What is the PRA and why do we need it?
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is a law governing how federal agencies collect information from the American public. Important goals of the PRA include:
Managing the information agencies request of the public
- We want to be good stewards of the public’s time, and not overwhelm them with unnecessary or duplicative requests for information.
- The PRA clearance process involves calculating burden hours. It’s important to understand how long it will take members of the public to complete your request.
Making decisions based on high-quality data
- We want to make sure the data we collect is accurate, helpful, and a good fit for its proposed use.
- Part of the PRA process involves the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) reviewing details about how the information you plan to collect fits with your goals.
Protecting private information
- To respect privacy, we avoid asking for personal information that’s not relevant or necessary.
- OIRA asks for extra details if you’re collecting personally identifying information (PII).
Who approves PRA clearances?
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
When doesn’t the PRA apply?
You don’t need PRA approval every time you collect information from the public. Some of the more common exemptions to PRA include:
- Requesting from fewer than 10 people,
- Open-ended requests for comments or feedback,
- Only collecting information from federal employees as part of their work duties, or
- Discussions and questions at a public hearing, meeting, or online equivalent.
Some information collections are generally not subject to the PRA, including: certain federal investigations and civil actions, antitrust actions, and intelligence activities.
What happens if I don’t comply with PRA?
The PRA is a law, and compliance is mandatory. Collecting information without clearance can open your work, including decisions made based on the data to legal challenge. If uncleared collections or changes are discovered, OIRA may insist that the collections are stopped. OMB reports these violations to Congress and the President in the Information Collection Budget.
About
The PRA Guide’s content is maintained by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), part of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
This site is a product of 10x investments, made in collaboration with 18F and PRA officers across the federal government, and supported by Digital.gov.
Feedback
This is a preview of the new Guide to the PRA. We welcome your feedback to keep it useful and usable. Send any feedback to [email protected]
FAQs
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1980 establishes a broad mandate for agencies to perform their information activities in an efficient, effective, and economical manner. Section 3504 authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop and implement policies.
What is the PRA Reduction Act? ›
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) was enacted to minimize the paperwork burden for individuals; small businesses; educational and nonprofit institutions; Federal contractors; State, local and tribal governments; and other persons resulting from the collection of information by or for the federal government.
What is the PRA explained? ›
Specifically, the PRA: Establishes public ownership of all Presidential records and defines the term Presidential records. Requires that Vice-Presidential records be treated in the same way as Presidential records.
What does PRA mean in government? ›
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is a law governing how federal agencies collect information from the American public.
What happens if you violate the Paperwork Reduction Act? ›
When OMB becomes aware of a violation of the Paperwork Reduction Act it is brought to the CIO's attention. If the violation is not resolved in a timely manner, the issue is raised in OMB's management chain and can result in official Departmental reprimands and may have budget implications.
What is a supporting statement for Paperwork Reduction Act submission? ›
The Supporting Statement is a set of required questions that help provide a clear rationale for the why, what, how, and who of the information collection. All Supporting Statements have a Part A - a standard list of 18 questions - which shows compliance with the PRA requirements and other associated laws.
What is the main purpose of the PRA? ›
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) is a part of the Bank of England and responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms. It sets standards and supervises financial institutions at the level of the individual firm.
What is PRA and its purpose? ›
Summary. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is an assessment and learning approach that places emphasis on empowering local people to assume an active role in analyzing their own living conditions, problems, and potentials in order to seek for a change of their situation.
What is the aim of the PRA? ›
The PRA officially was established on April 1, 2013, with the primary objective of supervising and regulating financial institutions (i.e., banks, insurers, building societies, and credit unions) to ensure their financial stability.
What was the result of the passing of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995? ›
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 explicitly included thirdparty reporting requirements within its scope and its definition of aggregate burden. As a result of this change, many preexisting thirdparty requirements that had not previously been counted in the information collection budget are now included.
Type of Information Collected
The following are examples of information that require PRA clearance: Forms (hard-copy and electronic), such as the DI-3680, DOI Donor Certification Form. Written reports, such as grantee performance reports or annual reports associated with permits.
What is the PRA short for? ›
abbreviation for Paperwork Reduction Act: a US law that requires government departments to try to produce fewer documents: The agency approved the PRA request and assigned control numbers 3235-0049 to the form.
What is the IRS Paperwork Reduction Act? ›
§§ 3501–3521) is a United States federal law enacted in 1980 designed to reduce the total amount of paperwork burden the federal government imposes on private businesses and citizens. The Act imposes procedural requirements on agencies that wish to collect information from the public.
What is the Deficit Reduction Act summary? ›
Under section 6044, the DRA provides States with the flexibility to change their Medicaid benefit packages to mirror certain commercial insurance packages through the use of benchmark plans. States may use this authority to leverage employer-sponsored coverage of Medicaid beneficiaries.
What is the Paperwork Reduction Act 1980 1995? ›
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 - Amends the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 to: (1) extend its purview to educational and nonprofit institutions, Federal contractors, and tribal governments; (2) revise the authority and functions of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the Office of Management ...
What is the Texas Reduction of Paperwork Act? ›
A TCTA-initiated law on paperwork requirements provides that: Districts must limit redundant requests for information and the number and length of written reports that a teacher must prepare.
