1140-0120 Supporting Statement A (F 8620.71) 12.11.2024.de

Visitor Access Request (ATF Form 8620.71)

OMB Control Number 1140-0120 

OMB Expiration Date: 05/31/2025 

Department of Justice

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)

Information Collection Request (ICR)

OMB 1140-0120

Visitor Access Request (ATF Form 8620.71)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the information collection necessary.

Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between ATF and the Office of Personnel Management, dated March 3, 2000, ATF is authorized to conduct security and suitability background investigations. ATF routinely works with representatives from other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, participating in multi-jurisdictional approaches to combat crime. To protect ATF assets and ensure ATF facilities are only accessed by eligible individuals, ATF will conduct record checks on these representatives prior to granting them access to ATF facilities for official business. ATF will review record results and determine if a law enforcement representative may be granted access to ATF facilities and the level of access to be granted.

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

Applicants use the Visitor Access Request (ATF Form 8620.71) to inform ATF that they have a need to enter ATF facilities and to request access. They must provide identifying information and information on the event/need for access, which ATF uses to identify who wishes to enter the facility, whether they meet eligibility criteria, and when they will need access. ATF uses the personally identifiable information (PII) to begin the eligibility determination process to grant a representative (respondent) from a Federal, State, or local agency access to ATF facilities for official business.

ATF’s Personnel Security Division (PSD) staff approve or deny facility access based on the results of applicable record checks. If access is approved, PSD designates the level of approved access (i.e., escorted or unescorted). Non-Federal agency representatives can be granted only escorted facility access.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the information collection involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection.

ATF makes every effort to take advantage of electronic collection and dissemination capabilities available. This fillable ATF Form 8620.71 (with electronic signature capability) is available for respondents to download from the ATF portal. The form will be emailed to respondents along with submission instructions for returning the completed form to ATF for processing. Respondents may electronically complete the form, have it certified by their agency’s security office point of contact, and submit it to a specific email address provided by ATF for processing. Individuals with disabilities can also access and complete this form because it is 508 compliant.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

This information is not duplicative and asks for identifying and event/date information needed so that people who wish access to secure facilities can let ATF know of their interest and so ATF can determine if they meet entry criteria. The information therefore cannot be acquired from another source. ATF uses a uniform subject classification system for forms to identify duplication and to ensure that any similar information already available cannot be used or modified to use for the purpose of this information collection.

5. If the information collection impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

This information collection does not have a significant impact on small entities.

6. Describe the consequence to federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

ATF must ensure the safety and security of its government facilities, information, and IT systems. We use ATF Form 8620.71 to gather information necessary to conduct record checks for those federal, state, and local agency representatives requesting access to ATF facilities to conduct official business. ATF would be unable to ensure the safety and security of its resources, or would not be able to permit visitors for official business purposes, without this information collection.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause the information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.6.

There are no special circumstances associated with this information collection, which is conducted in a manner consistent with 5 CFR 1320.6. 

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.

The 60-Day Notice was published in the Federal Register on January 10, 2025 (90 FR 2031). The comment period ended on March 11, 2025. ATF received no comments. 

9. Explain any decision to provide any payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No payment or gift is associated with this information collection.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

ATF has not assured respondents of confidentiality. However, the information being collected includes PII and is thus protected by the Privacy Act. The information is maintained by ATF in the system of records: Justice/ATF-006 Internal Security Record System. The form that accompanies this ICR includes a Privacy Act statement that covers this information and informs respondents of the system of records, routine uses, and disclosure options.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

This information collection does not ask questions or require information of a sensitive nature.

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

ATF anticipates, based on past numbers, that 900 respondents will complete this application for access to a specific ATF facility. However, a given person must complete a new form if the same individual requires long-term access to an ATF facility for more than a year. We estimate that it takes five minutes (or 0.0833 hours) to complete the form. The total annual burden hours associated with this collection is therefore 75 hours (900 respondents * 0.0833).

Table. Estimated Annualized Respondent Cost and Hour Burden

Activity	Number of respondents	Frequency	Total annual responses	Time per response	Total annual burden (hours)
Filling out Visitor Access Request form	900	1	900	0.0833	75

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record-keepers resulting from the information collection. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).

There are no additional public costs associated with this information collection.

14. Provide estimates of the annualized cost to the federal government.

There is not cost to the federal government associated with this information collection.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

There have been no program changes. However, the number of respondents has decreased since the last time this ICR was renewed, from 2,000 to 900, based on the number of responses we’ve received annually during the past three years, resulting in a corresponding decrease in collective burden hours from 167 to 75.

16. For information collections whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulations and publication.

ATF will not publish the result of this collection.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

ATF intends to display the OMB expiration date for this information collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

This information collection does not include any exceptions to the certification statement.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.

This collection does not employ statistical methods.