800-53.
Justification for Sensitive Questions
11. Not applicable. This collection does not involve questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior, religious beliefs, or personal financial data. However, personally identifiable information (PII) is collected and use as part of the vetting process. This ensures that only authorized law enforcement personnel are granted access to DEA systems.
Estimate of Hour Burden
12. The estimated number of respondents for this collection is 1,000 law enforcement personnel annually. Each respondent is required to submit the form only once to gain access to the system, meaning the response frequency is one. The estimated time to complete the form is 7 minutes (0.1167 hours).
Burden Calculation:
Number of Respondents: 1,000
Frequency of Response: One-time submission
Time per Response: 7 minutes (0.1167 hours)
Total Annual Burden Hours: 116.67 hours
Estimated Annualized Cost to Respondents:
To estimate the cost burden, an average wage rate of $40.00 per hour was used, which aligns with law enforcement personnel average salaries across the United States.
Total Annual Cost Burden: $4,666.80
Estimate of Cost Burden
13. There are no additional costs to respondents beyond the hourly burden cost estimated in Section 12. The completion of the user access request form does not require respondents to purchase new equipment, software, or services, nor does it impose recordkeeping obligations after submission.
Estimated Annualized Costs to Federal Government
14. The User Access Management (UAM) team, which is the section that reviews new user submissions, is currently staffed by two full-time contract employees. The two individuals average 90K/year (rounded) for the work they perform, which is approximately $43 an hour. The UAM team estimates that they average approximately 10 minutes total for each new request, equating to approximately $7.00 per request, or $7,000 annually for 1,000 submissions.
Reasons for Change in Burden
15. This is a new information collection request. There is no prior burden to compare against.
Plans for Publication
16. This information collection is for internal law enforcement use only and will not be published.
Expiration Date Approval
17. DEA does not request an exemption from displaying the expiration date.
Exceptions to Certification Statement
18. There are no exceptions to the certification statement.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions |
| Author | Firebird User |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2026-01-10 |