ML24046A099

2023 OMB Renewal of NRC Form 149 Supporting Statement Final

ML24046A099
Person / Time
Issue date:	02/15/2024
From:	NRC/OCFO, NRC/OGC
To:
References
OMB 3150-0247
Download: ML24046A099 (4)

Text

FINAL SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR NRC Form 149, OCFO INVITATIONAL TRAVELER REQUEST FORM (3150-0247)

REVISION Description of the Information Collection The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites people to travel for the agency in an official capacity. The NRC is obligated to reimburse invitational travelers for travel expenses incurred while traveling on official NRC business. Invitational travelers may include consultants who have been invited to work for the NRC for a short duration, such as a subject matter expert supporting a site visit or a facilitator leading a workshop. Invitational travelers may also include potential employment candidates for job interviews and summer hires employed by the agency on a limited full-time basis.

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Need For and Practical Utility of the Collection of Information The NRC reimburses individuals on invitational travel for the NRC. An invitational traveler vendor code must be created in the agencys accounting system, Financial Accounting and Integrated Management Information System (FAIMIS), in order for an invitational traveler to be reimbursed. In addition, an invitational traveler profile must be established in the agencys travel system, eTravel System (ETS2), so the invitee can make travel reservations and prepare travel vouchers. The information collected on the NRC Form 149 meets the requirements for the invitational traveler to have a vendor profile created in FAIMIS and ETS2. The information collected is necessary to meet the criteria for both systems.

2. Agency Use of Information The NRC staff uses this information to create a vendor profile for the invitational traveler in FAIMIS and a traveler profile in ETS2. The information is used solely for the purpose of reimbursement and preparing travel arrangements and vouchers.

3. Reduction of Burden Through Information Technology The NRC has issued Guidance for Electronic Submissions to the NRC which provides direction for the electronic transmission and submittal of documents to the NRC. Electronic transmission and submittal of documents can be accomplished via the following avenues: the Electronic Information Exchange (EIE) process, which is available from the NRC's Electronic Submittals Web page, by Optical Storage

Media (OSM) (e.g. CD-ROM, DVD), or by e-mail. It is estimated that approximately 100% of the responses are filed electronically.

4. Effort to Identify Duplication and Use Similar Information No sources of similar information are available. There is no duplication of requirements.

5. Effort to Reduce Small Business Burden No small businesses are impacted.

6. Consequences to Federal Program or Policy Activities if the Collection Is Not Conducted or Is Conducted Less Frequently Consequences if collection is not conducted, include the inability for invitational travelers to travel in an official NRC capacity and potentially impact mission activities in addition to receive reimbursement from the NRC. NRC Form 149 must be filled out by all invitational travelers in order for their profiles to be created in the FAIMIS and ETS2.

7. Circumstances Which Justify Variation from OMB Guidelines The information collection is in compliance with OMB Guidelines.

8. Consultations Outside the NRC Opportunity for public comment on the information collection requirements for this clearance package was published in the Federal Register. Opportunity for public comment on the information collection requirements for this clearance package was published In the Federal Register on December 15, 2023 (88 FR 86948. Potential respondents were contracted as part of the consultation process via email. No comments were received in responses to these consultations.

9. Payment or Gift to Respondents Not applicable.

10. Confidentiality of Information Confidential and proprietary information is protected in accordance with NRC regulations at 10 CFR 9.17(a) and 10 CFR 2.390(b).

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

FAIMIS requires a unique identifier for each vendor profile within the system. In FAIMIS, the unique identifier is the invitational travelers social security number (SSN). NRC Form 149 requests the last four digits of invitational travelers SSN, and provides instructions to travelers to provide the first five digits of their SSN to NRC via telephone. This information request is done in a fragmented manner to limit the communication of sensitive information. The form is covered by a government-wide SORN - GSA/GOVT4 - Contracted Travel Services Program and described at 74 Federal Register 26700 (June 3, 2009).

12. Estimated Burden and Burden Hour Cost An estimated 0.25 hours2.893519e-4 days <br />0.00694 hours <br />4.133598e-5 weeks <br />9.5125e-6 months <br /> is required to complete each NRC Form 149. A total of 435 responses are estimated annually resulting in a total annual burden to respondents of 108.75 hours8.680556e-4 days <br />0.0208 hours <br />1.240079e-4 weeks <br />2.85375e-5 months <br /> (435 responses X 0.25 hours2.893519e-4 days <br />0.00694 hours <br />4.133598e-5 weeks <br />9.5125e-6 months <br />). The estimated cost to respondents is

$32,625 (108.75 hours8.680556e-4 days <br />0.0208 hours <br />1.240079e-4 weeks <br />2.85375e-5 months <br /> X $300/rate).

The $300 hourly rate used in the burden estimate is based on the NRCs fee for hourly rates as noted in 10 CFR 170.20, Average cost per professional staff-hour.

For more information on the basis of this rate, see the Revision of Fee Schedules; Fee Recovery for Fiscal Year 2023 (88 FR 39120, June 15, 2023).

13. Estimate of Other Additional Costs No additional cost.

14. Estimated Annualized Cost to the Federal Government The staff developed estimates of annualized costs to the Federal Government related to the conduct of this collection of information. These estimates are based on staff experience and subject matter expertise and include the burden needed to review, analyze, and process the collected information and any relevant operational expenses.

The annualized cost is 109 (0.25 hours2.893519e-4 days <br />0.00694 hours <br />4.133598e-5 weeks <br />9.5125e-6 months <br /> x 435 forms) and the cost is $32,625 (108.75 hours8.680556e-4 days <br />0.0208 hours <br />1.240079e-4 weeks <br />2.85375e-5 months <br /> X $300 hourly rate). The estimated annualized cost to the Federal Government is $32,625.

15. Reasons for Change in Burden or Cost Due to an increase in number of staff being hired by the NRC annually, the estimated number of invitational travelers has increased from 250 to 435 per year. The increase in invitational travelers results in the estimated annual burden going from 83.3 hour3.472222e-5 days <br />8.333333e-4 hours <br />4.960317e-6 weeks <br />1.1415e-6 months <br />s/year to 108.75 hour8.680556e-4 days <br />0.0208 hours <br />1.240079e-4 weeks <br />2.85375e-5 months <br />s/year with a corresponding increase in the cost of

$9500. The increase in annual burden due to the increased number of travelers is partially offset by a decrease in the burden per response. The burden per response

has decreased from 20 minutes to 15 minutes due to a reevaluation of the time needed to complete the form.

Additionally, the hourly rate as gone from $278/hr to $300/hr

16. Publication for Statistical Use Not applicable.

17. Reason for Not Displaying the Expiration Date The expiration date is displayed on NRC Form 149.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement Not applicable.

B.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS The collection of information does not employ statistical methods.