[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 23, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53619-53620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26619]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Submission for OMB review; comment request; The National Survey 
to Evaluate the NIH SBIR Program.

SUMMARY: Under the provisions of section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Extramural Research, Office of 
Extramural Programs, the National Institutes of Health 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 June 14, 2001 (p. 32361) 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, an 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 National Survey to Evaluate the NIH 
SBIR Program. Type of Information Collection Request: New. Need and Use 
of Information Collection: The NIH, Office of Extramural Research, 
Office of Extramural Programs seeks to obtain OMB's approval to conduct 
a survey to evaluate the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 
Program. The SBIR Program, established by Congress in 1982 (Public Law 
97-219) and recently reauthorized through September 30, 2008 (Pub. L. 
106-554), provides research support to small businesses for innovative 
technology. The primary objectives are to assess the extent to which 
SBIR program goals are being met, particularly those dealing with the 
commercialization of research products, processes or services and the 
uncovering of new knowledge that will lead to better health for 
everyone. With survey information, NIH is enabled to accurately assess 
the results of its large financial investment in funding innovative 
research conducted by small business concerns. Findings will help to: 
(1) Understand if innovative projects supported through the NIH SBIR 
Program are being commercialized, and if so, to classify the types of 
products, processes or services that are derived through SBIR funding; 
(2) determine if other measures of success defined within the NIH 
mission are being achieved; and (3) enhance NIH's administration of the 
SBIR Program and the support that it provides to small business 
concerns. Overall, the NIH will use the survey results to assess the 
outcomes from NIH-supported SBIR awards. OD will collect information 
from SBIR awardees using an Internet survey. The online survey will be 
implemented using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption technology and 
password access. OD will use first-class mail and email messages to 
advise awardees that they have been selected to participate in the 
survey. Frequency of Response: Annual (As needed on an on-going 
basis.); Affected Public: Small business concerns supported by NIH 
through the SBIR Program; and Type of Respondents: For-profit small 
business concerns that have received NIH SBIR awards. The annual 
reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,000; 
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours 
Per Response: .5; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 
500. The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at $37,500. There 
are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating Costs and/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

[[Page 53620]]

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: 
Ms. Jo Anne Goodnight, Coordinator, NIH Small Business Innovation 
Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Programs, Rockledge II 
Building, Room 6186, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, Md, or call non-
toll-free number (301) 435-2688, or email 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 November 23, 2001.

    Dated: October 9, 2001.
Jo Anne Goodnight,
SBIR/STTR Program Coordinator, NIH.
[FR Doc. 01-26619 Filed 10-22-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M