[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 132 (Monday, July 12, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39653-39655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16854]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


Notice of Intent To Request Approval To Establish a New 
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, that implement the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request 
approval to establish a new information collection for the REEport 
system.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by September 
15, 2010, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that 
date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 2010-0002 to: Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions 
for submitting comments. You may submit written comments concerning 
this notice and requests for copies of the information collection to: 
Jason Hitchcock, Director, Information Policy, Planning and Training; 
Mail: NIFA/USDA, Mail Stop 2216, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-2299; Hand Delivery/Courier: 800 9th Street, SW., 
Waterfront Centre, Room 4217, Washington, DC 20024; Fax: 202-720-0857; 
or E-mail: [email protected].

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: REEport System.
    OMB Number: 0524-New.
    Type of Request: Intent to request approval to establish a new 
information collection for three years.

[[Page 39654]]

    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-1-582a-7); 
the Hatch Act of 1887, as amended (7 U.S.C. 361a-361i); 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.''
    NIFA plans to deploy REEport, a critical component of its One 
Solution reporting initiative (http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/reporting/onesolution.html) in a staged approach. REEport will become 
NIFA's grant and formula project reporting system, building on and 
replacing the existing Current Research Information System (CRIS) web 
forms system (OMB Control Number: 0524-0042). As part of REEport's 
implementation, NIFA intends to transfer existing data in CRIS to 
REEport and then terminate the applicable component of CRIS. For the 
existing projects that reported to CRIS, the awardees will then report 
to REEport.
    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 based REEport's format 
on the RPPR.
    REEport will better address NIFA accountability and reporting needs 
by supporting limited use of program-specific data fields and the 
ability to upload documents such as portable document files (PDF) into 
reports. With the implementation of REEport, NIFA will eliminate the 
requirement to submit an annual Funding and Staff Support (Form AD-419) 
for non-formula grants (AD-419 data will still be required for formula 
grant projects). At this time, the intention is to collect expenditure 
information only for formula projects through REEport and this will 
take the form of what is currently collected on the AD-419.
    REEport will allow Hatch and Evans-Allen projects to be linked to 
planned programs in the Agricultural, Research, Extension and Education 
Reform Act of 1988 (AREERA) Plan of Work Information System which will 
simplify the preparation of State Annual Reports. Each Hatch and Evans-
Allen project in REEport will choose which Planned Program it is a part 
of in the Plan of Work. Once this link is made, expenditures, FTEs, and 
possibly Knowledge Area Classification can then roll up into the Plan 
of Work system, thus eliminating points of double reporting and 
eliminating discrepancies between the two systems.
    Version 1 of REEport is expected to be deployed in the following 
four stages:
     Stage A--Non-formula new project initiation--
implementation is anticipated for October 1, 2010.
     Stage B--Progress and final technical reports for all new 
and existing (data transferred from CRIS) non-formula grants--
implementation is anticipated for January 14, 2011.
     Stage C--Formula new project initiation--implementation is 
targeted for October 1, 2011.
     Stage D--Expenditure, progress, and termination reports 
for all new and existing (data transferred from CRIS) formula 
projects--implementation is targeted for October 1, 2011.
    Further information about each of these stages can be found on 
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/reeport_imp.html which will include 
implementation updates and other information as it becomes available. 
NIFA will send out the updates monthly to the new REEportDeploy Lyris 
e-mail list, which has been created from the CRIS and Plan of Work 
contacts lists. Interested parties may subscribe to the list by sending 
an e-mail message to [email protected]. Skip the subject line 
and type subscribe REEportDeploy in the body of your message. Be sure 
you receive an e-mail confirming your subscription.
    The REEport system is to be NIFA's new documentation and reporting 
system for project initiation and reporting and constitute a necessary 
information collection for NIFA-supported projects as set forth in 
requirements established in 7 CFR Parts 3400 through 3430 pertaining to 
the aforementioned authorities. This information collection is 
necessary in order to provide descriptive information regarding 
individual research, education, extension, and integrated activities 
and to document expenditures and staff support, as well as monitor the 
progress and impact of such activities.
    The information provided through REEport will help users (grantees, 
grantee institutions and NIFA) 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.

