[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27543-27544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12693]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Manufacturing 
Extension Partnership Management Information Reporting

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 13, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 1401 
Constitution Avenue NW,

[[Page 27544]]

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Melissa Davis, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 100 Bureau Drive, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899, MS4800, 301-975-5039, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a national network of 
locally based manufacturing extension centers that assists small- and 
medium-sized manufacturers to improve their productivity, improve 
profitability, and enhance their economic competitiveness. The 
information collected will provide the MEP with information regarding 
MEP Center performance regarding the delivery of technology, and 
business solutions to U.S.-based manufacturers. The collected 
information will assist in determining the performance of the MEP 
Centers at both local and national levels, provide information critical 
to monitoring and reporting on MEP programmatic performance, and assist 
management in policy decisions. Responses to the collection of 
information are mandatory per the regulations governing the operation 
of the MEP Program (15 CFR parts 290, 291, 292, and H.R. 1274--section 
2). The information collected will include center inputs and activities 
including services delivered, clients served, center staff, quarterly 
expenses and revenues, partners, strategic plan, operation plans, and 
client success stories. No confidentiality for information submitted is 
promised or provided. In order to reflect new initiatives and new data 
needs, NIST MEP has identified a need to revise its existing reporting 
processes by modifying existing reporting elements that will enable 
NIST MEP to better monitor and assess the extent to which the Centers 
are meeting program goals and milestones.

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected from the MEP Centers through the 
MEP Enterprise Information System (MEIS), https://meis.nist.gov.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-0032.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 51.
    Estimated Time per Response: 125 hours in year of Annual Review. 
175 hours in year of Panel Review.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,375 hours in year of Annual 
Review. 8,925 hours in year of Panel Review.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) 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 respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-12693 Filed 6-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-13-P