[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 96 (Tuesday, May 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28108-28109]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-11179]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 96 / Tuesday, May 18, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 28108]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Notice of Intent To Request an Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementing regulations, this 
notice announces the Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service's (CSREES) intention to request an extension of a 
currently approved information collection, Form CSREES-667 ``Proposal 
Cover Sheet'', and Form CSREES-668, ``Project Summary.''

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before July 22, 
2004, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments regarding this notice to Louise Ebaugh, 
Deputy Administrator, Office of Extramural Programs, CSREES, USDA, STOP 
2299, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2299. E-mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louise Ebaugh, (202) 720-9181.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Grant Application Forms for the Small Business Innovation 
Research Grants Program.
    OMB Number: 0524-0025.
    Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 2004.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract: In 1982, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 
Program was authorized by Public Law 97-219, and in 1992 reauthorized 
through October 1, 2000, by Public Law 102-564. In 2000, the SBIR 
program was reauthorized through September 30, 2008, by Public Law 106-
554. This Legislation requires each Federal agency with a research or 
research and development budget in excess of $100 million to establish 
an SBIR program. The objectives of the SBIR Program are to stimulate 
technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of 
small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs, 
increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from 
Department of Agriculture (USDA)-supported research and development 
efforts, and foster and encourage participation by women-owned and 
socially and economically disadvantaged small business firms in 
technological innovation. The Program is carried out in three separate 
phases. The purpose of Phase I is to determine the scientific or 
technical feasibility of ideas; Phase II is the principal research or 
research and development effort; and Phase III is to stimulate 
technological innovation and national return on investment from 
research through the pursuit of commercial objectives resulting from 
work carried out in Phases I and II.
    USDA conducts its SBIR program through the use of grant awards and 
these grants are administered by the Awards Management Branch, Office 
of Extramural Programs, CSREES. Each year for which funding is 
available, USDA issues an SBIR program solicitation requesting Phase I 
applications. These applications are evaluated by peer review panels 
and awarded on competitive basis. The SBIR Program Solicitation 
requests that applicants submit applications following the format 
outlined in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Policy Directive. 
This simplified and standardized application format is used by all of 
the Federal agencies participating in the SBIR Program in order to 
reduce the application burden of small business firms that wish to 
apply to more than one agency.
    Before awards can be made, certain information is required from 
applicants as part of an overall application package. This information 
includes project summaries, descriptions of the research or teaching 
efforts, literature reviews, curricula vitae of project directors, 
other relevant technical aspects of the proposed project, and 
supporting documentation of an administrative and budgetary nature. 
Because of the nature of the competitive, peer-reviewed process, it is 
important that information from applicants be available in a 
standardized format to ensure equitable treatment.
    This program also uses forms approved in the OMB-approved 
collection of information package 0524-0039. These forms include Form 
CSREES-2004, ``Budget;'' Form CSREES-2006, ``National Environmental 
Policy Act Exclusions Form;'' and Form CSREES-2008, ``Assurance 
Statement(s).''
    Forms CSREES-667, ``Phase I and Phase II Proposal Cover Sheet;'' 
and CSREES-668, ``Phase I and Phase II Project Summary'' are used to 
obtain USDA recordkeeping data, required certifications, and 
information used to respond to inquiries from Congress, other 
Government agencies, and the grantee community concerning grant 
projects supported by the USDA SBIR Program.
    The following information has been collected and will continue to 
be collected:
    Form CSREES-667--Identification, designates the research topic area 
under which an application is submitted for consideration; USDA 
recordkeeping data, provides names and addresses of project directors 
and authorized agents of small business firms; and Certifications, 
provides required certifications (e.g., the applicant qualifies as a 
small business for purposes of the SBIR program; the applicant 
qualifies as a minority and disadvantaged and/or women-owned small 
business).
    Form CSREES-668--Project summary, provides a Technical Abstract 
used when releasing information about grant projects supported and 
keywords to identify the technology/research thrust/ commercial 
application of the projects.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 5.15 hours per response (1.4 hours 
and 3.75 hours for Forms CSREES-667 and CSREES-668, respectively). The 
average hours per

[[Page 28109]]

response is based on the hour burden as currently reported to OMB.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Form: 700 for Form CSREES-667 and 
700 for Form CSREES-668. The estimate per form is based on the number 
of applications submitted in fiscal year 2003 to the SBIR Program 
rounded to the nearest hundred.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,605 hours, broken 
down by: 980 hours for Form CSREES-667 (1.4 hours per 700 respondents) 
and 2,625 hours for Form CSREES-668 (3.75 hours per 700 respondents).
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained without 
charge from Melanie Krizmanich, Policy and Program Liaison Staff, 
CSREES, (202) 401-1762. e-mail: [email protected].
    Comments: 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 will 
have practical utility; (b) 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; (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, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments should be 
sent to the address stated in the preamble.
    Comments also may be submitted directly to OMB and should be 
addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 
20502.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of May, 2004.
Joseph J. Jen,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 04-11179 Filed 5-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P