[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 204 (Thursday, October 22, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 56664]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28273]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Submission for OMB Review; Survey of Industrial Research and 
Development (OMB Control No. 3145-0027)

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation (NSF) 
is inviting the general public or other Federal agencies to comment on 
this proposed continuing information collection. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register on page 43960 in the Monday, August 17, 1998 issue [Vol. 63, 
No. 158] and two comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed 
renewal submission to OMB for clearance simultaneously with the 
publication of this second notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or for a copy 
of the collection instrument and instructions contact Ms. Mary Lou 
Higgs, Acting Clearance Officer, via surface mail: National Science 
Foundation, ATTN: NSF Reports Clearance Officer, Suite 295, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230; telephone (703) 306-2063; e-mail 
[email protected]; or FAX (703) 306-0201.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    1. Abstract: The proposed continuing information collection 
involves the estimation of the expenditures on research and development 
performed within the United States by industrial firms. A mail survey, 
the Survey of Industrial Research and Development, has been conducted 
annually since 1953. Industry accounts for over 70 percent of total 
U.S. R&D each year and since its inception, the survey has provided 
continuity of statistics on R&D expenditures by major industry groups 
and by source of funds. The survey is the industrial component of the 
NSF statistical program that seeks to ``provide a central clearinghouse 
for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data on the 
availability of, and the current and projected need for, scientific and 
technical resources in the United States, and to provide a source of 
information for policy formulation by other agencies of the Federal 
government'' as mandated in the National Science Foundation Act of 
1950. Statistics from the survey are published in NSF's annual 
publication series Research and Development in Industry. The proposed 
collection will continue the survey for three years.
    2. Expected Respondents: The survey will be mailed to a statistical 
sample of approximately 24,000 companies to collect information on the 
amount and sources of funds for and character of R&D performed and 
contracted out by industrial firms, and information on sales and 
employment of the firms themselves.
    3. Burden on the Public: To minimize burden, over 90-percent of the 
companies selected for the Survey of Industrial Research and 
Development are asked to respond to the Form RD-1A, the abbreviated 
version of the basic survey questionnaire, Form RD-1. Further, only 
companies with five paid employees or more are asked to participate in 
the survey and extensive use is made of the descriptive codes and 
information on the establishment list that is the source of the survey 
sample to avoid sampling firms in industries that traditionally do not 
perform R&D. NSF, with input from the Bureau of the Census, the 
collection and compiling agent for the survey, estimates that the 
average annual reporting and record keeping burden on each Form RD-1A 
respondent will be 1 hour and on Form RD-1 respondents will be 15 
hours. The total annual burden is estimated at 43,000 hours, calculated 
as follows:

RD-1A respondents: 22,000 respondents  x  1 response  x  1 burden hour 
= 22,000 hours/year
RD-1 respondents: 1,400 respondents  x  1 response  x  15 burden hours 
= 21,000 hours/year
All respondents: 22,000 + 21,000 = 43,000 burden hours/year during 
1999, 2000, and 2001.

Comments Requested

DATES: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should receive written 
comments on or before November 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: Office of Management and Budget, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, ATTN: National Science 
Foundation Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10235, 725 17th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.

Special Areas for Review

    NSF especially requests comments on:
    (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Foundation, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) the accuracy of the Foundation's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information;
    (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, e.g., permitting submission of responses 
through the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques.

    Dated: October 16, 1998.
Mary Lou Higgs,
Acting NSF Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-28273 Filed 10-21-98; 8:45 am]
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