81 FR 40720 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; New Collection; National Evaluation of Round 4 of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College Career Training (TAACCCT) Grants Program

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 120 (June 22, 2016)

The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that required data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40720-40721]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-14819]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; New Collection; National Evaluation of Round 4 
of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College Career Training 
(TAACCCT) Grants Program

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program 
helps to ensure that required data can be provided in the desired 
format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.
    A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request can be 
obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section 
of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before August 22, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods:
    Email: [email protected];
    Mail or Courier: Molly Irwin and Janet Javar, Chief Evaluation 
Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-2312, 200 Constitution Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC 20210.
    Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one 
method. All submissions received must include the agency name and OMB 
Control Number identified below for this information collection. 
Because we continue to experience delays in

[[Page 40721]]

receiving mail in the Washington, DC area, commenters are strongly 
encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via email or to 
submit them by mail early. Comments, including any personal information 
provided, become a matter of public record. They will also be 
summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the 
information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Molly Irwin and Janet Javar by email 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    I. Background: The fourth round of the Trade Adjustment Assistance 
Community College Career Training (TAACCCT) grants program continues to 
provide community colleges and other eligible institutions of higher 
education with funds to expand and improve their ability to deliver 
education and career training programs that can be completed in two 
years or less and are suited for workers who are eligible for training 
under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers program and other 
adults in need of new or upgraded skills. The evaluation of Round 4 
funded by the Department of Labor will include an outcomes study, an 
implementation analysis, and a study of employer relationships.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
a proposed new information collection activity for the TAACCCT Round 4 
National Evaluation: (1) Collecting updated participant contact 
information, (2) conducting a follow-up survey of participants enrolled 
in programs in the Round 4 grantees selected for the outcomes study, 
(3) surveying staff in all colleges that are part of a Round 4 grant, 
and (4) interviewing staff from employers that have partnered with 
Round 4 grantees.
    The purposes of the outcomes study are to capture participants' 
training experiences while in their programs, receipt of job search 
assistance as they near program completion, and employment and wage 
outcomes upon program exit and, for shorter programs, several months 
thereafter. The employer study will seek to understand how DOL can 
encourage the workforce system to build productive and sustainable 
employer relationships through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
implementation and its grants programs.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, the Department of Labor 
is soliciting comments concerning the above data collection for the 
national evaluation of Round 4 of the TAACCCT grants program. Comments 
are requested to:
    * Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    * evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    * enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    * minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of 
responses.
    III. Current Actions: At this time, the Department of Labor is 
requesting clearance for data collection for the national evaluation of 
Round 4 of the TAACCCT grants program via collection of updated 
participant contact information, survey data on participants and 
colleges, and employer discussions.
    Type of review: New information collection request.
    OMB Control Number: 1205-0NEW.
    Affected Public: Participants enrolled in selected TAACCCT grant 
programs; staff associated with implementing TAACCCT grant programs, 
employers working with TAACCCT grantees.

                                                                 Estimated Burden Hours
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                                                           Total number   Annual  number     Number of     Average time
                      Form/activity                             of              of         responses per   per response    Total burden    Annual burden
                                                            respondents     respondents     respondent        (hours)          hours           hours
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Participant Follow-up Survey............................         * 4,000           1,333               1             .33           1,320             440
Updates to Participant Contact information..............           5,000           1,667               4           0.083           1,660             553
College Survey..........................................             272              91               1             1.5             408             137
Employer Interviews.....................................             136              45               1             1.5             204              68
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............................................           9,408           4,704  ..............  ..............           3,592           1,197
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* Assumes a sample of 5,000 with an 80 percent response rate.

    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval; they will also become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 6th day of June 2016.
Sharon Block,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of 
Labor.
[FR Doc. 2016-14819 Filed 6-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P