[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 100 (Thursday, May 25, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24167-24168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10750]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. NSF is forwarding 
the proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second 
notice. The full submission (including comments) may be found at: 
http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by June 26, 
2017, to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be

[[Page 24168]]

considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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).
    NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless 
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is the second notice for public 
comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 
93967, and no comments were received.
    Comments: Comments are 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: Evaluation of the National Science 
Foundation's Innovation Corps Team Program.
    OMB Clearance Number: 3145--NEW.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to establish an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program was established in 
2011 as part of NSF's efforts to encourage a culture of innovation 
among recipients of research grants. The program provides support and 
guidance to selected grantees on how to pursue commercial applications 
of their research. The I-Corps Teams program uses a lean startup 
approach to encourage scientists to think like entrepreneurs through 
intensive workshop training and ongoing support. The program focuses on 
teams comprised of a principal investigator, entrepreneurial lead, and 
mentor that work together to explore commercialization for their 
research-derived products.
    NSF is supporting the evaluation of the program that includes a 
rigorous longitudinal outcome/impact evaluation of the I-Corps Team 
Program using a quasi-experimental design to understand I-Corps impact 
on teams that go through the program and its impact on team members and 
academic culture.
    The Office of Management and Budget has previously provided 
clearance for 3 data collection efforts associated with the I-Corps 
workshops targeting I-Corps grantees. These refer to: (1) A pre-course 
survey (2) a post-course survey and (3) a longitudinal survey of 
principal investigators in the program. This request builds on this 
previously approved information collection for NSF's Engineering IIP 
Program Monitoring Clearance (OMB Control No. 3145-0238).
    This information collection request relates to (1) a proposed 
survey of principal investigators (PIs) in comparable non-I-Corps NSF 
projects and (2) In-depth interviews with 10 I-Corps and 10 comparable 
non-I-Corps teams.
    The survey will begin with an initial screening module to identify 
PIs who have received support for projects with commercial potential 
and who have desire to act on that potential but have not received an 
I-Corps grant. PIs with non-Corps NSF-funded projects awarded between 
2009 and 2013 will be surveyed. PIs who reported active interest in 
commercial potential for their research projects will be asked to 
complete an additional module adapted from the I-Corps Longitudinal 
Data Collection already approved by OMB for I-Corps team members. The 
longitudinal survey collects information on project outputs and 
outcomes related to commercialization of research-based products. PIs 
not interested in the commercial potential of their research will stop 
the survey after completing the screening module.
    In addition to the comparison between the I-Corps teams and a 
comparable group based on survey results, the study also includes in-
depth interviews to gain an understanding of the influence of 
participation in the I-Corps program on PIs and other team members as 
well as to compare the impact of the I-Corps program on industry 
collaborations and other networking activities. Half of all in-depth 
interviews will be conducted over the phone while the other half will 
take place during site visits to the home institutions of the teams 
selected for the study.
    Affected Public: Non-I-Corps Grant recipients of NSF Programs 
common in the background of I-Corps Teams Program PIs for the survey 
and 10 I-Corps and 10 non-I-Corps research teams and networks.
    Total Respondents: 8,709.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,245 hours.

    Dated: May 22, 2017.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2017-10750 Filed 5-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P