Document ID: USCG-2015-0468-0014
Agency: uscg
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2016-01-20T05:00Z

SUPPORTING STATEMENT 

FOR

USCG ACADEMY APPLICATION & 

SUPPLEMENTAL FORMS

OMB Control No.: 1625-0004

Collection Instruments:  Instruction, 

Application: CGA-14, CGA-14A, CGA-14B, CGA-14D

A.  Justification

Explain circumstances that make collection of information necessary.

The appointment of permanent commissioned officers in the regular United
States Coast Guard (USCG) from the United States Coast Guard Academy
(USCGA) is authorized by 14 USC 211.  The authority to operate the USCGA
is contained in 14 USC 181.  The regulation and administration of the
USCGA is the responsibility of the Superintendent, subject to the
direction of the Commandant of the USCG under the general supervision of
the Secretary of Homeland Security.  One of the Superintendent’s
responsibilities is to ensure that qualified individuals from the public
at large have every opportunity to compete for a cadet appointment.  The
USCGA Application and Supplemental Forms (High School or College
Transcript, English Instructor Evaluation, Math Instructor Evaluation,
and Physical Fitness Examination Scoring Form) ensure the collection of
information necessary to select the best applicants.

Indicate how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose information
is to be used.

This application and supplemental forms enable men and women between 17
and 22 years old to apply for an appointment as Cadet, USCG at the
USCGA.  The application is traditionally made available annually from
August 1st to February 1st to the general public through the USCGA
Admissions website at www.uscga.edu/apply.  Without this application,
the public would have no method of applying for an appointment to the
USCGA since information collected from these forms is not available
through any other source.

Successful respondents who meet all the application and selection
criteria receive an appointment as Cadet, USCG and orders to attend the
USCGA for four years.  Cadets attend the USCGA with appropriate military
pay/benefits and at no further financial burden to them.  They are
obligated to serve in the USCG for five years upon graduation from the
USCGA.

Describe whether, and to what extent the collection of information
involves the use of automated or other collection techniques.

This application is web-based and completed online by the applicant. 
Data from the application will be reviewed online by USCGA, but may be
printed for future review and archive storage.

These supplemental forms are web-based and completed online by the
applicant’s school counselor and recommenders.  Data from these
supplemental forms will be reviewed online by USCGA, but may be printed
for future review and archive storage.

Describe efforts to identify duplication. 

This information is not available from any source except the applicant,
their school counselor, and individual recommenders.  Additionally, the
USCGA is the only entity authorized to obtain this information from the
public for admissions selection to the USCGA.  The application is
designed for efficient operation, reducing the amount of information
(e.g., Name, E-Mail Address) that must be entered repeatedly.  The
supplemental forms are pre-populated with data provided within the
application.  

Does collection of information impact small businesses?

This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses
or other small entities.

Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if
collection is not conducted.

If the USCGA were not allowed to collect this information it could no
longer receive applications or review applicants for cadet appointments.
 The USCGA would be unable to enroll new classes and the USCG’s
officer corps would be dangerously reduced.

 Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information
collection to be conducted in a certain manner.

There are no special circumstances.  This information collection is
conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5CFR
1320.5(d)(2).

8.   If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number
of publication in 

      the Federal Register of the agency's notice, soliciting comments
on the information 

      collection.

A 60-day Notice will be published in the Federal Register to obtain
public comment on this collection. 

 

9.  Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

There is no offer of monetary or material value to respondents for this
information collection.

10.  Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents
and the basis for the 

       assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The information obtained from the USCGA application and supplemental
forms falls under the Privacy Act/Freedom of Information Regulations;
applicants are informed of this in writing.  This information collection
is covered by a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and System of Records
Notice (SORN).

Privacy Impact Assessment for the United States Coast Guard Academy
Information System (ACADIS) dated January 26, 2010 (copy submitted with
request).

Privacy Act of 1974; United States Coast Guard--014 Military Pay and
Personnel System of Records Notice (DHS/USCG-014) [December 19, 2008;
Docket No. DHS-2008-0108; Federal Register Vol. 73, No. 235, Pages
77743-77747] (copy submitted with request).

Privacy Act of 1974; United States Coast Guard--027 Recruiting Files
System of Records Notice (DHS/USCG-027) [August 10, 2011; Docket No.
DHS-2011-0062; Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 154, Pages 49494-49497]
(copy submitted with request).

11.  Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive
nature.

Applicants are asked to provide short answers (one paragraph in length)
to the following questions to ensure compliance with current USCG and
USCGA accession policies:

Have you ever been detained, arrested, summoned into court or
participated in a 

diversion or probation program?  If yes, please briefly explain.

Criminal history may prohibit an applicant from attending the USCGA
based on the Coast Guard Personnel Manual, so this question is necessary
to confirm eligibility and learn more about the applicant’s
background.

Do you have any tattoos, brandings, or body piercings?  If yes, please
briefly describe.

Some tattoos, brandings, or body piercings, depending upon location and
subject, may prohibit an applicant from attending the USCGA based on the
Coast Guard Personnel Manual, so this question is necessary to confirm
eligibility.

