[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29539-29540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11363]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. 
The full submission may be found at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was 
published in the Federal Register at 72 FR 59116, and no substantial 
comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance 
simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. Comments 
regarding (a) whether the 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 burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (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 should be addressed to: Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for 
National Science Foundation, 725-17th Street, NW., Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, 
Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail to [email protected]. Comments 
regarding these information collections are best assured of having 
their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. 
Copies of the submission may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556.
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs persons who are to potentially respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Descriptive and Exploratory Study of the 
National Science Foundation's Small Grants for Exploratory Research 
Funding Mechanism.
    OMB Number: 3145-NEW.
    Abstract: The SGER funding mechanism was developed in 1989 by an 
external committee, and authorized by NSF Director Bloch for use 
beginning at the start of Fiscal Year 1990. The committee's charge was 
to recommend whether NSF as a whole should adopt a mechanism similar to 
one that had been piloted by the Engineering Directorate, known as 
Small Grants for Expedited Research. While that title emphasized award 
timeliness, the mechanism's purposes included funding innovative 
research ideas. The current formulation of SGER remains conceptually 
and administratively similar to its original purposes and practices. 
Over time, NSF has broadened award parameters (award ceiling and 
duration) and sharpened definitions of purposes (e.g., inserting the 
term Transformative Research). In at least one case the SGER mechanism 
was modified for a specific program purpose (the Nanoscale Exploratory 
Grants, which were externally reviewed).
    All applicants will be asked about topics relating to the 
application process (how they found out about SGER, why this mechanism 
and not a standard proposal, etc.). Awardees will also be asked about 
activities resulting from their awards, such as follow-on proposals, 
involvement of graduate students, and testing of new instrumentation. 
Declinees will be asked, for example, what action they took concerning 
the declined proposal (wrote standard proposal to NSF or another 
agency, and whether that was awarded). All applicants will be asked 
about the guidelines and funding and mechanism, and how they can be 
improved, e.g., through changes in their design components, expected 
outcomes, proposal review criteria, etc.
    The survey data collection will be done on the World Wide Web.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response.
    Respondents: Government grant holders--Individuals.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Form: 3,778 for the awardee 
questionnaire and 580 for the non-awardee questionnaire for a total of 
4,358.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: Aggregate total of 
1,430 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Once.


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    Dated: May 16, 2008.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
 [FR Doc. E8-11363 Filed 5-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P