[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 175 (Friday, September 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54565-54566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23135]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Reports Clearance Officer invites comments on the proposed 
information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting the 
general public and other Federal agencies to comment on this proposed 
new information collection. This is the second notice for public 
comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 65 FR 
40143-40144 on June 29, 2000 and no comments were received. NSF will 
forward the proposed submission to OMB for clearance simultaneous with 
the publication of this second notice.

DATES: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should receive written 
comments on or before October 10, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance

[[Page 54566]]

the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 
(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 should be addressed 
to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Desk 
Officer: National Science Foundation, Office of Management and Budget; 
725 17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503. Requests for copies of the proposed information 
collection request should be addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports 
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm. 
295, Arlington, VA 22230, or by e-mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Plimpton, (703) 292-7556, or 
send e-mail to [email protected]. You may also obtain a copy of the data 
collection plans and instruments from Ms. Suzanne Plimpton, NSF's 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Blvd., Rm. 295, Arlington, VA 2230, phone (703) 292-7556. 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.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Generic Survey Clearance of the Science Resources Studies 
Survey Improvement Projects and Quick Response Studies.
    Abstract: The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of 
Science Resources Studies (SRS) needs to collect timely data on 
constant changes in the science and technology sector and to provide 
the information to policy makers in Congress and throughout the 
Government. SRS will sponsor quick response studies and focus groups on 
science and technology subjects, perform cognitive testing to improve 
survey methodology and questionnaires, and pretest questions for future 
surveys.
    Expected Respondents: Respondents will be from industry, academia, 
nonprofit organizations, members of the public, and Federal agencies. 
Data and information collection will be by mail, Internet, World Wide 
Web, telephone, visits, and/or focus groups. As the table below shows, 
as many as 330 institutions will be contacted. No institution will be 
contacted more than twice in one year. In addition, 40 members of the 
public may be contacted for a study of public attitudes toward science.
    Information from the respondents is needed to provide policy-makers 
with updates of the economic, financial, employment, and education 
situation in the science and technology sector of industry, academia, 
and nonprofit organizations. The information will also help NSF improve 
its current data collection instruments and processes.
    To minimize burden on small entities and to make sure that a high 
proportion of the science and technology universe is captured, most 
respondent selection will be designed with probability proportional to 
size. It is possible that during the 3 years of the survey clearance, 
NSF will study an issue that focuses on small entities, such as start-
up high-technology companies. In this case, every effort will be made 
to use technology to limit the burden on respondents from small 
entities.
    Information being collected is not considered to be sensitive. The 
contact letter and/or survey instrument will clearly indicate 
participation is voluntary and confidential.
    Expected Burden:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Number of
          1. Surveys of institutions           institutions     Hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cognitive testing--Survey of Scientific &                50          100
 Engineering Research Facilities.............
Cognitive testing--Survey of R&D Funding &               30           60
 Performance by Nonprofit Organizations......
Additional studies not specified.............           250        6,000
                                              --------------------------
    Total Institutions.......................           330        6,160


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                Number of
                                                members of
            2. Survey of persons                the public      Hours
                                              (respondents)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cognitive testing--Survey of Public                     40            80
 Attitudes Toward and Understanding of
 Science & Technology.......................
                                             ---------------------------
    Grand Total Institutions and Members of            370         6,240
     the Public.............................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Frequency: Respondents in the 3 identified studies will be 
contacted once per year. To meet the needs of policy-makers some 
respondents in the quick response studies may be contacted twice in one 
year.
    Affected Public: Industry, academia, nonprofit organizations, 
members of the public, and Federal agencies.

    Dated: September 5, 2000.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 00-23135 Filed 9-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M