Document
Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public ...
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The BLS enters into Cooperative Agreements with State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) annually to provide financial assistance to the SWAs for the production and operation of the following LMI statistical programs: Current Employment Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, and Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. The Cooperative Agreement provides the basis for managing the administrative and financial aspects of these programs.
The existing collection of information allows Federal staff to negotiate the Cooperative Agreement with the SWAs and monitor their financial and programmatic performance and adherence to administrative requirements imposed by the
Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
(2 CFR 200) and other grant related regulations. The information collected also is used for planning and budgeting at the Federal level and in meeting Federal reporting requirements.
II. Current Action
Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the LMI Cooperative Agreement application package. The extension of this collection of information will allow the BLS to incorporate routine annual updates to the Cooperative Agreement and work statements which define SWA deliverables and requirements and allow the BLS to carry out its responsibilities to monitor financial and programmatic performance.
The Cooperative Agreement application package being submitted for approval is representative of the package sent every year to state agencies. The work statements included in the Cooperative Agreement application also are representative of what is included in the whole LMI Cooperative Agreement package. The final Cooperative Agreement, including the work statements, will be submitted separately to the Office of Management and Budget for review of any minor year-to-year information collection burden changes they may contain.
III. Desired Focus of Comments
The BLS is particularly interested in comments that:
- 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.
- Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through 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.
Title of Collection:
Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement Application Package.
OMB Number:
1220-0079.
Type of Review:
Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public:
State, Local, or Tribal Governments.
| Form |
Number of
respondents |
Number of
responses per
respondent |
Total
responses |
Average
burden
(hours) |
Estimated
total burden
(hours) |
| Work Statements |
54 |
1 |
54 |
1.5 |
81 |
| LMI Budget Information Form (BIF) |
54 |
1 |
54 |
1.5 |
81 |
| Monthly Automated Financial Reports |
12 |
12 |
144 |
15/60 |
36 |
| LMI Obligations and Expenditures (ObEx) Form |
42 |
12 |
504 |
1 |
504 |
| Budget Variance Request Form |
27 |
1 |
27 |
15/60 |
6.8 |
| Transmittal and Certification Form |
54 |
1 |
54 |
8/60 |
7.2 |
| FRW-A: Base Programs |
54 |
1 |
54 |
25/60 |
22.5 |
| FRW-B: AAMC |
15 |
1 |
15 |
25/60 |
6.3 |
| Property Listing |
27 |
1 |
27 |
25/60 |
11.3 |
| Total |
54 |
|
933 |
|
756 |
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they also will become a matter of public record.
Signed at Washington, DC, on December 1, 2023.
Eric Molina
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Branch of Policy Analysis.