Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

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 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. This program helps to ensure that requested 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. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments concerning the proposed revision of the “Labor Market Information (LMI) Cooperative Agreement Application Package.” A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the Addresses section of this notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the Addresses section of this notice on or before January 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20212. Written comments also may be transmitted by email to BLS_PRA_Public@bls.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carol Rowan, BLS Clearance Officer, telephone number 202-691-7628 (this is not a toll free number). (See Addresses section.)

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.

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.

II. Current Action

Office of Management and Budget clearance is being sought for the LMI Cooperative Agreement application package.

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: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments.

Frequency: Monthly, quarterly, annually.

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.