Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity Information

ACTION:

Notice of availability; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) proposal titled, “Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity Information,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES:

The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before January 28, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge from the RegInfo.gov website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201812-1205-001 (this link will only become active on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-ETA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210; or by email: DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to DOL_PRA_PUBLIC@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity Information information collection. This ICR will enable ETA to collect essential data under Training and Employment Notice (TEN) No. 3-18 titled, “Creating Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs to Expand Opportunity in America,” established under the statutory authority of the National Apprenticeship Act (29 U.S.C. 50), concerning the operational characteristics of certain industry-recognized apprenticeship programs. According to the TEN, these new industry-recognized apprenticeship programs will be reviewed and recognized by qualified accrediting entities; the accrediting entities, in turn, may request a determination from the Department concerning their qualifications. The TEN, pending a rulemaking to amend 29 CFR part 29, provides interim information and guidance to accreditors on the process for obtaining a determination from the Department on whether that entity's standards meet the criteria outlined in TEN No. 3-18. To obtain a favorable determination from the Department, the accrediting entity should, among other things, demonstrate that it has received broad sector-wide input and consensus in the setting of industry-wide quality standards. The accrediting entity should also demonstrate that their program accreditation process ensures that the industry programs will operate in a manner consistent with DOL-identified hallmarks of high-quality apprenticeship programs. To collect the information necessary for the Department to determine whether the entity accrediting these industry-recognized apprenticeship programs has satisfied the foregoing criteria, the Department proposes the development of a form titled, “Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity Information” intended for completion by the accrediting entity, that will enable the Department to determine whether that entity's standards meet the criteria outlined in the TEN. The National Apprenticeship Act of 1937 authorizes this information collection. See 29 U.S.C. 50.

This proposed information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the collection of information does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register* on September 20, 2018 (83 FR 47643).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 201812-1205-001. The OMB 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; and
• 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 submission of responses.

Agency: DOL-ETA.

Title of Collection: Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs Accrediting Entity Information.

OMB ICR Reference Number: 201812-1205-001.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 308.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 10,030 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).