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OMB Control No: 1840-0851	ICR Reference No: 202101-1840-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: ED/OPE	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Improper Payments Information Form
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 01/13/2021
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 01/13/2021
	Date Received in OIRA: 01/08/2021
Terms of Clearance: OMB approves the Department's request for emergency clearance of this ICR to facilitate the implementation of the CARES Act. Given ED's inability to seek public comment in advance of OMB approval, ED will include 60-day public comment language for the regular collection within the emergency notice. This will allow the public the full comment period for the regular collection as required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d).

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	07/31/2021	6 Months From Approved
Responses	5,138	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	5,138	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: Under the CARES Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the Department has made over 12,000 awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support emergency financial aid to students and institutional costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus. This form will be used by institutions that have improperly drawn down funds from their award accounts to provide the Department with information regarding funds being returned to correct these improper payments.

Emergency Justfication: Under the current unprecedented national health emergency, Congress and the President have come together to offer relief to those individuals and industries affected by the COVID-19 virus under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or the CARES Act. Under the CARES Act’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) has made over 12,000 awards to institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support emergency financial aid to students and institutional costs associated with significant changes to the delivery of instruction due to the coronavirus. In the course of monitoring these grant awards, the Department has determined that over 700 IHEs have improperly drawn down funds from their award accounts, totaling over $202 million in funds that must now be returned. Furthermore, during the time that these funds have been drawn down, grantees are earning additional interest in excess of the $500 annual cap prescribed by 2 CFR § 200.305(b) of the Uniform Guidance. The Department is concerned that this excess interest, without an expeditious inventory and response by our grantees, may be difficult to account. Therefore, in order to process the return of these funds more efficiently and prevent any further earnings beyond the interest cap, we are requesting emergency approval of a short form that will allow the grantee to provide the Department with information regarding the funds being returned.

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 116 - 136 18004 Name of Law: CARES Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 116 - 136 18004 Name of Law: CARES Act

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	5,138	5,138
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	5,138	5,138
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection, thus, all burden is considered new.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Yes

Agency Contact: Karen Epps 202 453-6337

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