A guide to the Paperwork Reduction Act

Many activities count as burden. These questions can help you to determine if a burden activity should be factored into your estimate. This is not a comprehensive list, but a starting point for you to begin thinking about the scope of burden in your collection.

Reviewing instructions

• How much time, effort, and cost will it take for respondents to understand what information the agency is asking for and how to collect it?

Compiling materials necessary for collection

• How much time, effort, and cost will it take for the respondents to locate, gather and compile necessary documentation required for the information collection?

Technology and systems

• What technology and systems do respondents need to gather, process, store, and send information?
• Is this new technology that needs to be bought?
• If it does not exist at all, what is the cost of development? Is there a cost associated with installation or with training? Are there one-time costs?
• Is there a cost to use the technology, like a subscription?

Adjusting existing methods

• If a previous collection has been updated or changed, how will the current methods need to be adjusted?

Training personnel

• Will the collection require staff, contractors, or other agents to undergo training to respond?
• How much time or money is needed to ensure they understand both program and policy context, and can respond to the collection?
• Will there be additional training for actual reporting and recordkeeping methods?

Searching data sources

• Are there public or private data sources that respondents can use to respond to the collection?
• What would be the cost of creating new data sources?

Completing and reviewing collected information

• How much time, money, and effort will it take to perform all tasks in the collection?
• Does the information also need to be certified for accuracy and reliability?

Sending and disclosing information

• What must be done to send the collected information to the federal agency requesting it?
• Does it need to be sent or disclosed to a third party, like other federal agencies or offices, state or local governments, other companies, or members of the public?