[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57903-57904]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22856]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Renew 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 November 19,
2013 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, Room 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703)
292-7556; or send email 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, which is accessible
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including federal
holidays). 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: June 30, 2014.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew 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;
3. Expanding the innovation capacity of our nation's competitive
workforce through partnerships between industries and universities; and
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
[[Page 57904]]
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
[ssquf] Number with center research
[ssquf] Number with Industrial Advisory Board Members
[ssquf] 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
IUCRC 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 (192 sites) for sixty
eight centers for a total of 10200 hours.
Respondents: Industry, academic institutions; non-profit
institutions; government.
Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One from each of the 192
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: September 16, 2013.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2013-22856 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P