[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31610-31611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13458]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Proposed Collection; 60-Day Comment Request; Evaluation of the 
Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program, 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) The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (4) 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 submit comments 
in writing, request more information on the proposed project, or to 
obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact 
Tony Beck, Ph.D., Office of Science Education/SEPA, Office of Research 
Infrastructure Programs, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, 
and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes 
of Health, 6701 Democracy Boulevard, Room 206, Bethesda, MD 20892 or 
call non-toll-free number 301-435-0805 or email your request, including 
your address to: [email protected].

DATES: 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 Science Education 
Partnership Award (SEPA) Program, 0925-NEW, the Office of Science 
Education/SEPA, within the Office of the Research Infrastructure

[[Page 31611]]

Programs (ORIP), an office of the Division of Program Coordination, 
Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI), within the Office of the 
Director (OD) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
    Need and Use of Information Collection: The Science Education 
Partnership Award Program is a program in the Office of the Research 
Infrastructure Programs within the Division of Program Coordination, 
Planning, and Strategic Initiatives. The program provides 5-year grants 
for PK-12 educational projects, science centers, and museum exhibits to 
increase students' interest in pursuing science-related careers, 
deliver topical and interactive information about NIH-funded medical 
research, and cultivate an understanding about healthy living habits 
among the general public. SEPA is undertaking an evaluation to examine 
the extent to which SEPA grants awarded from 2004 through 2014 have met 
goals related to project structure, partnership formation, and 
evaluation quality. The evaluation will utilize archival grant project 
data (e.g., SEPA solicitations, project proposals, annual and final 
reports, and summative evaluations). The evaluation will also collect 
new data to (1) determine the extent to which the SEPA portfolio is 
aligned with the program's overall goals; (2) assess how the SEPA 
Program has contributed to the creation and/or enrichment of beneficial 
productive partnerships; and (3) determine the extent to which the SEPA 
Program is generating a rigorous evidence-based system that provides 
high-quality evaluations to inform the knowledge base. The goal of this 
process evaluation is to provide SEPA, program staff, the NIH, and 
other interested stakeholders with information about how the program is 
operating, the extent to which projects address the program's multiple 
goals, and the extent to which project-level evaluations are informing 
and enhancing the quality of work in the field. OMB approval is 
requested for one year. There are no costs to respondents other than 
their time. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 523.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                     Type of         Number of       Number of      burden per     Total annual
           Form name               respondent       respondents    responses per   response  (in   burden hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web survey....................  PI..............             156               1           30/60              78
    Telephone script to         ................              34               1            5/60               3
     schedule interview.
    Telephone interview.......  ................              34               1           60/60              34
    Telephone script to         ................              34               1            5/60               3
     schedule site visit.
    Site visit interview......  ................               6               1           90/60               9
Web survey....................  Project Partner.             312               1           30/60             156
    Telephone script to         ................              74               1            5/60               7
     schedule interview.
    Telephone interview.......  ................              74               1           60/60              74
    Telephone script to         ................              74               1            5/60               7
     schedule site visit.
    Site visit interview......  ................               6               1           90/60               9
Telephone script to schedule    Other Key Staff.              90               1            5/60               8
 site visit.
Site visit interview..........  ................              90               1           90/60             135
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    Dated: May 27, 2015.
Lawrence A. Tabak,
Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-13458 Filed 6-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-P