[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 47 (Friday, March 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14157-14158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05130]



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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; NSF I-
Corps Regional Hubs Assessment

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
establish this collection. 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, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer 
than 3 years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by May 11, 2021 
to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to 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: NSF I-Corps Regional Hubs Assessment.
    OMB Number: 3145-NEW.
    Expiration Date of Approval: Not applicable.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to establish an 
information collection.
    Abstract: NSF's Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships 
(IIP), within the Engineering Directorate, serves a wide range of 
grantees across five major programs.
    The NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program was established at NSF 
in FY 2012 to equip scientists with the entrepreneurial tools needed to 
transform discoveries with commercial realization potential into 
innovative technologies. The goal of the I-Corps Program is to use 
experiential education to help researchers reduce the time necessary to 
translate a promising idea from the laboratory bench to widespread 
implementation. In addition to accelerating technology translation, NSF 
seeks to reduce the risk associated with technology development 
conducted without insight into industry requirements and challenges. 
The I-Corps Program uses a lean startup approach to encourage 
scientists to think like entrepreneurs through intensive workshop 
training and ongoing support. The program focuses on teams comprised of 
a Principal Investigator, Entrepreneurial Lead, and Mentor that work 
together to explore commercialization for their research-derived 
products.
    In FY 2017, the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (AICA), 
Public Law 114-329, Sec 601, formally authorized and directed the 
expansion of NSF I-Corps Program by increasing the economic 
competitiveness of the United States, enhancing partnerships between 
academia and industry, developing an American STEM workforce that is 
globally competitive, and supporting female entrepreneurs and 
individuals from historically underrepresented groups in STEM through 
mentorship, education, and training.
    To that end, NSF built and has continued expanding an I-Corps 
National Innovation Network (NIN). NIN is a collection of NSF I-Corps 
Nodes and Sites that together with NSF implement the I-Corps program to 
grow and sustain the national innovation ecosystem. I-Corps Nodes are 
typically large, multi-institutional collaborations that deliver NSF 
national I-Corps Teams training curriculum as well as recruit and train 
the National I-Corps instructors. Sites are entrepreneurial centers 
located at individual colleges and universities to catalyze potential 
I-Corps teams within their local institutions. Together, the Nodes and 
Sites serve as the backbone of the NIN.
    Recently, IIP published a new I-Corps Program Solicitation, NSF 20-
529--NSF Innovation Corps Hubs Program (I-Corps\TM\ Hubs), that has 
placed a strong emphasis on developing and further expanding the NIN. 
The I-Corps Hubs Program has strengthened the requirements to support a 
diverse and inclusive community of innovators, in that teams are 
encouraged to recruit diverse members at all levels. In addition, the 
I-Corps Hubs Program also provides new pathways for teams to qualify 
for the participation in the national I-Corps Teams program (at the 
Nodes). Through this solicitation, NSF seeks to evolve the current 
structure, in which NSF I-Corps Teams, Nodes, and Sites are funded 
through separate programs, towards a more integrated operational model 
capable of sustained operation at the scope and scale required to 
support the expansion of the NSF I-Corps Program as directed by AICA.
    In order to support the agency's congressional reporting 
requirements in response to the AICA, we are asking NIN grantees to 
report the following information:

 Expansion of NIN
    [cir] Number of teams trained
    [cir] Number of teams advancing to national I-Corps Teams program 
(applicable to I-Corps Hubs and I-Corps Sites)
 STEM Workforce
    [cir] Team size (number of members on the team)
    [cir] Team characteristics (participation of females, veterans, and 
underrepresented minorities)
    [cir] Participant status at the time of program
 Subsequent Commercialization Outcomes
    [cir] Company formation
    [cir] Following-on funding
    [ssquf] SBIR Phase I, II funding
    [ssquf] Other Federal Funding
    [ssquf] Private Funding (including competition, and prize awards)
    [cir] Revenues (sales, licensing fees, other operational cash 
flows)

    The reporting of this information is in addition to the agency's 
annual report requirement for the grantees. Not only will the 
information help the agency report on NIN activities to Congress, they 
also provide managing Program Directors a means to monitor the 
operational states of these I-Corps Sites, Nodes, and Hubs, and ensure 
that their awards are in good standing. These data will also allow NSF 
to assess these awardees in terms of intellectual, broader, and 
commercial impacts that are core to our merit review criteria. Finally, 
in compliance with the Evidence Act of 2019, information collected will 
be used in satisfying congressional requests, responding to queries 
from the public, NSF's external merit reviewers who serve as advisors, 
and NSF's Office of the Inspector General, and supporting the agency's 
policymaking and internal evaluation and assessment needs.
    Information collected will include name of the participants, their 
affiliated organizations, email addresses, and home states. These 
personal identifiable information (PII) are collected primarily to 
track recipients of their roles in the I-Corps teams, and allow us to 
perform due diligence and quality check on the data provided by the 
grantees. These PII data will be accessed only by the I-Corps Sites, 
Nodes, and Hubs, the managing Program Directors, NSF senior management, 
and supporting staff

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conducting analyses using the data as authorized by NSF. Any public 
reporting of data will be in aggregate form, and any personal 
identifiers will be removed.
    Use of the Information: The information collected is primarily for 
the agency's AICA Reporting requirements, and other congressional 
requests.
    Estimate Burden on the Public: Estimated at 40 hours per award, per 
year, for the life of the award.
    Respondents: I-Corps Sites, Nodes, and Hubs Grantees.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 110.
    Average Time per Reporting: 20 hours.
    Frequency: Twice per year.
    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 respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and collection name 
identified above for this information collection. Commenters are 
strongly encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via 
email. Comments, including any personal information provided become a 
matter of public record. They will be summarized and/or included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information 
collection request.

    Dated: March 5, 2021.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2021-05130 Filed 3-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P