REEport Stage A and Stage B User Fields and Types

    1. Project Initiation:
    a. (conditional requirement) Grantee Project Number (REEport 
partner sites require a project number. Field will not be displayed to 
independent grantees).
    b. (optional) Collaborating/Partnering Country.
    c. Goals and Objectives (text box).
    d. Expected Outputs (text box).
    e. Expected Outcomes (text box).
    f. Methods (text box).
    g. Non-technical Summary (text box).
    h. (optional) Target Audience (text box).
    i. (optional) Animal Health Component (percent).
    j. Taxonomy (one required but no more than 10 accepted).
    i. Knowledge Area (code and percent).
    ii. Subject of Investigation (code and percent).
    iii. Field of Science (code and percent).
    k. Research/Education/Extension project effort allocation 
(percent).

[[Page 39655]]

    i. If Research percent is greater than 0, further refinement of the 
activity is required:
    1. Basic (percent).
    2. Applied (percent).
    3. Development (percent).
    ii. If Research is null or zero, the refinement fields will be 
hidden from view on the interface.
    2. Progress/Final Technical Reports: Information collected for 
progress/final technical reports will be as indicated in the RPPR with 
the exception of NIFA special reporting requirements (as allowed by the 
RPPR) as noted.
    a. Grant Participants.
    i. Actual FTEs for reporting period.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               Students within staffing roles
                                                            Non- students --------------------------------------
                           Role                              or faculty       Under-                    Post-
                                                                             graduate     Graduate    doctorate
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scientist................................................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
Professional.............................................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
Technical................................................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
Administrative...........................................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
Other....................................................  ..............  ...........  ...........  ...........
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    ii. Changes project participants from Project Initiation or 
previous report (text box).
    b. Target Audiences (NIFA special requirement) (text box).
    c. Products.
    i. Publications, conference papers, and presentations.
    1. Type (choice of journal publications; books or other non-
periodical, one time publications; other publications, conference 
papers and presentations).
    2. Status (choice of published, accepted, submitted, other).
    3. Year published (4 digit year).
    4. Citation (text box).
    5. NIFA support acknowledged (Y/N field).
    ii. Inventions, patent applications, and/or licenses (including 
Plant Variety Protections).
    1. Type (choice of patent, PVP, licenses).
    2. Status (choice of application, awarded, licensed).
    3. Patent/PVP Number (text box).
    4. Title (text box).
    iii. Other Products (Outputs).
    1. Output Type.
    2. Output (text box).
    3. Description (text box).
    d. Accomplishments.
    i. Major activities, specific objectives, and significant results, 
including major findings, developments, or conclusions (both positive 
and negative), including a discussion of stated goals not met. (text 
box).
    ii. Key outcomes.
    1. Outcome type (choice of change in knowledge, change in action, 
change in condition).
    2. Outcome (text box).
    iii. What opportunities for training and professional development 
has the project provided? (text box).
    iv. How have the results been disseminated to communities of 
interest? (text box).
    v. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to 
accomplish the goals? (text box).
    e. Changes/Problems (text box).
    Estimate of Burden: NIFA used burden estimates from the current 
CRIS collection to estimate the burden for REEport, but anticipates the 
transactions for project initiation may be reduced because grant 
application information will be used to prepopulate many fields. The 
total annual burden for the non RPPR portion of this collection is 
36,620 hours.

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                                                                     Estimated       Estimated
                Transaction name                    Using RPPR       number of      burden per     Total annual
                                                      format         responses       response         burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Initiation..............................              No           3,700             4.6          17,020
Progress Report.................................             Yes           8,700             2.7          23,490
Final Technical Report..........................              No           2,800             2.7           7,560
Expenditure Report..............................              No           8,700             1.4          12,180
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    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; and (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.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 1st day of July, 2010.
Ann Bartuska,
Acting Deputy Under Secretary Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 2010-16854 Filed 7-9-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P