[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15669-15670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6978]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


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

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, 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) regulations (5 CFR part 1320), 
which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35), this notice announces the National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request an extension for the 
currently approved information collection for the NIFA Current Research 
Information System (CRIS).

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by June 1, 
2010, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice and requests for 
copies of the information collection may be submitted by any of the 
following methods: [email protected]; Fax: 202-720-0857; Mail: 
Information Systems and Technology Management, NIFA, USDA, STOP 2216, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2216; Hand 
Delivery/Courier: 800 9th Street, SW., Waterfront Centre, Room 4217, 
Washington, DC 20024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jason Hitchcock, Director of 
Information, Policy, Planning, and Training; Information Systems and 
Technology Management; NIFA/USDA; E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: NIFA Current Research Information System.
    OMB Number: 0524-0042.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: June 30, 2010.
    Type of Request: Intent to extend currently approved information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers several 
competitive, peer-reviewed research, education, and extension programs, 
under which awards of a high-priority are made. These programs are 
authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341 et 
seq.); and other legislative authorities. NIFA also administers several 
formula funded research programs. The programs are authorized pursuant 
to the authorities contained in the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative 
Forestry Research Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.); the 
Hatch Act of 1887, as amended (7 U.S.C. 361a-i); Section 1445 of Public 
Law 95-113, the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
3222); and Section 1433 of Subtitle E (Sections 1429-1439), Title XIV 
of Public Law 95-113, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3191-3201). Each formula 
funded program is subject to a set of administrative requirements; 
``Administrative Manual for the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry 
Research Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual for the Hatch Research 
Program,'' the ``Administrative Manual for the Evans-Allen Cooperative 
Agricultural Research Program,'' and the ``Administrative Manual for 
the Continuing Animal Health and Disease Research Program.''
    The Current Research Information System (CRIS) is the USDA's 
documentation and reporting system (CRIS forms AD-416, AD-417, AD-419, 
and AD-421) and constitute a necessary information collection for 
publicly-supported projects as set forth in requirements established in 
7 CFR Parts 3400 through 3430 pertaining to the aforementioned 
authorities. This

[[Page 15670]]

information collection is necessary in order to provide descriptive 
information regarding individual research activities, education 
activities, extension activities, and integrated activities to document 
expenditures and staff support for the activities, and to monitor the 
progress and impact of such activities.
    The historical mission of CRIS, broadly stated, is to document the 
research activities of USDA and the State agricultural research system 
partners, to satisfy a variety of reporting requirements, and to 
provide access to research information. This mission supports one of 
NIFA's primary functions, as stated in the agency strategic plan, of 
providing program leadership to identify, develop, and manage programs 
to support university-based and other institutional research. The 
boundaries and scope of the CRIS mission have been expanded to a more 
comprehensive purpose of documenting all of the research, education, 
extension, and integrated activities funded or managed by NIFA. As 
such, the information collected for CRIS can be utilized in an 
essentially unlimited number of ways for a wide array of purposes. 
Generally, CRIS provides ready access to information through public web 
accessible data as well as individually requested, customized reports 
and services for agency officials, program leaders, administrators, and 
managers. The information provided helps users to keep abreast of the 
latest developments in agricultural, food science, human nutrition and 
forestry research and education; track resource utilization in specific 
target areas of work; plan for future activities; plan for resource 
allocation to research, education, and extension programs; avoid costly 
duplication of effort; aid in coordination of efforts addressing 
similar problems in different locations; and aid research, education, 
and extension workers in establishing valuable contacts within the 
agricultural community.
    Descriptive information pertaining to documented projects is 
available to the general public as well as the research, education, and 
extension community contributing to CRIS. Limited financial information 
is available on individual grants and cooperative agreements as well as 
summary financial information through the CRIS Web site. A cooperating 
institution, including a state agricultural experiment station, state 
forestry school, 1862 land grant institution, or 1890 land grant 
institution has access to all of the data pertaining to that 
institution. Many institutions take advantage of this access, utilizing 
CRIS system facilities to manage the research programs at their 
institution. In addition, NIFA staff members can request specialized 
reports directly from the CRIS staff. These requests can include 
financial disclosure pertaining to a particular subject area or 
targeted program. The nature of this type of request characterizes one 
of the strengths of the CRIS information collection. The system 
collects obligations and expenditures on individual projects; however, 
information can be retrieved and aggregated based on subject areas or 
targeted programs, and corresponding financial information can be 
tabulated accordingly. The inclusion of subject-based classifications 
and subject specific descriptive fields supports a unique retrieval 
capability in this system. The information can be utilized nationally, 
regionally, or at more detailed levels, by program leaders, budget 
officials, and administrators to identify resource utilization, monitor 
research, education, and extension activity in specific target areas, 
and support decision making and resource allocation, not just on 
individual projects, but also for specific program areas. This 
combination of system capabilities facilitates program evaluation, 
accountability, and decision making processes.
    Out of an initiative of the Research Business Models (RBM) 
Subcommittee of the Committee on Science (CoS), a committee of the 
National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), came the Research 
Performance Progress Report (RPPR). The RPPR is a new uniform format 
for reporting performance progress on Federally-funded research 
projects. Upon implementation, the RPPR will be used by agencies that 
support research and research-related activities for use in submission 
of interim progress reports. It is intended to replace other interim 
performance reporting formats currently in use by agencies. In 
anticipation of the RPPR's implementation, NIFA is working to align 
activities with that effort. Currently, NIFA plans to begin an 
incremental transition from CRIS to REEport, a new reporting system 
which format is based on the RPPR, beginning October 1, 2010. A 
separate information collection Federal Register notice will be 
prepared and published in the near future for REEport.
    Estimate of Burden: NIFA is increasing the number of respondents 
for each component of the previous information collection to account 
for increased use of this system by new and existing programs. No 
changes have been made to the burden per response from the previous 
approval. NIFA estimates the number of respondents for the AD-416 form 
to be 4,096 with an estimated response time of 3.9 hours, representing 
a total annual burden of 15,974 hours. It is estimated the AD-417 will 
have 4,096 respondents with an estimated response time of .7 hours, 
representing a total annual burden of 2,867 hours. NIFA estimates that 
the number of respondents for the AD-419 will be 15,199 with an 
estimated response time of 1.4 hours, representing a total annual 
burden of 21,279 hours. The AD-421 is estimated to have 12,584 
respondents and an estimated response time of 2.7 hours, representing a 
total annual burden of 33,977 hours. For this CRIS information 
collection NIFA estimates a total of 74,097 annual burden hours.
    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; (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; and (e) 
the expanded use of CRIS forms for education and extension programs, 
particularly programs that are competitive, project-based, and funded 
under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act.

    Done at Washington, DC, this March 23, 2010.
Molly Jahn,
Acting Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 2010-6978 Filed 3-29-10; 8:45 am]
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