[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 245 (Tuesday, December 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79555-79557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32065]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 245 / Tuesday, December 22, 2015 / 
Notices  

[[Page 79555]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Research Service


Notice of Intent To Seek OMB Approval To Collect Information: 
Forms Pertaining to the Peer Preview of ARS Research Projects

AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and OMB 
implementing regulations. The Department is soliciting public comments 
on the subject proposal.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 22, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to: Michael S. 
Strauss, Peer Review Program Coordinator, Office of Scientific Quality 
Review (OSQR); Agricultural Research Agency, USDA; 5601 Sunnyside 
Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland 20705; Phone: 301-504-3283; Fax: 301-504-
1251.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael S. Strauss, 301-504-3283.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OSQR will seek approval from OMB to 
update six existing forms and one new form that will allow the ARS to 
efficiently manage data associated with the peer review of agricultural 
research. All forms are transferred and received in an electronic 
storage format that does not include online access.
    Abstract: The OSQR was established in September of 1999 as a result 
of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act 1998 
(``The Act'') (Pub. L. 105-185). The Act included mandates to perform 
scientific peer reviews of all research activities conducted by the 
USDA. The Office manages the ARS peer review system by centrally 
planning peer panel reviews for ARS research projects on a 5-year 
cycle.
    Each set of reviews is assigned a chairperson to govern the review 
process. Peer reviewers are, with few exceptions, non-ARS scientists. 
Peer review panels are convened to provide in-depth discussion and 
review of the research project plans. Each panel reviewer receives 
information on between 1 and 5 ARS research projects.
    On average, 165 research projects are reviewed annually by an 
estimated 200 reviewers; whereby approximately 155 are reviewed by 
panel and approximately 15 are reviewed through an ad hoc (written 
review) process. The organization and management of this peer review 
system, particularly panel reviews, is highly dependent on the use of 
forms.
    The OSQR will seek OMB approval of the following forms:
    1. Confidentiality Agreement Form--USDA uses this form to document 
that a selected reviewer is responsible for keeping confidential any 
information learned during the subject peer review process. The 
Confidentiality Agreement is signed prior to the reviewer's involvement 
in the peer review process. This form requires an original signature. 
Electronically transmitted scans of signed forms are also accepted.
    2. Panelist Information Form--USDA uses this form to gather up-to-
date background information about the reviewer as well as information 
relevant to the paying of an honorarium and for travel, where 
appropriate. Reviewers often include sensitive information on this form 
and, thus it is not retained or recorded in electronic form by the 
OSQR.
    3. Peer Review of an ARS Research Project Form (Peer Review Form)--
USDA uses this form to guide the reviewer's in-depth written comments 
on the subject project. The form contains the reviewing criteria and 
space for the reviewer's narrative comments and evaluation.
    3. Reviewer Comment Form (New). This form is supplied to members of 
a panel not receiving the above Peer Review Form to provide a vehicle 
whereby they may record comments or recommendations for any plan before 
their panel but for which they do not have in-depth review 
responsibility.
    4. Ad Hoc Review Form. USDA uses this in select cases (for Ad Hoc 
Reviewers who are not members of a review panel), a check-off listing 
of action classes at the end of the form allows them to provide an 
overall rating of the plan.
    5. Recommendations for ARS Research Project Form--(Recommendations 
Form)--USDA uses this form to guide the panel's evaluation and critique 
of the review process. The form contains the recommendations of the 
panel for the subject research project.
    6. Panel Expense Report Form (Expense Report)--USDA uses this form 
to document a panel reviewer's expense incurred traveling to and 
attending a peer review meeting. The Expense Report includes lodging, 
meals, and transportation expenses. When completed, the form contains 
sensitive information, but is used only in the rare circumstance that a 
panel meeting requires travel of the participants.
    7. Panel Invoice Form (Honorarium Form)--USDA uses this form to 
document the transfer of an honorarium to a peer reviewer. Reviewers 
receive honoraria as compensation for serving as peer review panelists. 
This form requires an original signature. It is used only in special 
circumstances where reviewers cannot accept a direct bank transfer of 
the honorarium. In such cases this is used in lieu of the SF-1034 to 
provide OSQR a written record of the honorarium payment.
    (1) USDA's collection of information on the Confidentiality 
Agreement Form is needed to document that a selected reviewer is 
responsible for keeping confidential any information learned during the 
subject peer review process. The Confidentiality Agreement would be 
signed prior to the reviewer's involvement in the peer review process.
    (2) USDA's collection of information on the Panelist Information 
Form is needed to gather up-to-date background information about the 
reviewer. It contains sensitive information.
    (3) USDA's collection of information on the Peer Review Form and 
Reviewer Comment Form is needed to guide the reviewer's comments on the 
subject project. Both contain review guidance and space to insert 
comments.
    (4) USDA's collection of information on the Ad Hoc Review Form is 
needed

