[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37695-37696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13460]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Grantee Reporting Requirements for National User Facilities Managed by 
the NSF Division of Materials Research

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 no comments were 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.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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 may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection 
of information unless the collection of information displays a 
currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential 
persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such 
persons are not required to respond to the collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
    Title of Collection: Evaluation of the Sustainability and Diffusion 
of the NSF ADVANCE Program.
    OMB Number: 3145-0234.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Proposed Project:
    The NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR) supports a number of 
National User Facilities that provide specialized capabilities and 
instrumentation to the scientific community on a competitive proposal 
basis. In addition to the user program, these facilities support in-
house research, development of new instrumentation or techniques, 
education, and knowledge transfer.
    The facilities integrate research and education for students and 
post-docs involved in experiments, and support extensive K-12 outreach 
to foster an interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics 
(STEM) and STEM careers. Facilities capitalize on diversity through 
participation in center activities and demonstrate leadership in the 
involvement of groups underrepresented in science and engineering.
    National User Facilities will be required to submit annual reports 
on progress and plans, which will be used as a basis for performance 
review and determining the level of continued funding. User facilities 
will be required to develop a set of management and performance 
indicators for submission annually to NSF via the Research Performance 
Project Reporting (RPPR) module in Research.gov. These indicators are 
both quantitative and descriptive and may include, for example, lists 
of successful proposal and users, the characteristics of facility 
personnel and students; sources of financial support and in-kind 
support; expenditures by operational component; research activities; 
education activities; knowledge transfer activities; patents, licenses; 
publications; degrees granted to students supported through the 
facility or users of the facility; descriptions of significant advances 
and other outcomes of this investment. Such reporting requirements are 
included in the cooperative agreement which is binding between the 
academic institution and the NSF.
    Each facility's annual report will address the following categories 
of activities: (1) Research, (2) education and training, (3) knowledge 
transfer, (4) partnerships, (5) diversity, (6) management, and (7) 
budget issues.
    For each of the categories the report will describe overall 
objectives and metrics for the reporting period, challenges or problems 
the facility has encountered in making progress towards goals, 
anticipated problems in the following year, and specific outputs and 
outcomes.
    Facilities are required to file a final report through the RPPR. 
Final reports contain similar information and metrics

[[Page 37696]]

as annual reports, but are retrospective and focus on the period that 
was not addressed in previous annual reports.
    Use of the Information: NSF will use the information to continue 
funding of the DMR National User Facilities, and to evaluate the 
progress of the program.
    Estimate of Burden: 790 hours per facility for three National User 
Facilities for a total of 2,370 hours.
    Respondents: Non-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One (1) from each of the 
DMR user facilities.
    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 of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, 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.

    Dated: June 18, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-13460 Filed 6-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P