[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22905-22906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10450]


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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. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register, and one comment was received. 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 may be found at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

DATES: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by June 19, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science 
Foundation, 725 17th Street NW, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and 
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science 
Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, 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).
    Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-292-
7556.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection 
of information unless (a) the collection of information displays a 
currently valid OMB control number and (b) the agency informs potential 
respondents that they are not required to respond unless the 
information collection displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Comments regarding (a) whether the 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 burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to the points 
of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

Supplementary Information

    Title of Collection: Generic Clearance of the National Center for 
Science and Engineering Statistics Improvement Projects.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0174.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend, with revisions, 
an information collection for three years.
    Abstract: Established within the National Science Foundation by the 
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec.  505, codified in the 
National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, the National 
Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)--one of 13 
principal federal statistical agencies--serves as a central Federal 
clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, analysis, and 
dissemination of objective data on science, engineering, technology, 
research and development for use by practitioners, researchers, 
policymakers, and the public. NCSES conducts about a dozen nationally-
representative surveys to obtain the data for these purposes. The 
Generic Clearance will be used to ensure that the highest quality data 
are obtained from these surveys. State of the art methodology will be 
used to develop, evaluate, and test questionnaires and survey concepts 
as well as to improve survey and statistical methodology. This may 
include field or pilot tests of questions for future large scale 
surveys, as needed. The Generic Clearance will also be used to test and 
evaluate data dissemination tools and methods, in an effort to improve 
access for data users.
    Use of the Information: The purpose of these studies is to use the 
latest and most appropriate methodology to improve NCSES surveys, 
evaluate new data collection efforts, and evaluate data dissemination 
tools and mechanisms. Methodological findings may be presented 
externally. Improved NCSES surveys, data collections, and data 
dissemination will help policymakers in decisions on research and 
development funding, graduate education, and the scientific and 
engineering workforce, as well as contributing to reduced survey costs.
    Expected Respondents: The respondents will be from industry, 
academia, nonprofit organizations,

[[Page 22906]]

members of the public, and State, local, and Federal governments. 
Respondents will be either individuals or institutions, depending on 
the topic under investigation. NCSES expects to use both qualitative 
and quantitative procedures, in various modes (e.g., in-person, 
telephone, web). Up to 7,595 respondents will be contacted across all 
projects. No respondent will be contacted more than twice in one year 
under this generic clearance. Every effort will be made to use 
technology to limit the burden on respondents from small entities.
    Estimate of Burden: NCSES estimates that a total reporting and 
recordkeeping burden of 15,610 hours will result from activities to 
improve its surveys. The calculation is shown in Table 1.

 Table 1--Potential Surveys for Improvement Projects, With the Number of
                      Respondents and Burden Hours
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                                             Number of       Number of
                                            respondents        hours
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Early Career Doctorate Survey...........             500             500
Survey of Earned Doctorates.............           1,200             600
Other surveys of the science and                   1,600             450
 engineering workforce..................
Higher Education Research & Development              300             500
 Survey.................................
Federally-Funded Research & Development               60             120
 Centers (FFRDC) Survey.................
Federal Labs Survey (possible future                 275             525
 survey)................................
State Government Research & Development              150             225
 Survey.................................
Survey of Nonprofit Research Activities.             225             550
Business Research & Development Survey..              50             150
Annual Business Survey..................             300             450
Survey of Scientific & Engineering                   300             300
 Facilities.............................
Public Understanding of Science &                    550             125
 Engineering Survey.....................
Data dissemination tools and mechanisms.             100             100
Other surveys and projects not specified          10,000           3,000
                                         -------------------------------
    Total...............................          15,610           7,595
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    Comments: On March 12, 2019 we published in the Federal Register 
(84 FR 10842) a 60-day notice of our intent to request reinstatement of 
this information collection authority from OMB. In that notice, we 
solicited public comments for 60 days ending May 13, 2019. One comment 
was received, which came from Paul Clark via the web on April 19, 2019. 
Mr. Clark's comment consisted of a paper concerning access to 
engineering education and accreditation, especially for minorities and 
working-class adults. We respond to Mr. Clark's comment below.
    Response: NSF believes that the comment does not pertain to the 
collection of information under the generic clearance, which is focused 
on survey improvement activities. Therefore, NSF is proceeding with the 
clearance request.

    Dated: May 7, 2019.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2019-10450 Filed 5-17-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P