[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41231-41232]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20583]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Structured Reporting System (SRS) for the Telecommunications and
Information Infrastructure Assistance Program
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 2, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce--Room
5327, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Gay Shrum, NTIA--Room 4892, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20230. (202-482-1056).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The purpose of the Telecommunications and Information
Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP) is to promote the widespread
and efficient use of advanced telecommunications services in the public
and non-profit sectors to serve America's communities. It does this by
providing matching funds to public and non-profit sector organizations
to use information infrastructure to provide community-wide
information, health, life-long learning, education, public safety and
other public services.
The Program has the following objectives:
To increase awareness in public and non-profit sectors of
the National Information Infrastructure and its benefits.
To stimulate public and non-profit sector organizations to
examine potential benefits of, and plan for, investments in the
information infrastructure.
To provide a wide variety of model information
infrastructure projects for public and non-profit sector organizations
to follow.
To educate the public and non-profit sectors about best
practices in implementing a wide variety of information infrastructure
projects.
To help reduce disparities in access to, and use of,
information infrastructure.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), in administering TIIAP, awards a varying number of awards each
year, but there are an average of 2,225 active grantees involved in
some, or all, of the reporting requirements each year. In order to
ensure that grant recipients are effectively promoting the efficient
and widespread use of advanced telecommunications services to serve
American communities and to comply with the Government Performance and
Results Act, NTIA will collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative
data relating to start-up documentation, quarterly and annual progress,
and close-out documentation on TIIAP-funded projects.
NTIA seeks a mechanism whereby it can evaluate the impacts of its
projects on an ongoing basis, monitor grants more efficiently and
effectively, and provide timely technical assistance to grant
recipients. Currently, grantees provide qualitative quarterly progress
reports and close-out documentation. Grantees also provide evaluation
reports covering a wide array of sophistication and complexity of
design.
To enable the Program to monitor and to analyze the impacts of the
funded projects, TIIAP seeks to incorporate standardized quantitative
and qualitative data elements into an online structured reporting
system. The reporting system will include a set of core data elements
that apply to all projects and other data elements that are specific to
the applications areas of the projects.
NTIA is interested in the effects that the funded projects are
having at the local level and, over the long term, at the national
level. It is NTIA's intention to understand the nature and degree of
those effects on the organizations implementing the projects, other
organizations that are involved with the projects, the individuals who
are served by the projects, and the community as a whole.
II. Method of Collection
Data will be collected through the use of automated collection
techniques. The information collection instrument to be used for this
study will include a web-based structured reporting system for both
quantitative and qualitative project
[[Page 41232]]
information for 50 new projects for 1998.
III. Data
OMB Number: None.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular Submission.
Affected Public: State and Local Government and Non-Profit
Institutions.
Burden Hours Calculations/Reporting
The total estimated response burden for the grant recipients that
receive TIIAP funding in FY 1998 is 8,400 hours (the overall burden on
any given grant recipient would be approximately 168 hours (21 days)
over their participation in the TIIAP project). This estimate is based
on the following assumptions:
Start-Up Documentation. Each of the 50 initiatives will
spend an average of 40 hours on the following activities: (accessing
and learning the web-based system: (2) developing answers to the items;
and (3) verifying the accuracy and completeness of the data that are to
be submitted (50 projects x 40 hours equals 2,000 hours).
Quarterly Reports. Each of the 50 initiatives will spend
an average of 8 hours developing answers to the items contained in the
quarterly report (50 projects x 8 hours x 10 quarterly reports
equals 4,000 hours).
Annual Reports. Each of the 50 initiatives will spend an
average of 4 hours developing answers to the items contained in the
annual report (50 projects x 4 hours x 2 reports equals 400 hours).
Final Closeout Reports. Each of the 50 initiatives will
spend an average of 40 hours developing answers to the items contained
in the final closeout report (50 projects x 40 hours equals 2,000
hours).
Estimated Total Annual Cost: Cost to respondents is consistent with
their normal administrative overhead. No material or equipment will
need to be purchased to provide information.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments in response to this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 28, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-20583 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]
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