Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested

ACTION:

60-day notice of information collection under review: COPS budget detail worksheets.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days for public comment until December 27, 2004. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

If you have comments especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Rebekah Dorr, Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 1100 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20530.

Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—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.

Overview of This Information Collection

(1) Type of Information Collection: New collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: COPS Budget Detail Worksheets.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: None. U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Primary: Law enforcement agencies and other public and private entities that apply for COPS Office grants or cooperative agreements will be asked to complete the COPS Budget Detail Worksheets. The COPS Budget Detail Worksheets are the result of a COPS Office business process reengineering effort aimed at standardization as required under the grant streamlining requirements of Public Law 106-107, the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999, as well as the President's Management Agenda E-grants Initiative. The new worksheets standardize the budget forms across all COPS Office programs and should reduce the burden on applicants due their ability to use the same form for multiple programs, thus reducing the need for applicant's to learn how to complete multiple forms.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: It is estimated that 6,200 respondents annually will complete the form within one and a half hours.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: There are an estimated 9,300 total annual burden hours associated with this collection.

If additional information is required contact: Brenda E. Dyer, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Patrick Henry Building, Suite 1600, 601 D Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530.