[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67016-67017]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23332]


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

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Awardee Reporting Requirements for the Established Program To Stimulate 
Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research Infrastructure Improvement 
Programs

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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

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: Awardee Reporting Requirements for the 
Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Research 
Infrastructure Improvement Programs.
    OMB Number: 3145-0243.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement with change of an established 
information collection.
    Proposed Project: The mission of the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) is to promote the progress of science; to advance the national 
health, welfare, and prosperity; and to secure the national defense, 
while avoiding the undue concentration of research and education. In 
1977, in response to congressional concern that NSF funding was overly 
concentrated geographically, a National Science Board task force 
analyzed the geographic distribution of NSF funds, which resulted in 
the creation of an NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive 
Research (EPSCoR). The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act 
(Pub. L. 114-329, Sec 103 D) effectively changed the program's name 
from ``Experimental'' to ``Established'' in FY 2016. Congress specified 
two objectives for the EPSCoR program in the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 1988: (1) To assist States that 
historically have received relatively little Federal research and 
development funding; and (2) to assist States that have demonstrated a 
commitment to develop their research bases and improve science and 
engineering research and education programs at their universities and 
colleges
    The EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Investment 
Strategies advance science and engineering capabilities in EPSCoR 
jurisdictions for discovery, innovation and overall knowledge-based 
prosperity. These projects build human, cyber, and physical 
infrastructure in EPSCoR jurisdictions, stimulating sustainable 
improvements in their Research & Development (R&D) capacity and 
competitiveness.
    EPSCoR projects are unique in their scope and complexity; in their 
integration of individual researchers, institutions, and organizations; 
and in their role in developing the diverse, well-prepared, STEM-
enabled workforce necessary to sustain research competitiveness and 
catalyze economic development. In addition, these projects are 
generally inter- or multi-disciplinary and involve effective 
jurisdictional and regional collaborations among academic, government, 
and private sector stakeholders that advance scientific research, 
promote innovation, and provide multiple societal benefits. They also 
broaden participation in science and engineering by engaging multiple 
institutions and organizations at all levels of research and education, 
and people within and among EPSCoR jurisdictions. These projects 
usually involve between 100 to 300 participants per year over the 
performance period, and the projects reach thousands more through their 
extensive STEM outreach activities. The American Innovation and 
Competitiveness Act of 2016, Section 103 (Pub. L. 114-329) requires NSF 
EPSCoR to submit annual reports to both Congress and OSTP that contain 
data detailing project progress and success (new investigators, 
broadening participation, dissemination of results, new workshops, 
outreach activities,

[[Page 67017]]

proposals submitted and awarded, mentoring activities among faculty 
members, collaborations, researcher participating on the review 
process, etc.).
    EPSCoR RII Track-1, Track-2, and Track-4 projects are required to 
submit annual reports on progress and plans, which are used as a basis 
for performance review and determining the level of continued funding. 
To support this review and the management of EPSCoR RII projects, teams 
are required to develop a set of performance indicators for building 
sustainable infrastructure and capacity in terms of a strategic plan 
for the project; measure performance and revise strategies as 
appropriate; report on the progress relative to the project's goals and 
milestones; and describe changes in strategies, if any, for submission 
annually to NSF. These indicators are both quantitative and descriptive 
and may include, for example, the characteristics of project personnel 
and students; aggregate demographics of participants; sources of 
financial support and in-kind support; expenditures by operational 
component; characteristics of industrial and/or other sector 
participation; research activities; workforce development activities; 
external engagement activities; patents and patent licenses; 
publications; degrees granted to students involved in project 
activities; and descriptions of significant advances and other outcomes 
of the EPSCoR project's efforts. Part of this reporting takes the form 
of several spreadsheets to capture specific information to demonstrate 
progress towards achieving the goals of the program. Such reporting 
requirements are included in the cooperative agreement which is binding 
between the awardee institution and NSF.
    Each project's annual report addresses the following categories of 
activities: (1) Research, (2) education, (3) workforce development, (4) 
partnerships and collaborations, (5) communication and dissemination, 
(6) sustainability, (7) diversity, (8) management, and (9) evaluation 
and assessment.
    For each of the categories the report is required to describe 
overall objectives for the year; specific accomplishments, impacts, 
outputs and outcomes; problems or challenges the project has 
encountered in making progress towards goals; and anticipated problems 
in performance during the following year.
    Use of the Information: NSF will use the information to continue 
its oversight of funded EPSCoR RII projects, and to evaluate the 
progress of the program.
    The change would facilitate reporting better aligned with program 
goals and provides data as legislatively required for NSF EPSCoR.
    Estimate of Burden: Approximately 59 hours per project for 173 
projects for a total of 7,555 hours.
    Respondents: Non-profit institutions; federal government.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One.

    Dated: October 16, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-23332 Filed 10-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P