The Department of Education issued a notice of Information Collection (ICR) inviting the public to comment on “proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information related to the collection of information on Foreign Gifts and Contracts Disclosures according to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act.”
 
Last June, the Department announced it was moving the responsibility for Section 117 collections from the Office of General Counsel to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA).  While the oversight will move, the collection itself will continue through the Partner Enterprise Business Collaboration system. As part of this move, FSA is requesting feedback on the following issues to ensure the forms and instructions remain relevant. The five specific areas mentioned in the ICR are the following:   

1. Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department;
2. Will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;
3. Is the estimate of burden accurate;
4. How might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
5. How might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology.

The deadline to submit comments on this information collection is February 27, 2023. NAICU will be exploring submitting comments in conjunction with the higher education community.  Additional documents related to this notice can be found on the Department’s website.