This request pertains the collection of performance data for the discretionary grants authorized under chapter 20 of title 38 of the United States Code. The collection of information is necessary for the proper oversight of discretionary grant funds administered by the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service as required by law and regulation. These discretionary grant funds fund approximately 150 homeless veterans’ reintegration projects to serve roughly 17,000 homeless veterans and incarcerated veterans at-risk of homelessness annually. The discretionary grant funds are also used to fund approximately 66 Stand Down events annually.
US Code:
38 USC 2021(b)
Name of Law: Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act of 2001
US Code:
38 USC 2021A(c)
Name of Law: Homeless Women Veterans and Homeless Veterans with Children Reintegration grant program
The total burden hours for this ICR has increased from 5,540 to 11,004 since the last approval. There are several reasons for this.
The first and main reason for this increase is that the previous ICR did not use grantees’ actual reported hours. Since all of the forms were new at that time, the small number of surveyed grantees had no way to know how long it would take to fill out the forms. A more recent survey found that the actual number of hours it took respondents to complete the forms, based on their 2-3 years of experience, was much higher than the original group estimated. For example, the original group estimated that it would take three hours per quarter to complete the VETS-701. In fact, it takes an average of ten hours per active quarter.
Also, VETS now requires eight quarterly reports per grant (if funding continues for a second consecutive year) instead of four, which increased the number of times most grantees must submit the VETS-701 and VETS-702. This change allows us to track the longer-term impact on HVRP participants and is required by the Workforce Opportunities Investment Act. Since two-thirds of our grantees in any given year also operated a similar grant in the previous program year, the total burden hours would have increased somewhat even if there were no other factors.
Third, the original ICR only accounted for the number of successful applicants who would fill out the VETS-700 form. However, this left out the unsuccessful applicants who were required to submit the form as part of their application package. This ICR includes all respondents, not just the respondents who would later become our grantees.
Finally, we have also added the VETS-704 since the previous ICR, which will help VETS to more quickly determine the appropriate geographical distribution of HVRP grants.
$399,040
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
Rebekah Haydin 972 850-4720
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form VETS-704 VETS-704 Applicant Synopsis
Federal Register __ Competitive Grant Program Reporting_9_19_19.pdf
1293-0014 Supporting Statement.docx
Supporting Statement A Citation_List__for_ICR_(2016).doc
VETS-704 Applicant Synopsis