[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,
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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
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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