[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 97 (Monday, May 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28831-28832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11083]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2008-0048]


Science and Technology Directorate; Submission for Review; 
Information Collection Request for the DHS S&T Tech Clearinghouse 
Program

AGENCY: Science and Technology Directorate, DHS.

ACTION: 60-day Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) invites the general 
public to comment on new data collection forms for the Tech 
Clearinghouse program: Consent Form, Entrance Form, Structured 
Assessment Case 1, Structured Assessment Case 2, 
Structured Assessment Case 3, Structured Assessment Case 
4, and Exit Form. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 requires 
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology 
Directorate (S&T) to establish a Technology Clearinghouse to encourage 
and support innovative technical solutions to enhance homeland security 
and the mission of the Department (Pub. L. 107-296, Section 313). This 
requirement responds to long-standing requests by the first responder 
community to create a resource for information and technology that 
would assist them in support of their mission. In order to assess the 
current version of the DHS Tech Clearinghouse, a National Online 
Electronic Assessment (NOEA) will be administered. 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 July 18, 
2008.
    Comments: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to Desk Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, 
Science & Technology Directorate, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected] or faxed to (202) 395-6974. Please include 
docket number [DHS-2008-0048] in the subject line of the message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Bowerbank (202) 254-6895 (this 
is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Tech Clearinghouse National On-line 
Assessment (NOEA) will collect information via a secure Web site. The 
data will be used by DHS S&T to: (1) Assess the overall usability of 
the Tech Clearinghouse, (2) Assess the specific functions of the Tech 
Clearinghouse, (3) Assess the relevancy and usefulness of the content 
of the Tech Clearinghouse to first responders, (4) Assess the ease with 
which users navigate the Tech Clearinghouse, and (5) Provide general 
feedback on the Tech Clearinghouse.
    Information technology will be used in the collection of this 
information to reduce the data gathering and records management burden. 
The National Online Electronic Assessment will be conducted with 
approximately 100 currently employed or recently retired individuals 
from the first responder disciplines. An invitation to participate in 
the National Online Electronic Assessment will be distributed through 
sources such as the First Responder Technologies (R-Tech) User Working 
Group (UWG), the R-Tech Newsletter, and national and state-level 
associations representing all first responder disciplines. The sources 
will announce the opportunity for participation in the NOEA.
    The assessment will be completely Web-based. DHS S&T will provide a 
secure Web site, through which individuals can participate in the 
assessment. DHS has opted to conduct this collection electronically in 
order to minimize the burden on participants.

[[Page 28832]]

Individuals that choose to participate will take part in the assessment 
over a 4-week period, at locations of their choice where an Internet 
connection is available. The assessment will require a total of two and 
a half (2.5) hours of the respondent's time, thus presenting a minimal 
burden to each respondent.
    Participants will be asked to read and sign an electronic consent 
form granting their consent to participate in the assessment. 
Participants will then complete an online Entrance Form, which 
addresses their familiarity with computers, computer use in employment 
and leisure, common Web sites they visit and/or use, and expectations 
of the Tech Clearinghouse. They will then utilize and assess the Tech 
Clearinghouse by conducting specified and general searches and 
providing feedback through online assessment instruments (Structured 
Assessment Cases). After completing the Structured Assessment Cases, 
participants will complete an online Exit Form, which addresses the 
participant's satisfaction with and the overall usability of the Tech 
Clearinghouse and specific functions included in the Tech 
Clearinghouse. The electronic data collection forms will standardize 
the collection of information that is both necessary and sufficient for 
assessing the Tech Clearinghouse. All online assessment instruments 
were created using mrInterviewTM 4.0 software, which works in 
conjunction with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 
(SPSSTM). Data collected from online assessment instruments 
will be analyzed using SPSSTM 15.0.
    Data will be stored in password-protected computers accessible only 
to authorized personnel, and no data will be associated in any way with 
personally identifiable information (PII).

Overview of this Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection: New information collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Tech Clearinghouse.
    Agency Form Number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
Department of Homeland Security sponsoring the collection: DHS Science 
& Technology Directorate.
    (3) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Individuals; the data will be gathered from 
individuals who receive an invitation to participate in the National 
Online Electronic Assessment through sources such as the First 
Responder Technologies (R-Tech) User Working Group (UWG), the R-Tech 
Newsletter, and national and state-level associations representing all 
first responder disciplines.
    (4) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:
    a. Estimate of the total number of respondents: 100.
    b. An estimate of the time for an average respondent to respond: 
2.5 burden hours.

    Dated: May 8, 2008.
Kenneth D. Rogers,
Chief Information Officer, Science and Technology Directorate.
[FR Doc. E8-11083 Filed 5-16-08; 8:45 am]
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