81 FR 91959 - Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to Establish an Information Collection
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 243 (December 19, 2016)
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 243 (December 19, 2016)
| Page Range | 91959-91959 | |
| FR Document | 2016-30434 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2016)] [Notices] [Page 91959] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-30434] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to Establish an Information Collection AGENCY: National Science Foundation. ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to request clearance of this collection. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve clearance of this collection for no longer than three years. DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 17, 2017 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email to [email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. You also may obtain a copy of the data collection instrument and instructions from Ms. Plimpton. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), we are providing opportunity for public comment on this action. Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for National User Facilities managed by the NSF Division of Materials Research. OMB Number: 3145-0234. Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017. Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew an information collection. Overview of this Information Collection: The NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR) supports a number of National User Facilities that provide specialized capabilities and instrumentation to the scientific community on a competitive proposal basis. In addition to the user program, these facilities support in-house research, development of new instrumentation or techniques, education, and knowledge transfer. The facilities integrate research and education for students and post-docs involved in experiments, and support extensive K-12 outreach to foster an interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and STEM careers. Facilities capitalize on diversity through participation in center activities and demonstrate leadership in the involvement of groups underrepresented in science and engineering. National User Facilities will be required to submit annual reports on progress and plans, which will be used as a basis for performance review and determining the level of continued funding. User facilities will be required to develop a set of management and performance indicators for submission annually to NSF via the Research Performance Project Reporting (RPPR) module in Research.gov. These indicators are both quantitative and descriptive and may include, for example, lists of successful proposal and users, the characteristics of facility personnel and students; sources of financial support and in-kind support; expenditures by operational component; research activities; education activities; knowledge transfer activities; patents, licenses; publications; degrees granted to students supported through the facility or users of the facility; descriptions of significant advances and other outcomes of this investment. Such reporting requirements are included in the cooperative agreement which is binding between the academic institution and the NSF. Each facility's annual report will address the following categories of activities: (1) Research, (2) education and training, (3) knowledge transfer, (4) partnerships, (5) diversity, (6) management, and (7) budget issues. For each of the categories the report will describe overall objectives and metrics for the reporting period, challenges or problems the facility has encountered in making progress towards goals, anticipated problems in the following year, and specific outputs and outcomes. Facilities are required to file a final report through the RPPR. Final reports contain similar information and metrics as annual reports, but are retrospective and focus on the period that was not addressed in previous annual reports. Use of the Information: NSF will use the information to continue funding of the DMR National User Facilities, and to evaluate the progress of the program. Estimate of Burden: 200 hours per facility for three National User Facilities for a total of 600 hours. Respondents: Non-profit institutions. Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One from each of the DMR user facilities. Dated: December 14, 2016. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. 2016-30434 Filed 12-16-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices 91959
Disabilities in Science and Engineering Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– progress and plans, which will be used
and Science and Engineering Indicators. 800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 as a basis for performance review and
A public release file of collected data, p.m., Eastern time, Monday through determining the level of continued
designed to protect respondent Friday. You also may obtain a copy of funding. User facilities will be required
confidentiality, will be made available the data collection instrument and to develop a set of management and
to researchers on the Internet. instructions from Ms. Plimpton. performance indicators for submission
Expected Respondents: A statistical SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: annually to NSF via the Research
sample of approximately 123,500 Comments: In accordance with the Performance Project Reporting (RPPR)
persons will be contacted in 2017. This requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of module in Research.gov. These
123,500 sample is a 5,500 case increase the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 indicators are both quantitative and
over the sample size listed in the first (Pub. L. 104–13), we are providing descriptive and may include, for
notice for public comment in the opportunity for public comment on this example, lists of successful proposal
Federal Register at 81 FR 49689. The action. Comments are invited on (a) and users, the characteristics of facility
larger sample size is needed to account whether the proposed collection of personnel and students; sources of
for the increased size of the college- information is necessary for the proper financial support and in-kind support;
educated population as well as lower performance of the functions of the expenditures by operational component;
response rates in recent years. NSF Agency, including whether the research activities; education activities;
estimates the 2017 NSCG response rate information shall have practical utility;
knowledge transfer activities; patents,
to be 70 to 80 percent. (b) the accuracy of the Agency’s
Estimate of Burden: The amount of licenses; publications; degrees granted
estimate of the burden of the proposed
time to complete the questionnaire may to students supported through the
collection of information; (c) ways to
vary depending on an individual’s enhance the quality, utility, and clarity facility or users of the facility;
circumstances; however, on average it of the information on respondents, descriptions of significant advances and
will take approximately 30 minutes to including through the use of automated other outcomes of this investment. Such
complete the survey. NSF estimates that collection techniques or other forms of reporting requirements are included in
the total annual burden will be no more information technology; and (d) ways to the cooperative agreement which is
than 49,400 hours (=123,500 minimize the burden of the collection of binding between the academic
respondents × 80% response × 30 information on those who are to institution and the NSF.