[[Page 79556]]

to guide reviewer comments of those not participating in a chaired 
panel and affords a place to select an overall Action Class rating for 
the plan.
    (5) USDA's collection of information on the Recommendations Form is 
needed to guide the panel's critique of the review process. It contains 
the recommendations of the panel for the subject research project.
    (6) USDA's collection of information on the Expense Report Form is 
needed to document a panel reviewer's expenses incurred by attending a 
peer review meeting. The Expense Report includes lodging, meals, and 
transportation expenses. It includes sensitive information.
    (7) USDA's collection of information on the Honorarium Form is 
needed to document the transfer of an honorarium to the peer reviewer 
in those rare cases where an SF-1034 is not completed. The honorarium 
is given to reviewers as appreciation for their time spent on the panel 
review process.
    Estimate of Burden: The burden associated with this approval 
process is the minimum required to achieve program objectives. The 
information collection frequency is the minimum consistent with program 
objectives. The following estimates of time required to complete the 
forms are based on OSQR's experience in working with reviewers and 
accepting their input into our procedures.
    1. Confidentiality Agreement Form: This form takes up to10 minutes 
to complete. It only requires a signature and date, but the reviewer 
must read and consider the terms of the agreement.
    2. Panelist Information Form: This form takes about 30 minutes to 
complete. It resembles a typical request for personal information; many 
reviewers provide the same data as grant reviewers in other peer review 
programs.
    3. Peer Review of an ARS Research Project Form (Peer Review Form). 
This form may take 4-7 hours to complete. Because this is a review, the 
page length varies. Reviewers are free to write as much as they wish, 
but to complete the form they must thoroughly read and evaluate a 
research project plan that may exceed 60-70 pages in length.
    4. Reviewer Comment Form (New). This form takes 1 hours to 
complete. It typically contains a general assessment of the plan with 
only brief comments and is usually one page or less when completed.
    5. Recommendations for ARS Research Project Form (Recommendations 
Form).
    This form takes 1-2 hours to complete. Because this is a review, 
the page length significantly varies. For most plans it is completed by 
the OSQR from the Peer Review Forms and Reviewer Comment Forms and 
reviewed and revised by reviewers as part of their panel discussions. 
For the rare occasion where a panel meets in-person, the form is 
prepared by the designated primary reviewer for that plan who combines 
comments from all reviewers as found on the Peer Review Form and 
Reviewer Comment Form, and further analyses derived from the panel's 
discussions.
    5. Panel Expense Report Form (Expense Report): This form takes 30 
minutes to complete.
    6. Panel Invoice Form (Honorarium Form): This form takes 3 minutes 
to complete. This form has the reviewer's personal information pre-
filled and the reviewer only verifies its accuracy and signs.
    Respondents and Estimated Number of Respondents: Scientific 
experts, currently working in the same discipline as the research 
projects under review, are selected to review research projects. These 
experts are notable peers within and external to the ARS. Annually, 
about 165 peer reviewers complete these forms. As most plans are 
discussed using an online/telephone conference utility travel is not 
generally required and, thus, most reviewers do not complete Expense 
Report and Invoice Forms.

                         Frequency of Response:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Number of
               Form                   respondents     Annual frequency
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Confidentiality Agreement.........             165  1 per respondent
                                                     (Total of 165).
Peer Review Forms (Required for                155  2 per panel
 all reviewers and they have 2                       respondent (Total
 review assignments on average.).                    of 310.).
Reviewer Comment Form (Optional                155  On average, 2 per
 where reviewer does not have                        panel respondent
 primary or secondary review                         (Total of 310).
 assignment for a plan).
Expense Report (Only for those                  10  1 per respondent
 reviewers traveling to the                          (Total of 10).
 review).
Honorarium Form (Only for those                 10  1 per respondent
 reviewers paid by check).                           (Total of 10).
Panelist Information Forms........             165  1 per respondent for
                                                     each form (Total of
                                                     165).
Recommendations Form (For use only              10  2 per respondent
 for panels not meeting online.).                    (Total of 20).
------------------------------------------------------------------------


              Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Number
    Form (time required to complete)        completed      Total burden
                                            annually          (hr.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Confidentiality Agreement (10 min.)....             165             28
Panelist Information Forms (30 min.)...             155             78
Peer Review Forms (~6 hrs).............             155            930
Recommendations Form (2 hr)............              10             20
Reviewer Comment Form (New) (1 hr).....             310            310
Honorarium Form (3 min.)...............              10               .5
Expense Report (30 min.)...............              10              5
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. chap.35.
    Comments: The Notice is soliciting comments from members of the 
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of 
information to: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection is 
necessary for the proper performance of ARS functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the 
accuracy of the estimated burden from

[[Page 79557]]

proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance 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 collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses. All responses to this notice will be 
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval.
    All comments will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: December 9, 2015.
Simon Y. Liu,
Associate Administrator, ARS.
[FR Doc. 2015-32065 Filed 12-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-03-P