Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before May 22, 2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) title; (3) summary of the collection; (4) description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) reporting and/or recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment.

The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department? (2) Will this information be processed and used in a timely manner? (3) Is the estimate of burden accurate? (4) How might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected? and (5) How might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology?

Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs

Type of Review: Revision.

Title: Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Enrollment Document.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or households; not-for-profit institutions; Federal, State, Local, or Tribal Government SEAs or LEAs.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: Responses: 4,660 Burden Hours: 2,151.

Abstract: The Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Enrollment Form will be used by postsecondary institutions, third-party, software providers, lenders, guaranty agencies, and state scholarship programs. This will allow participants to have electronic access, to recieve and transmit, view and update student financial aid data. The Department will use this information on the enrollment form to assign customers a Title IV WAN ID and associate Title IV services selected by the customer. Since the original clearance of this system last summer, Education has discovered a number of suggestions for improvements. We hope to receive your ideas in 50 days so that we can have the necessary time to properly evaluate them.

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov,, or should be addressed to Vivian Reese, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4651. Requests may also be electronically mailed to the internet address OCIO_IMG_Issues@ed.gov or faxed to 202-708-9346. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be directed to Joseph Schubart at (202) 708-9266 or via his internet address Joe_Schubart@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.