[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62331-62332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21808]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent to Renew a Current Information Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing 
plans to request an amendment to the Higher Education Research and 
Development (HERD) Survey (OMB Number 3145-0100). 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 amend the clearance of this collection.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by October 26, 
2020 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:  Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower 
Avenue, W18253, 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 between 8:00 a.m. 
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Higher Education Research and Development 
Survey
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0100.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: August 31, 2022.
    Type of Request: Intent to Amend a Current Information Collection.
    Abstract: Established within NSF by the America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec.  505, codified in the NSF Act of 1950, 
as amended, 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, and research and development for use 
by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
    The Higher Education Research and Development (R&D) Survey 
(formerly known as the Survey of R&D Expenditures at Universities and 
Colleges) originated in fiscal year (FY)

[[Page 62332]]

1954 and has been conducted annually since FY 1972. The survey 
represents one facet of the research and development component of 
NCSES's statistical program, which includes R&D surveys on the 
business, federal government, higher education, state government, and 
nonprofit sectors. NCSES proposes amending the survey to collect new 
information on R&D personnel. Details are below.
    Description of New Information: The Higher Education R&D Survey is 
one of several surveys at NCSES that collect comparable information on 
R&D from different sectors of the economy (e.g., businesses, 
nonprofits, government). However, it does not currently collect as much 
information about the personnel carrying out R&D activities as some of 
the other NCSES R&D sector surveys, making it less useful for 
measurements of the R&D workforce in the United States. NCSES intends 
to address this shortcoming by collecting data on the number 
(headcounts) of R&D personnel by function, and the number of full-time 
equivalents (FTEs) by R&D function. These specific data are not 
available through other NCSES or federal surveys.
    NCSES intends to revise the current question on R&D personnel 
headcounts and add a question on the number of full-time equivalents 
for those personnel to the HERD questionnaire. The revised question 
will collect headcounts on three categories of R&D personnel 
(researchers, R&D technicians, R&D support staff) by sex and 
citizenship. Headcounts of researchers will also be collected by 
highest level of education completed. The previous version of the 
question collected headcounts for two categories: principal 
investigators and all other personnel, without demographics. NCSES 
decided to make the revised personnel headcount question confidential 
and only publish these data in the aggregate because some institutions 
expressed reluctance to publish detailed demographics on employees and 
students. The subsequent new question will collect the full-time 
equivalents of the R&D personnel accounted for in the revised R&D 
personnel headcount question.
    Use of the New Information: The United States is the only 
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member 
country that does not report higher education sector FTEs as published 
in the OECD's Main Science and Technology Indicators report. These new 
R&D personnel variables will allow NCSES to provide internationally 
comparable information not available elsewhere to data users interested 
in science policy, the nature of the science and engineering workforce, 
and U.S. R&D competitiveness.
    Expected respondents: The R&D personnel questions will only appear 
on the HERD standard form that is administered to approximately 650 
institutions reporting at least $1 million in R&D in the previous year. 
Neither the HERD short form respondents (those reporting at least $150 
thousand but less than $1 million), nor the Federally Funded Research 
and Development Centers (FFRDCs), will receive these questions.
    Estimate of burden: Since many institutions will need to create new 
internal reports to assemble these data and calculate the full-time 
equivalents, the average burden is estimated to increase by 10 hours 
(to a total of 64 hours per institution) for the approximately 650 
institutions reporting at least $1 million in R&D expenditures. This 
estimate is based on 32 interviews with 16 respondents conducted over 
two rounds between April and July 2020.
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed addition 
to the 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: September 25, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-21808 Filed 10-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P