[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23537-23538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09000]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
National Survey of College Graduates

AGENCY: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics; 
National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES), within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing 
plans to request renewal of the National Survey of College Graduates 
(OMB Control Number 3145-0141). In accordance with the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for 
public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public 
comment, NCSES will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve 
clearance of this collection for three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by June 29, 
2020 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to the 
address below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Suite 
W18200, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; 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: 
    Title of Collection: 2021 National Survey of College Graduates.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0141.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: February 28, 2022.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend an information 
collection for three years.

Abstract

    Established within the NSF by the America COMPETES Reauthorization 
Act of 2010 Sec.  [thinsp]505, codified in the National Science 
Foundation Act of 1950, as amended, the National Center for Science and 
Engineering Statistics (NCSES) serves as a central Federal 
clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, analysis, and 
dissemination of objective data on science, engineering, technology, 
and research and development for use by practitioners, researchers, 
policymakers, and the public.
    The National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) is designed to 
comply with these mandates by providing information on the supply and 
utilization of the nation's scientists and engineers. The purpose of 
the NSCG is to collect data that will be used to provide national 
estimates on the size, composition, and activities of the science and 
engineering workforce and changes in their employment, education, and 
demographic characteristics. The NSCG has been conducted biennially 
since the 1970s. The 2021 NSCG sample will be selected from the 2019 
American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2019 NSCG. By selecting the 
sample from these two sources, the 2021 NSCG will provide coverage of 
the college graduate population residing in the United States.
    The U.S. Census Bureau, as the agency responsible for the ACS, will 
serve as the NSCG data collection contractor for NCSES. The survey data 
collection is expected to begin in February 2021 and continue for 
approximately seven months. Data will be collected using web and mail 
questionnaires, and follow-up will be conducted with nonrespondents by 
computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). The individual's 
response to the survey is voluntary. The survey will be conducted in 
conformance with Census Bureau statistical quality standards and, as 
such, the NSCG data will be afforded confidentiality protection under 
the applicable Census Bureau confidentiality statutes.
    Use of the Information: The NSF uses the information from the NSCG 
to prepare congressionally mandated reports such as Women, Minorities 
and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/women/) and Science and Engineering Indicators 
(https://ncses.nsf.gov/indicators), both of which are available online. 
A public release file of collected data, designed to protect respondent 
confidentiality, will be made available on the internet and will be 
accessible through an online data tool (https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/ids/
).
    Expected Respondents: A statistical sample of approximately 164,000 
individuals (90,000 returning sample members and 74,000 new sample 
members) will be contacted in 2021. Based on recent survey cycles, 
NCSES expects the response rate to be 65 to 75 percent.
    Estimate of Burden: The amount of time to complete the 
questionnaire may vary depending on an individual's educational 
history, employment status, and past response to the NSCG. The time to 
complete the 2019 NSCG web survey ranged from 15.4 minutes for some 
returning sample members to 23.6 minutes for new sample members, and 
approximately 85% of respondents completed the web mode. Likewise, CATI 
interview times during the 2019 NSCG ranged from 29.6 minutes for some 
returning sample members to 34.3 minutes for new sample members, and 
about 5% of respondents completed via CATI. It was estimated that all 
forms of the 2019 NSCG paper questionnaire took 30 minutes to complete, 
and about 10% of respondents completed the paper form. Based on the 
2019 cycle's survey completion times, it is estimated that it will take 
approximately 25 minutes, on average, to complete the 2021 NSCG 
questionnaire. NSF estimates that the average annual burden for the 
2021 survey cycle over the course of the three-year OMB clearance 
period will be no more than 17,083 hours [(164,000 individuals x 75% 
response x 25 minutes)/3 years].
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the NSF, including whether the information shall have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, use, and clarity of the information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology; and (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.


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    Dated: April 22, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-09000 Filed 4-27-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P