[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81665-81666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-32514]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to Reinstate an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request clearance of this collection. In accordance with the 
requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), we are providing opportunity for public comment 
on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF 
will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve clearance of 
this collection for no longer than three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 28, 
2011 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-
7556; or send e-mail to [email protected]. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. You also may obtain a copy 
of the data collection instrument and instructions from Ms. Plimpton.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the 
Industry University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC).
    OMB Number: 3145-0088.
    Expiration Date of Approval: Not applicable.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to reinstate an 
information collection.
    Abstract:
    Proposed Project:
    The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) 
Program was initiated in 1973 to develop long-term partnerships among 
industry, academe and government. The National Science Foundation 
invests in these partnerships to promote research programs of mutual 
interest, contribute to the Nation's research infrastructure base and 
enhance the intellectual capacity of the engineering or science 
workforce through the integration of research and education. As 
appropriate, NSF encourages international collaborations that advance 
these goals within the global context.
    The I/UCRC program seeks to achieve this by:
    1. Contributing to the nation's research enterprise by developing 
long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government;
    2. Leveraging NSF funds with industry to support graduate students 
performing industrially relevant research; and
    3. Expanding the innovation capacity of our nation's competitive 
workforce through partnerships between industries and universities.
    4. Encouraging the nation's research enterprise to remain 
competitive through active engagement with academic and industrial 
leaders throughout the world.
    The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from NSF and they 
are primarily supported by other private and public sector center 
members, with NSF taking a supporting role in the development and 
evolution of the I/UCRC. The I/UCRC program initially offers five-year 
Phase I) continuing awards. This five-year period of support allows for 
the development of a strong partnership between the academic 
researchers and their industrial and government members. After five 
years, centers that continue to meet the I/UCRC program requirements 
may request support for a second five-year (Phase II) period. These 
awards allow centers to continue to grow and diversify their non-NSF 
memberships during their Phase II period. After ten years, a Phase III 
award provides a third five-year award for centers that demonstrate 
their viability, sustainability, and which have had a significant 
impact on industry research as measured through annual reports, site 
visits, and adherence to I/UCRC requirements. Centers are expected to 
be fully supported by industry, other Federal agencies, and state and 
local government partners after fifteen-years as an I/UCRC.
    The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from NSF and they 
are primarily supported by other private and public sector center 
members, with NSF taking a supporting role in the

[[Page 81666]]

development and evolution of the I/UCRC. The I/UCRC program initially 
offers five-year Phase I) continuing awards. This five-year period of 
support allows for the development of a strong partnership between the 
academic researchers and their industrial and government members. After 
five years, centers that continue to meet the I/UCRC program 
requirements may request support for a second five-year (Phase II) 
period. These awards allow centers to continue to grow and diversify 
their non-NSF memberships during their Phase II period. After ten 
years, a Phase III award provides a third five-year award for centers 
that demonstrate their viability, sustainability, and which have had a 
significant impact on industry research as measured through annual 
reports, site visits, and adherence to I/UCRC requirements. Centers are 
expected to be fully supported by industry, other Federal agencies, and 
state and local government partners after fifteen-years as an I/UCRC.
    Centers will be required to provide data to NSF and its authorized 
representatives (contractors or grantees). These data will be used for 
NSF internal reports, historical data, and for securing future funding 
for continued I/UCRC program maintenance and growth. Updates to the 
IUCRC database of performance indicators will be required annually. 
Centers will be responsible for submitting the following information 
after the award expires for their fiscal year of activity. The 
indicators are both quantitative and descriptive.
     Quantitative information from the most recently completed 
fiscal year such as:
    [cir] Number and diversity of students, faculty, and industrial 
numbers involved in the center
    [cir] Degrees granted to students involved in center activities
    [cir] Amounts and sources of income to the center, and
    [cir] Lists of patents, licenses, and publications created
     Operating budget and total funding:
    [cir] Total funding
    [cir] NSF I/UCRC funding received
    [cir] Other NSF funding received
    [cir] Additional support broken down by Industry, State, 
University, Other Federal, Non-Federal and other support
     Capital and in-kind support:
    [cir] Equipment
    [cir] Facilities
    [cir] Personnel
    [cir] Software
    [cir] Other support
     Human resources:
    [cir] Researchers (number of faculty scientists and engineers, 
number of non-faculty scientists and engineers)
    [cir] Students (number of graduates, number of undergraduates)
    [cir] Administration, number of full and part time professional and 
clerical staff
    [cir] Information about broadening participation on the above with 
plans to increase broadening participation, if necessary
     Center director descriptors:
    [cir] Position and rank of director
    [cir] Status of tenure
    [cir] Name and position of the person to whom the center director 
reports
    [cir] Estimate of the percent of time the director devotes to 
center administration, other administration, research, teaching, other
     Center outcomes:
    [cir] Students receiving degrees and type degree earned
    [cir] Students hired by industry by type of degree
    [cir] Publications
    [dec222] Number with center research
    [dec222] Number with Industrial Advisory Board Members
    [dec222] Number of presentations
     Intellectual property events:
    [cir] Invention disclosures
    [cir] Patent applications
    [cir] Software copyrights
    [cir] Patents granted and derived or both
    [cir] Licensing agreements
    [cir] Royalties realized
    I/UCRCs will also include evaluation conducted by independent 
evaluators who cannot be from the department(s) with the institution(s) 
receiving funding for the I/UCRC award. The center evaluator will be 
responsible for:
    [cir] Preparing an annual report of center activities with respect 
to industrial collaboration
    [cir] Conducting a survey of all center participants to probe the 
participant satisfaction with center activities
    [cir] Compiling a set of quantitative indicators determined by NSF 
to analyze the management and operation of the center
    [cir] Participating in I/UCRC center and informational meetings
    [cir] Reporting to NSF on the center's status using a checklist 
provided by NSF to help determine if the center is adhering to the I/
UCRC policy and guidelines
    [cir] Bi-annual reporting to NSF
    [cir] Reporting to NSF within a month of each Industrial Advisory 
Board meeting on the top research highlights, technology transfer, 
patents, and major discoveries that demonstrate successful investments
    [cir] Performing exit interviews to determine why members chose to 
withdraw from the center
    [cir] Participating in continuous quality process improvement by 
providing information to the NSF I/UCRC program
    Use of the Information: The data collected will be used for NSF 
internal reports, historical data, and for securing future funding for 
continued I/UCRC program maintenance and growth.
    Estimate of Burden: 150 hours per center (160 sites) for fifty six 
centers for a total of 8400 hours.
    Respondents: Industry, academic institutions; non-profit 
institutions; government.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One from each of the 160 
sites.
    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 shall 
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 on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; 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.

    Dated: December 21, 2010.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2010-32514 Filed 12-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P