Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

Title: Form OCSE-396-A, Child Support Enforcement Program Expenditure Report, Form OCSE-34-A, Child Support Enforcement Program Collection Report.

OMB No.: 0970-0181.

Note:

This Comment Request supersedes the Comment Request published November 28, 2012 (77 FR 71005), concerning OMB Control No. 0970-0181.

Description: Form OCSE-396-A is a financial report submitted following the end of each fiscal quarter by each State with an approved plan under title IV-D of the Social Security Act to administer the Child Support Enforcement Program. The purpose of this form is to enable each State to meet its statutory and regulatory requirement to report program expenditures made in the preceding fiscal quarter and to estimate program expenditures to be made in the upcoming fiscal quarter and to estimate the amount of incentive payments to be earned in the upcoming quarter.

Form OCSE-34-A is a financial report submitted following the end of each fiscal quarter by each State and Tribe with an approved plan under title IV-D of the Social Security Act to administer the Child Support Enforcement Program. The purpose of this form is to enable each State and Tribe to meet its statutory and regulatory requirement to report child support collection activity during the preceding quarter, including collection received, collections remaining undistributed from previous quarters, if any, and the distribution and disbursement of collections.

The Administration for Children and Families provides Federal funding to States for the Child Support Enforcement Program at the rate of 66 percent for all allowable and legitimate administrative costs of this program. (Federal funding is also provided to Tribes at the rates of 80 or 90 percent. However, in accordance with program regulations, Tribes are not required to submit Form OCSE-396-A and use, instead, quarterly submissions of OMB Standard Form 425. SF-425 is not included in this comment request.)

The information collected in these reports is used by this agency to calculate quarterly Federal grant awards and incentive payments to States, to enable oversight of the financial management of the program for both States and Tribes and may be included in statistical and financial reports available to the public.

Respondents: States (including Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia) and Tribes with approved title IV-D plans.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,568.

In compliance with the requirements of Section 506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. Email address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.