[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51548-51549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24723]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request the NIH Consultant 
Information File System

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Center for Scientific Review 
(CSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH) has submitted to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the 
information collection listed below. This proposed information 
collection was previously published in the Federal Register on May 24, 
1999, page 28001 (Volume 64, Number 99) and allowed 60-days for public 
comment. No public comments were received. The purpose of this notice 
is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National 
Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is 
not required to respond to, and information collection that has been 
extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless 
it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Proposed Collection

    Title: The NIH Consultant Information File System.
    Type of Information Collection Request: Extension.
    Form Number: OMB 0925-0358 (expiration 10/31/99) NIH 2668-1; 2668-
3.
    Need and Use of Information Collection: This system directly 
supports the recruitment and appointment of scientific experts. These 
experts provide evaluative advice on the merit and program relevance of 
the research grant applications and research contract proposals 
submitted to the NIH. The primary objective of this system is to 
support the NIH Peer Review system, but other PHS review administrative 
staff use the system to identify experts to support their advisory 
committees.
    Frequency of Response: Intake established record on file, candidate 
can

[[Page 51549]]

initiate the updating of their information at any time, formal 
information update requested every 24 months.
    Affected Public: Individuals or household; Not-for-profit 
institutions; business or other for-profit; Federal Government.
    Type of Respondents: Adult scientific professionals, Individuals or 
household.
    The annual reporting burden is as follows:
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 9,741;
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1;
    Average Burden Hours Per Response: 0.308; and
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 2,998.
    The estimated annualized cost to respondents is $148,665 (using a 
$55 physician/professor hourly wage rate). There are not Capital Costs, 
Operating Costs, or Maintenance Costs to report.

Request for Comments

    Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies are invited on one or more of the following points: (1) 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

Direct Comments to OMB

    Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained 
in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and 
associated response time, should be directed to the: Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory Affairs, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk 
Officer for NIH. To request more information on the proposed project or 
to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact 
CAPT Edward C. Farley, USPHS, Project Clearance Liaison Officer, CSR, 
NIH, Rockledge II Building, Room 2216, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, 
MD 20892-7740, or call non-toll-free number (301) 435-0601 or E-mail 
your request, including your address to: [email protected]

Comments Due Date

    Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of 
having their full effect if received on or before October 25, 1999.

    Dated: September 15, 1999.
Chris Wisdom,
Executive Officer, CSR.
[FR Doc. 99-24723 Filed 9-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M