Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request for Revised Information Collection: OPM Form 1203-AW, Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form 1203-AW, OPM Form 1203-FX, Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form 1203-FX, and OPM Form 1203-EZ, Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form 1203-EZ

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request for Revised

Information Collection: OPM Form 1203-AW, Occupational Questionnaire

OPM Form 1203-AW, OPM Form 1203-FX, Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form

1203-FX, and OPM Form 1203-EZ, Occupational Questionnaire OPM Form

1203-EZ

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public

Law 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of

Personnel Management (OPM) submitted to the Office of Management and

Budget a request for review of a revised information collection for

Occupational Questionnaire (OPM Forms 1203-AW, 1203-FX and 1203-EZ).

The Occupational Questionnaire is an optical scan form designed to

collect applicant information and qualifications in a format suitable

for automated processing and to create applicant records for an

automated examining system. Each version of this form contains a unique

scan form identifier in the upper left-hand corner for the scanning

equipment to recognize which version is being used. The 1203 series was

commonly referred to as the Qualifications and Availability Form C. OPM

has re-titled the series as Occupational Questionnaire, to fit a more

generic need. OPM uses these forms to carry out its responsibility for

open competitive examining for admission to the competitive service in

accordance with section 3304, of title 5, United States Code.

OPM Form 1203-AW is a scan form that contains a unique control

number pre-printed within the footer of the form that is scanned in

along with the applicant's information. It is OPM's intention to phase

out this version of the Occupational Questionnaire during fiscal year

2002. Applicants will be asked to use OPM Form1203-FX or 1203-EZ in its

place. OPM will

[[Page 40975]]

officially cancel Form 1203-AW at that time.

OPM Form 1203-FX is a seven page version of the Occupational

Questionnaire that allows the applicant to transmit via facsimile. This

version does not contain a unique control number pre-printed within the

footer of the form. However, this revised version will be phased in to

allow continued acceptance of the existing version dated October 1998,

making the existing version still usable. (See the comments identified

below for what changes were made.)

OPM Form 1203-EZ is a three page version that is shorter and is

transmittable via facsimile. This version does not contain a unique

control number pre-printed within the footer of the form.

A comment request for these forms was published in the Federal

Register on August 6, 2001 [FR Doc. 01-19551]. During the initial 60-

day comment request period, OPM received no comments.

OPM has revised the Occupational Questionnaire to include the

following: (1) Updated the Privacy Act and Public Burden Statements;

(2) slightly re-designed the forms for scanning technology; (3)

improved the sections that allow overseas applicants to enter foreign

addresses and phone numbers; (4) removed the requirement for the

applicant to sign and date (since this is a scan form that only

recognizes certain characters written in blocks and filled-in bubbles);

(5) added ``Date of Birth'' to all versions; (6) updated the Veterans'

Preference section; and (7) changed the title of this series from

``Qualifications and Availability Form'' (commonly referred as the

``Form C'') to ``Occupational Questionnaire'.

Upon clearance from the Office of Management and Budget, the

Occupational Questionnaire will be available via OPM's web site and

OPM's USAJOBS web site. The form will be made available electronically

as a fillable Adobe Acrobat Reader (.PDF) file and fillable on-line

when applying on OPM's USAJOBS web site (when applicable). A

transmittal memo from OPM will be sent to all Federal agency personnel

directors via the Human Resources Management Council, announcing the

approved, revised form and where/how to obtain it.

For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey on 202-

606-8358, fax at 202-418-3251, or e-mail at [email protected]. Please

include a mailing address with your request.

DATES: Comments on this proposal should be received on or before July

15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to--

U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Employment Service, ATTN: Rob

Timmins, 1900 E Street, NW., Room 1425, Washington, DC 20415-9820, E-

mail: [email protected], and

Office of Management & Budget, Office of Information & Regulatory

Affairs, ATTN: Joseph Lackey, OPM Desk Officer, New Executive Office

Building, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Office of Personnel Management.

Kay Coles James,

Director.

[FR Doc. 02-15011 Filed 6-13-02; 8:45 am]

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