Will you or did you receive any special accommodations - such as
extended or 

unlimited time - when taking the SAT Reasoning or ACT exam?  If yes,
please briefly explain.

The USCGA requires at least one set of SAT Reasoning or ACT scores from
an exam administered without any special accommodations based on the
USCGA Applicant Handbook, so this question is necessary to confirm
eligibility and determine the applicant’s academic readiness to
succeed at the USCGA.

Answers to these eligibility questions will not prohibit an applicant
from applying, but may place their application in a “Hold” status
pending the receipt of additional information verifying their
eligibility to attend the USCGA.

Applicants are asked to provide personal statements (one page in length)
to the following prompts to learn more about their background and unique
life experiences:

The Coast Guard Academy’s mission is to develop leaders of character. 
Describe examples of your leadership experience from the past three
years in which you have significantly influenced others, helped resolve
disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

Leadership training is paramount in the education of future Coast Guard
officers at the USCGA, so past leadership experience or exposure may
make an applicant more competitive for appointment.

Describe your experience facing or witnessing discrimination or unfair
treatment.  Tell us how you responded, what you learned from those
experiences, and how you believe they prepared you to contribute to the
Coast Guard Academy community.

Respect is one of the USCG’s and USCGA’s core values, so applicants
who have been exposed to and matured from issues in this arena may be
more competitive for appointment.  The USCGA believes an applicant’s
reaction to facing or witnessing discrimination or unfair treatment is
one of the best indicators to determine an applicant’s ability to
respect others and contribute to the climate of inclusion present at the
USCGA.

These topics are very similar to essay questions that the other service
academies and civilian colleges ask their applicants to determine fit
for their individual institutions; these personal statements assist the
USCGA in selecting the most qualified applicants for appointment. 
Applicants are informed in writing that information submitted in their
application, including their personal statements, is protected under the
Privacy Act.

12.  Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of
information.

Number of respondents, frequency, hour burden as follows:

 

Online Application (OA)			4.00 hrs x 2500 = 10000

High School Transcript (HST)		1.30 hrs x 2000 =   2600

College Transcript (CT)			0.30 hrs x   500 =     150

English Instructor Eval (EIE)			1.25 hrs x 2000 =   2500

Math Instructor Eval (MIE)			1.25 hrs x 2000 =   2500

Physical Fitness Exam (PFE)			2.00 hrs x 2000 =   4000

        Total number of hours = 21750

Cost figured at $7.25 per hour (U.S. Federal Minimum Wage) per student
and $25.00 per hour (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Average Hourly
Earnings-Education) per teacher filling out forms on personal time.

OA	                                 (4.00 hrs x $7.25) x 2500 = $ 
72,500.00

HST	(0.05 hrs x $7.25 + 1.25 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $  63,225.00

CT	(0.05 hrs x $7.25 + 0.25 hrs x $25.00) x   500 = $    3,306.25

EIE	(0.05 hrs x $7.25 + 1.20 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $  60,725.00

MIE	(0.05 hrs x $7.25 + 1.20 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $  60,725.00

PFE	(1.00 hrs x $7.25 + 1.00 hrs x $25.00) x 2000 = $  64,500.00

         Total hours value = $324,981.25

Note: Based on historical USCGA application data, approximately 2,500
respondents submit the online application annually, but only 2,000 will
complete the application process by having recommenders complete all
required supplemental forms.

13.  Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents
or record keepers.

There is no cost burden to respondents or record keepers associated with
this collection of information.

14.  Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government.

Cost figured at $14.00 per hour (General Schedule Pay Tables) per USCGA
Admissions staff member and $47.00 per hour (U.S. Military Pay Tables)
per USCGA faculty/staff member.

Development/Management of online application by contractor =            
           $25,000 

USCGA Admissions staff to prepare/validate data = 2 x $14.00/hr x 400
hrs =  $11,200

USCGA faculty/staff members to review data = 2 x $47.00/hr x 1000 hrs = 
     $94,000

Total Cost = 								                 $130,200

15.  Explain the reasons for any changes or adjustments reported in
items 13 or 14.

The change (i.e., decrease) in burden is a PROGRAM  CHANGE.

The decrease in burden hours is due to the discontinuation of CGA-14C,
Coach/Physical Education Instructor Evaluation form.

The decrease in burden cost is due to exclusive use of e-forms for
online submission of all supplemental forms, so no information is
required to be submitted via U.S. mail.

Updates are provided for cost burden associated with this collection of
information.

Overall, this collection of forms is easier for the respondents to
complete and record keepers to process compared to the previous
collection due to the technology employed within the e-forms and online
review of all applicants and supplemental forms by USCGA.

16.  Outline plans for tabulation and publication.

This information collection will not be published for statistical
purposes.

17.  If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB
approval of the 

       information collection, explain the reasons.

The expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection will
be displayed on both the log-in screen for the OA (for applicants) and
on the instructions screen for the recommendation system containing the
supplemental forms (for recommenders) for review prior to any
information being provided to the USCGA.

18.  Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in
Item 19, 

       "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,"of OMB
Form 83-I.

USCG does not request an exception to the certification of this
information collection. 

B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

1625-0004