minutes) during the 2017 survey cycle. respond, including through the use of Each facility’s annual report will
Dated: December 9, 2016. appropriate automated, electronic, address the following categories of
Suzanne H. Plimpton, mechanical, or other technological activities: (1) Research, (2) education
collection techniques or other forms of and training, (3) knowledge transfer, (4)
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation. information technology. partnerships, (5) diversity, (6)
Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting management, and (7) budget issues.
[FR Doc. 2016–30044 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
Requirements for National User
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
Facilities managed by the NSF Division For each of the categories the report
of Materials Research. will describe overall objectives and
OMB Number: 3145–0234. metrics for the reporting period,
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Expiration Date of Approval: March challenges or problems the facility has
31, 2017. encountered in making progress towards
Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to
Type of Request: Intent to seek goals, anticipated problems in the
Establish an Information Collection
approval to renew an information following year, and specific outputs and
National Science Foundation.
AGENCY: collection. outcomes.
Notice and Request for
ACTION: Overview of this Information Facilities are required to file a final
Comments. Collection: The NSF Division of report through the RPPR. Final reports
Materials Research (DMR) supports a contain similar information and metrics
SUMMARY: The National Science number of National User Facilities that
Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans as annual reports, but are retrospective
provide specialized capabilities and and focus on the period that was not
to request clearance of this collection. instrumentation to the scientific
After obtaining and considering public addressed in previous annual reports.
community on a competitive proposal
comment, NSF will prepare the basis. In addition to the user program, Use of the Information: NSF will use
submission requesting that OMB these facilities support in-house the information to continue funding of
approve clearance of this collection for research, development of new the DMR National User Facilities, and to
no longer than three years. instrumentation or techniques, evaluate the progress of the program.
DATES: Written comments on this notice education, and knowledge transfer. Estimate of Burden: 200 hours per
must be received by February 17, 2017 The facilities integrate research and facility for three National User Facilities
to be assured of consideration. education for students and post-docs for a total of 600 hours.
Comments received after that date will involved in experiments, and support
be considered to the extent practicable. extensive K–12 outreach to foster an Respondents: Non-profit institutions.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION interest in Science Technology Estimated Number of Responses per
OR COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne H. Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Report: One from each of the DMR user
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer,
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
and STEM careers. Facilities capitalize facilities.
National Science Foundation, 4201 on diversity through participation in Dated: December 14, 2016.
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265, center activities and demonstrate
Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone Suzanne H. Plimpton,
leadership in the involvement of groups
(703) 292–7556; or send email to underrepresented in science and Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
splimpto@nsf.gov. Individuals who use engineering. Foundation.
a telecommunications device for the National User Facilities will be [FR Doc. 2016–30434 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal required to submit annual reports on BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
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Document Created: 2016-12-17 03:15:43
Document Modified: 2016-12-17 03:15:43
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice and Request for Comments. | |
| Dates | Written comments on this notice must be received by February 17, 2017 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 91959 |
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