[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38921-38922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16072]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; 60-Day Comment Request; Evaluation of the 
NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (NIH OD)

    Summary: In compliance with the requirement of Section 
3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity 
for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National 
Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review and approval.
    Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies are invited to address one or more of the following points: 
(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including the 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    To Submit Comments and for Further Information: To obtain a copy of 
the data collection plans and instruments, submit comments in writing, 
or request more information on the proposed project, contact: Michelle 
M. Timmerman, Ph.D., Director, AREA Program, Office of the Director, 
National Institutes of Health, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 
20892; or call non-toll-free number 301-402-0672; or email your 
request, including your address to [email protected]. 
Formal requests for additional plans and instruments must be requested 
in writing.
    Comment Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days 
of the date of this publication.
    Proposed Collection: Evaluation of the NIH Academic Research 
Enhancement Award, 0925-New, Office of the Director (OD), National 
Institutes of Health (NIH).
    Need and Use of Information Collection: The Academic Research 
Enhancement Award (AREA) Program is a grant mechanism spanning most of 
the Institutes and Centers (ICs) of the National Institutes of Health 
(NIH). The AREA program was established by Congress in 1985 to provide 
support to scientists at public and private colleges and universities 
that receive relatively small amounts of NIH funding. The purpose of 
the program is to support meritorious research, expose undergraduate 
and graduate students to research, and strengthen the research 
environment of the institutions receiving the grants. In the past three 
years alone, the federal government has awarded approximately 78 
million dollars annually in AREA grants. The evaluation will allow the 
NIH and Congress to assess the extent to which the AREA program is 
meeting its goals and make recommendations so that this significant 
investment of public funds may be used as effectively as possible.
    The evaluation will utilize the NIH's archived data on grants, 
institutions, Principal Investigators (PIs), and students funded with 
AREA monies. The evaluation will collect new data about (1) the 
quantity and quality of student participation in AREA projects, (2) 
records of PIs' subsequent funding histories, (3) applicants' 
experiences with the application process, (4) PIs' experiences 
implementing AREA Program objectives, and (5) the impact of AREA 
Program research participation on student career paths and outcomes.
    The results of the evaluation will indicate the extent to which the 
AREA Program is meeting its goals of supporting meritorious research, 
strengthening the research environment at institutions of higher 
education that are not research intensive, and recruiting and training 
subsequent generations of the United States' biomedical scientist 
workforce. Intended audiences include the United States Congress, staff 
at NIH ICs that make AREA awards, and staff of the NIHOD.
    OMB approval is requested for one year. There are no costs to 
respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized 
burden hours are 629.

                                      Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total annual
               Type of respondents                  respondents    responses per   response  (in   burden hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Principal Investigator Survey...................             480               1           45/60             360
Awardee Semi-Structured Interview...............              50               1           45/60              38
Student Survey..................................             301               1           30/60             151

[[Page 38922]]

 
Applicant Survey................................             240               1           20/60              80
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


     Dated: July 2, 2014.
Lawrence A. Tabak,
Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2014-16072 Filed 7-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P