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Ascension is seeking a Senior Regulatory/PRA Analyst or Economist to support the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), in conducting regulatory analysis and Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) burden assessments supporting federal information collection activities.

The ideal candidate is a highly analytical regulatory professional who understands how federal agencies evaluate information collection requirements, estimate respondent burden and costs, and develop defensible methodologies to support regulatory decision-making. This individual will play a critical role in helping PHMSA develop accurate, transparent, and reproducible PRA analyses that support Information Collection Requests (ICRs) submitted for review and approval.

This position is ideal for a detail-oriented analyst, economist, or regulatory specialist who combines quantitative analytical skills with strong technical writing capabilities. The successful candidate will have experience interpreting regulations, developing analytical methodologies, managing complex datasets, and translating quantitative findings into clear documentation for federal stakeholders, including PHMSA, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The candidate should be comfortable working independently, managing multiple analytical assignments, responding to stakeholder feedback, and producing high-quality regulatory documentation within established timelines.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Senior Regulatory/PRA Analyst or Economist provides technical analytical support for PHMSA OPS regulatory development activities, specifically focused on PRA information collection analyses.

Under this effort, PHMSA requires support developing estimates of paperwork burden hours, labor costs, and associated impacts for information collections subject to PRA requirements. The analyst will develop methodologies for estimating baseline and incremental burden, document assumptions and data sources, prepare analytical reports, and maintain supporting calculation spreadsheets.

The position supports the preparation of draft and final PRA analysis documents, including reports and Excel-based calculations, ensuring that methodologies are transparent, reproducible, and responsive to Government review comments. The analyst will participate in discussions with PHMSA, OST, and OMB stakeholders and provide technical responses to questions regarding PRA assumptions, analytical approaches, and findings.

The contractor will support PHMSA’s mission by helping ensure regulatory requirements are evaluated using sound analytical methods consistent with federal laws, executive orders, and regulatory guidance. The BPA Call requires development of PRA analyses for approximately 10 information collections during the 12-month performance period, including draft and final reports and supporting spreadsheets.

The successful candidate will leverage analytical tools and processes such as:

• Microsoft Excel for burden calculations, cost estimates, and supporting analyses
• Microsoft Word for regulatory reports and documentation
• Data collection and analysis methodologies
• Reproducible quantitative estimation methods
• Regulatory research and documentation processes
• Federal regulatory review and comment-response processes

The role directly supports PHMSA’s requirement to prepare PRA analyses that document data sources, estimation methods, findings, and responses to PHMSA, OST, and OMB comments.

Position Responsibilities / Expected Activities

The Senior Regulatory/PRA Analyst or Economist will:

• Develop PRA burden estimation methodologies for federal information collection requests.
• Analyze existing information collection requirements to determine respondent burden hours, labor categories, and associated costs.
• Calculate baseline burden estimates and incremental burden impacts resulting from regulatory or procedural changes.
• Conduct regulatory research supporting PRA analyses, regulatory impact assessments, and information collection justifications.
• Prepare draft and final PRA analysis reports documenting analytical assumptions, data sources, methodology, and findings.
• Develop supporting Microsoft Excel spreadsheets used to calculate burden estimates and cost analyses.
• Validate analytical calculations to ensure accuracy, consistency, and reproducibility.
• Document analytical approaches using clear, transparent methodologies suitable for federal review.
• Participate in meetings and conference calls with PHMSA, OST, OMB, and contractor team members to discuss analytical findings.
• Respond to stakeholder comments and questions regarding PRA methodologies, calculations, and supporting documentation.
• Revise analytical products based on Government feedback while maintaining consistency with regulatory requirements.
• Support technical briefings communicating PRA methodologies, assumptions, and results.
• Maintain organized documentation and analytical files supporting Government review and acceptance.
• Prepare monthly status inputs describing accomplishments, issues, staff hours, deliverable status, and project activities.

The position supports Task 1 activities involving meetings, coordination, and responses to Government comments, as well as Task 2 activities involving preparation of PRA analysis reports and supporting spreadsheets.