6/30/89
OPR: Admin/Facilities and Management Services
1. Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish the policy, responsibilities and procedures for controlling the paperwork burden imposed on the public by the U.S. Geological Survey.
2. Authority.
A. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520).
B. 5 CFR 1320 (Information Collection).
C. Departmental Manual (381 DM 11 and 12, Information Collection Program Requirements and Clearance Procedures for Information Collections).
3. Definitions. For the purpose of this chapter the following words are defined:
A. Information Collection means the obtaining or soliciting of information by an agency from 10 or more persons by means of identical questions, whether the collection is mandatory, voluntary, or required to obtain a benefit. The "obtaining" or "soliciting" of information includes any requirement or request for persons to obtain, maintain, retain, report, or publicly disclose information.
B. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources required to respond to an information collection, including that needed to read or hear instructions; to develop, modify, or assemble any materials or equipment; to conduct tests, inspections, polls, observations, or the like, necessary to obtain the information; to organize the information into the requested format; to review its accuracy and the appropriateness of its manner of presentation; and to maintain, disclose, or report the information.
C. Person means an individual, partnership, association, corporation, business trust, or legal representative; an organized group of individuals, a State, territorial, or local government or branch thereof; or a political subdivision of a State, territory, or local government. Current employees of the Federal Government are excluded from this definition for purposes of the information collection within the scope of their employment.
D. Information Collection Budget (ICB) refers to the planning document required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection activities. The budget is compiled every year based on instructions provided by OMB. Individual information collections are listed separately along with the estimated burden associated with each.
E. Information Collection Clearance Officer (ICCO) means the information collection clearance officer for the U.S. Geological Survey.
4. Policy. It is USGS policy to ensure that information collections are structured so that the burden on the public is kept to a minimum. The burden associated with each information collection must be allowed for in the annual ICB. No office may collect or sponsor an information collection from 10 or more persons unless it is essential to a program, and the information collection has been approved by OMB.
5. Responsibilities.
A. The Assistant Directors/Division Chiefs are responsible for:
(1) Implementing the procedures as outlined in this chapter.
(2) Ensuring that information collections imposed on the public are submitted to the Information Collection Clearance Officer (ICCO) for OMB approval.
B. The Congressional Liaison Office will ensure that legislative proposals initiated by the USGS containing information collection requirements are submitted to the ICCO for OMB approval.
C. The Chief, Office of Facilities and Management Services, Administrative Division, has staff responsibility for the USGS ICB process and will:
(1) Ensure implementation of an effective information collection program and compliance with OMB and Department requirements.
(2) Designate an ICCO and alternate with responsibilities for development and management of the program and report these designations to the Chief, Division of Directives and Regulatory Management, at the Department.
D. The Information Collection Clearance Officer (ICCO) is responsible for:
(1) Establishing procedures for the systematic review of existing and proposed information collection requirements, including any requirements which would be imposed by any legislative proposals initiated by the USGS.
(2) Disseminating to the appropriate program officials within the USGS all instructions received from the Department relative to information collection.
(3) Responding to questions from USGS program officials about the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act or the information collection clearance process.
(4) Reviewing all clearance packages originating in the USGS for conformance to OMB and departmental guidelines.
(5) Consolidating, reviewing, and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the annual ICB submission.
(6) Monitoring clearance requests throughout the year to ensure that requests do not cause the USGS to exceed the ceiling established by OMB.
(7) Reviewing all proposed and final rule-making documents to ensure that any information collection requirements they contain are submitted to OMB for clearance.
6. Procedures. When an information collection is being planned, consult immediately with the ICCO, Office of Facilities and Management Services, Paperwork Management Section. All information collection clearance packages must be submitted to the
ICCO for review and subsequent transmittal to OMB through appropriate channels.
7. Reporting Requirements.
A. Upon OMB approval of the information collection, the program official will, within 30 days, forward a copy of each form/format involved to the ICCO for transmittal to the Department.
B. The ICCO will maintain the information collection official file. This file must be maintained for 2 years after the expiration of the OMB clearance.