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SUPPORTING STATEMENT
FOR
OMB 0701-0101 (www.AFROTC.com web site)

A. JUSTIFICATION

1.  Need for the Information Collection

Title 10 U.S.C., Section 2107(a)(2) establishes eligibility standards for the selection of individuals to participate in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) college scholarship/financial assistance programs.  Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2011, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, paragraph 5 establishes the procedures for the program and specifies the use of www.afrotc.com, to apply for an Air Force ROTC 4 year high school college scholarship and to collect data to determine eligibility and select individuals.

2.  Use of Information

The collected data are used by Air Force ROTC College Scholarship Selection Boards to determine individual’s eligibility for a scholarship in accordance with Title 10, U.S.C., Section 2107 and AFI 36-2011 and to select the best qualified individuals from the pool of applicants to receive scholarship.  Selection factors include all the data collected on the afrotc.com web site, high school grade-point-average, standardized test scores, and interview results.  These data are reviewed by selection boards composed of senior Air Force officers.  The number of applicants (approximately 17,000 each year) far exceeds the number of scholarships available (approximately 1,700 each year), making a comprehensive screening and evaluation process necessary to ensure the best qualified applicants are selected.

In the past this data has been used by selection boards to ensure that the Air Force selects the best qualified applicants for ROTC program.

3.  Use of Technology

The on-line application is available at website www.afrotc.com.  It is on-line from 1 June to 1 December of each year.

4.  Non-duplication  Representatives from the Air Force, Army, and Navy ROTC programs met in May 1996 and June 1997 to discuss development of a combined application form for the scholarship programs for all three services.  No consensus was reached during these meetings regarding a combined application form.  In addition, no similar data collection process exists which would support the uses described above in paragraph 2.

5.  Burden on Small Business

This collection does not affect small businesses or other small entities.

6.  Less Frequent Collections

This collection occurs only once for each high school graduating class.  Failure to collect would result in the termination of the scholarship program.  There are no technical or legal obstacles to reduce this burden.

7.  Special Circumstances

There are no special circumstances.  The collection of information is consistent with the guidelines in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1320.5(d)(2).

8.  Consultation and Public Comments

The 60 day Federal Register notice was published.  No comments were received as a result of the Federal Register Notice.

In June 1997, representatives from the Air Force, Army and Navy met at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida to discuss the possibility of using one standard application form for all three branches of the Armed Forces.  Application packages were compared at that time.  Academic majors play a key role in the selection process for Air Force ROTC scholarships, while the Army and the Navy base their selections on other factors.  Because of these differences, no agreement could be reached on a standardized application.  

9.  Gifts or Payments:  No payments or gifts will be made to respondents.

10.  Confidentiality

The form contains the Privacy Act statements and is processed in accordance with the provisions of this law and the Freedom of Information Act.  The information collected is handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with existing Department of Defense procedures for safeguarding official information.  We also certify that the Privacy Act of 1974 and OMB Circular A-108, "Responsibilities for the Maintenance of Records about Individuals by Federal Agencies" are upheld.  We are a military institution and all records for the Department of Defense are stored and tracked by Privacy Act information.   To ensure consistency the AFROTC-RRUC started using a Cadet Personal ID number as an alternative to their Social Security number information as a way of bringing across the data that is stored in the Cadet Management system and historical data.  Since these individuals are going to be sworn into the military we must abide by the military regulations governing their personnel, medical, and other records.  If the military system changes, using PIDs for each member of the Armed Forces, then our organization and other military institutions would follow suit.

11.  Sensitive Questions

There are no sensitive questions asked in this collection of information.

12.  Respondent Burden and its Costs

a.  Number of respondents:  Approximately 17,000 per year.
b.  Frequency of Response:  One response per applicant.
c.  Annual Hour Burden:  8,500 hours (estimated 30 minutes per applicant times 17,000 applicants equals 8,500 hours).

\Individual burden hour is based on past observation.
Estimated Total Annualized Cost: 8,500 X $9.00 per hour = $76,500 per year

13.  Respondent Costs Other than Burden Hour Cost:  There is no additional cost to the respondents.

14.  Cost to the Federal Government

a.  Total cost for operating the online application process is $50,000

b.  Total cost for postage is $8,625. Expected postage cost for the stamped envelopes for notifying applicants completing the process is $8,625 ($0.41 per envelope for 8,500 applications, ($3,485); $0.41 per envelope for 2,000 selects ($820), $0.41 per 1,000 reboards ($410) and 1,000 non-selects ($410); $1.75 per envelope for 2000 selects, $3500).

c.  Total wage cost for support staff is $136,000.  This includes the average hourly pay of a GS-05 of $16.00 multiplied by the number of hours spent on each applicant (0.5 hours) times the number of projected applicants (17,000). $16.00 X 0.5 X 17,000 = $136,000.

d.  Total cost to the government is $194,625.

15.  Reasons for Change in Burden:  No change in the burden.

16.  Publication of Results

Reports of this collection of information will not be published for statistical purposes.

17.  Expiration Date

The Air Force is not seeking an exception to display the expiration date of this information.

18.  Certification Statement

No exceptions to the certificate statement are being requested.

B.  COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS:  Statistical methods are not employed for this collection of information.