[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51988-51989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19302]


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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. 163 / Tuesday, August 24, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 51988]]



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposal To Collect Information on the Expenditures Incurred by 
Recipients of Bio-Medical Research Awards From the National Institutes 
of Health (NIH)

ACTION: Proposed collection: comment request.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, the Department of Commerce invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 25, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, 
Room 6625, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230, or via Internet at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Additional information or copies of the 
information collection instruments and instructions should be directed 
to: Ms. Teresita Teensma, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of 
Economic Analysis, BE-57, Washington, DC 20230 (Telephone: (202) 606-
9792, Internet: [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The survey to obtain the distribution of expenditures incurred by 
recipients of biomedical research awards from the National Institutes 
of Health Research (NIH) will provide information on how the NIH award 
amounts are expended across several major categories. This information, 
along with wage and price data from other published sources, will be 
used to generate the Biomedical Research and Developmental Price Index 
(BRDPI). The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of 
Commerce develops this index for the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH) under reimbursable contract. The BRDPI is an index of prices paid 
for the labor, supplies, equipment, and other inputs required to 
perform the biomedical research the NIH supports in its intramural 
laboratories and through its awards to extramural organizations. The 
BRDPI is a vital tool for planning the NIH research budget and 
analyzing future NIH programs. A survey of award recipient entities is 
currently the only means for updating the expenditure categories that 
are used to prepare the BRDPI.

II. Authority

    This survey will be voluntary. The authority for the National 
Institutes of Health to collect information for the BRDPI is provided 
in 45 CFR subpart C, Post-Award Requirements, section 74.21 which sets 
forth explicit standards for grantees in establishing and maintaining 
financial management systems and records and section 74.53 which 
provides for the retention of such records as well as NIH access to 
such records.
    BEA will administer the survey and analyze the survey results on 
behalf of NIH, through an interagency agreement between the two 
agencies. The authority for the NIH to contract with DOC to make this 
collection is the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535 and 1536).
    The ``Special Studies'' authority, 15 U.S.C. 1525 (first 
paragraph), permits DOC to provide, upon the request of any person, 
firm or public or private organization (a) Special studies on matters 
within the authority of the Department of Commerce, including preparing 
from its records special compilations, lists, bulletins, or reports, 
and (b) furnishing transcripts or copies of its studies, compilations 
and other records. BEA has programmatic authority to perform this work 
pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1527a.
    IH's support for this research is consistent with the Agency's 
duties and authority under 42 U.S.C. 282.
    The information provided by the respondents will be held 
confidential and be used for exclusively statistical purposes. This 
pledge of confidentiality is made under the Confidential Information 
Protection provisions of title V, subtitle A, Public Law 107-347. Title 
V is the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency 
Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). Section 512 (on Limitations on Use and Disclosure 
of Data and Information) of the Act, provides that ``data or 
information acquired by an agency under a pledge of confidentiality and 
for exclusively statistical purposes shall be used by officers, 
employees, or agents of the agency exclusively for statistical 
purposes. Data or information acquired by an agency under a pledge of 
confidentiality for exclusively statistical purposes shall not be 
disclosed by an agency in identifiable form, for any use other than an 
exclusively statistical purpose, except with the informed consent of 
the respondent.''
    Responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in 
identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents of BEA 
without your consent. By law, each employee as well as each agent is 
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or 
both if he or she makes public any identifiable information that you 
report about your business or institution.
    Section 515 of the Information Quality Guidelines applies to this 
survey. The collection and use of this information complies with all 
applicable information quality guidelines, i.e., those of the Office of 
Management and Budget, Department of Commerce, and BEA.

III. Method of Collection

    A survey questionnaire with a cover letter that includes a brief 
description of, and rationale for, the survey will be sent to potential 
respondents by the first week of June of each year. A report of the 
respondent's expenditures of the NIH award amounts, following the 
proposed format for expenditure categories attached to the survey's 
cover letter, will be requested to be returned no later than 60 days 
after mailing. Survey respondents will be selected on the basis of 
award levels, which determine the weight of the respondent in the 
biomedical research and development price index. Potential respondents 
will include (1) The top 100 organizations in total awards, which 
account for about 74 percent of total

[[Page 51989]]

awards; (2) the top 40 organizations that are not primarily in the 
``Research and Development (R&D) contracts'' category, and which 
account for about 4 percent of total awards; and, (3) the top 10 
organizations that are primarily in the ``R&D contracts'' category, and 
which account for less than one percent of total awards.

IV. Data

    OMB Number:
    Form Number:
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Universities or other organizations that are NIH 
award recipients.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 105.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 11.2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1,176 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $43,982 (Assumes a 70 percent response 
rate, an estimated reporting burden of 11.2 hours and an estimated 
hourly cost of $37.40.)

V. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the NIH, including whether the information has practical utility: (b) 
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours 
and cost) 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 respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection: They also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 18, 2004.
Madeline Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-19302 Filed 8-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P