[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 172 (Thursday, September 6, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51234-51235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17570]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2007-0067]


Science and Technology Directorate; Submission for Review; New 
Information Collection Request for Support of SBIR/STTR Company 
Registration Form, Research Topic Recommendation Form, Ask a Question 
Form, Collaboration Opportunity Form, Reviewer Opportunity Form, E-mail 
Mailing List Signup Form, E-mail Mailing List Removal Form, Proposal 
Coversheet Form, Cost Proposal Form

AGENCY: Science and Technology Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: 30-day Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) invites interested 
persons to comment on the following forms for the Small Business 
Innovation Research (SBIR) program: Company Registration (DHS FORM 
10022), Research Topic Recommendation (DHS FORM 10018), Ask a Question 
(DHS FORM 10020), Collaboration Opportunity (DHS FORM 10021), Reviewer 
Opportunity (DHS FORM 10019), E-mail Mailing List Signup (DHS FORM 
10016), E-mail Mailing List Removal (DHS FORM 10024), Proposal 
Coversheet (DHS FORM 10017), Cost Proposal (DHS FORM 10023) forms and

[[Page 51235]]

instructions (hereinafter ``Forms Package'') designed to collect 
proposal information from small businesses through the SBIR Web site. 
This notice and request for comments is required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until October 9, 
2007. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number [DHS-
2007-0067], by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: [email protected]. Include docket number [DHS-
2007-0067] in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Science and Technology Directorate, ATTN: OCIO/
Kenneth D. Rogers, 245 Murray Drive, Bldg 410, Washington, DC 20528.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth D. Rogers (202) 254-6185 (this 
is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This request for comment was previously 
published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2007, for a 60-day public 
comment period ending August 14, 2007. No comments were received by DHS 
during the 60-day comment period. The purpose of this notice is to 
allow an additional 30 days for public comments. This notice and 
request for comments is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    DHS invites the general public to comment on the new information 
collection forms, as described below.
    Interested parties can obtain copies of the Forms Package by 
calling or writing the point of contact listed above.
    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovation 
Research (SBIR) program established under the Small Business Innovation 
Development Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-219) is responsible for collecting 
information used by the DHS SBIR/Small Business Technology Transfer 
(STTR) Program Office to: 1. Identify members of the public who qualify 
for, and are interested in participating in, the DHS SBIR/STTR Program; 
2. Facilitate SBIR/STTR outreach to the public; 3. Provide the DHS 
SBIR/STTR Program Office necessary and sufficient information to 
determine that proposals submitted by the public to the DHS SBIR/STTR 
Program meet criteria for consideration under the program.
    Please note that the Forms Package includes nine forms for 
collecting proposal information from small businesses. As explained 
herein, these separate forms are intended to reduce burden and improve 
records management by (1) allowing offerors to submit identifying 
information only once and then to reference that previously submitted 
identifying information in the submittal of proposals, (2) eliminating 
the cost and delay associated with the submission of proposals via non-
electronic means, (3) facilitating timely review of proposals, and (4) 
improving the accuracy of records management for proposals. The 
Department is committed to improving its SBIR processes and urges all 
interested parties to suggest how these materials can further reduce 
burden while seeking necessary information under the Act.
    DHS is particularly interested in comments that:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate 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) Suggest ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and
    (4) Suggest 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, e.g., 
permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection: New information collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Company Registration Form, 
Research Topic Recommendation Form, Ask a Question Form, Collaboration 
Opportunity Form, Reviewer Opportunity Form, E-mail Mailing List Signup 
Form, E-mail Mailing List Removal Form, Proposal Coversheet Form, Cost 
Proposal Form.
    (3) Agency Form Number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: Company 
Registration Form (DHS FORM 10022), Research Topic Recommendation Form 
(DHS FORM 10018), Ask a Question Form (DHS FORM 10020), Collaboration 
Opportunity Form (DHS FORM 10021), Reviewer Opportunity Form (DHS FORM 
10019), E-mail Mailing List Signup Form (DHS FORM 10016), E-mail 
Mailing List Removal Form (DHS FORM 10024), Proposal Coversheet Form 
(DHS FORM 10017), Cost Proposal Form (DHS FORM 10023).
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Business or other for-profit; the data 
collected through the SBIR Forms Package will be used to collect and 
review proposals from small businesses.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: Company 
Registration Form--400 respondents annually/15 minutes per respondent, 
Research Topic Recommendation Form--120 respondents annually/15 minutes 
per respondent, Ask a Question Form--150 respondents annually/10 
minutes per respondent, Collaboration Opportunity Form--100 respondents 
annually/15 minutes per respondent, Reviewer Opportunity Form--100 
respondents annually/15 minutes per respondent, E-mail Mailing List 
Signup Form--300 respondents annually/10 minutes per respondent, E-mail 
Mailing List Removal Form--180 respondents annually/10 minutes per 
respondent, Proposal Coversheet Form--460 respondents annually/30 
minutes per respondent, Cost Proposal Form--370 respondents annually/1 
hour per respondent.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: 885 burden hours.

    Dated: August 29, 2007.
Kenneth D. Rogers,
Chief Information Officer, Science and Technology Directorate.
 [FR Doc. E7-17570 Filed 9-5-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-10-P