[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91960-91961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30447]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent To Seek Approval to Establish an Information 
Collection System

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the 
National Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting the general public or 
other Federal agencies to comment on this proposed continuing 
information collection.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 17, 
2017, to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports 
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, 
Suite 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).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Comments: Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, Pub. L. 104-13 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), comments are

[[Page 91961]]

invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Foundation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Foundation's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the 
Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program
    OMB Number: 3145-0233.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew an information 
collection system.
    Abstract:
    Proposed Project:
    The Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program 
recommends, prioritizes, and funds interdisciplinary initiatives at the 
emerging frontier of engineering research and education. These 
investments represent transformative opportunities, potentially leading 
to: new research areas for NSF, ENG, and other agencies; new industries 
or capabilities that result in a leadership position for the country; 
and/or significant progress on a recognized national need or grand 
challenge.
    Established in 2007, EFRI supports cutting-edge research that is 
difficult to fund through other NSF programs, such as single-
investigator grants or large research centers. EFRI seeks high-risk 
opportunities with the potential for a large payoff where researchers 
are encouraged to stretch beyond their ongoing activities. Based on 
input from workshops, advisory committees, technical meetings, 
professional societies, research proposals, and suggestions from the 
research community the EFRI program identifies those emerging 
opportunities and manages a formal process for funding their research. 
The emerging ideas tackled by EFRI are ``frontier'' because they not 
only push the understood limits of engineering but actually overlap 
multiple fields. The EFRI funding process inspires investigators with 
different expertise to work together on one emerging concept.
    EFRI awards require multi-disciplinary teams of at least one 
Principal Investigator and two Co-Principal Investigators. The 
anticipated duration of all awards is 4-years. The anticipated funding 
level for each project team may receive support of up to a total of 
$2,000,000 spread over four years, pending the availability of funds. 
In that sense EFRI awards are above the average single-investigator 
award amounts.
    EFRI-funded projects could include research opportunities and 
mentoring for educators, scholars, and university students, as well as 
outreach programs that help stir the imagination of K-12 students, 
often with a focus on groups underrepresented in science and 
engineering.
    We are seeking to collect additional information from the grantees 
about the outcomes of their research that goes above and beyond the 
standard reporting requirements used by the NSF and spans over a period 
of 5 years after the award. This data collection effort will enable 
program officers to longitudinally monitor outputs and outcomes given 
the unique goals and purpose of the program. This is very important to 
enable appropriate and accurate evidence-based management of the 
program and to determine whether or not the specific goals of the 
program are being met.
    Grantees will be required to submit this information on an annual 
basis to support performance review and the management of EFRI grants 
by EFRI officers. EFRI grantees will be required to submit these 
indicators to NSF via a data collection Web site that will be embedded 
in NSF's IT infrastructure. These indicators are both quantitative and 
descriptive and may include, for example, the characteristics of 
project personnel and students; sources of complementary cash and in-
kind support to the EFRI project; characteristics of industrial and/or 
other sector participation; research activities; education activities; 
knowledge transfer activities; patents, licenses; publications; 
descriptions of significant advances and other outcomes of the EFRI 
effort. Such reporting requirements will be included in the cooperative 
agreement which is binding between the academic institution and the 
NSF.
    Each submission will address the following major categories of 
activities: (1) Knowledge transfer across disciplines, (2) innovation 
of ideas in areas of greater opportunity, (3) potential for 
translational research, (4) project results advance the frontier/
creation of new fields of study, (5) innovative research methods or 
discoveries are introduced to the classroom, and (6) fostering 
participation of underrepresented groups in science. For each of the 
categories, the report will enumerate specific outputs and outcomes.
    Use of the Information: The data collected will be used for NSF 
internal reports, historical data, and performance review by peer site 
visit teams, program level studies and evaluations, and for securing 
future funding for continued EFRI program maintenance and growth.
    Estimate of Burden: Approximately 10 hours per grant for 
approximately 80 grants per year for a total of 800 hours per year.
    Respondents: Principal Investigators who lead the EFRI grants.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One report collected for 
each of the approximately 80 grantees every year.

    Dated: December 14, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-30447 Filed 12-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P