[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 84 (Thursday, April 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23950-23951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09182]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Conflict of 
Interest Disclosure for Non-Federal Government Individuals Who Are 
Candidates To Conduct Peer Reviews Required by the OMB Peer Review 
Bulletin

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
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 comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written or on-line comments must be 
submitted on or before June 29, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Adrienne Thomas, PRA Officer, 
NOAA, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 159, Asheville, NC 28801 (or via the 
internet at [email protected]). All comments received are part of the 
public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All 
Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Jeffrey Dillen, NOAA OGC, 14th & Constitution Avenue NW, 
Herbert C Hoover Bldg., Rm 78032, Washington, DC 20230-0001, 
[email protected] or by telephone at (301) 713-7382.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved collection.

[[Page 23951]]

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued government-wide 
guidance to enhance the practice of peer review of government science 
documents. OMB's Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review 
(``Peer Review Bulletin'' or PRB) (available at https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/omb/memoranda_fy2005_m05-03/) establishes 
minimum peer review standards for influential scientific information 
that Federal agencies intend to disseminate.
    The Peer Review Bulletin also directs Federal agencies to adopt or 
adapt the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) policy for evaluating 
conflicts of interest when selecting peer reviewers who are not Federal 
government employees (federal employees are subject to Federal ethics 
requirements). For peer review purposes, the term ``conflicts of 
interest'' means any financial or other interest which conflicts with 
the service of the individual because it could: (1) Significantly 
impair the individual's objectivity; or (2) create an unfair 
competitive advantage for any person or organization. NOAA has adapted 
the NAS policy and developed two confidential conflict disclosure forms 
which the agency will use to examine prospective reviewers' potential 
financial conflicts and other interests that could impair objectivity 
or create an unfair advantage. One form is for peer reviewers of 
studies related to government regulation and the other form is for all 
other influential scientific information subject to the Peer Review 
Bulletin. In addition, the latter form has been adapted by NOAA's 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research for potential reviewers of 
scientific laboratories.
    The forms include questions about employment as well as investment 
and property interests and research funding. Both forms also require 
the submission of curriculum vitae. NOAA is seeking to collect this 
information from potential peer reviewers who are not government 
employees when conducting a peer review pursuant to the PRB. The 
information collected in the conflict of interest disclosure is 
essential to NOAA's compliance with the OMB PRB, and helps to ensure 
that government studies are reviewed by independent, impartial peer 
reviewers.

II. Method of Collection

    Forms may be downloaded from the internet and are fillable and 
signed electronically or manually. They may be submitted, along with 
the Curriculum Vitae, via email or regular mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0567.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 321.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes each: Conflict of Interest 
Disclosure for General Scientific and Technical Studies and Assistance; 
and Conflict of Interest Disclosure for Studies Related to Government 
Regulation.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 161 hours.
    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 shall 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,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-09182 Filed 4-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P