[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32072-32073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12665]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


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

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 one request for a copy of the information collection was 
received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal 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). Comments regarding this information collection are 
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of 
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling 703-292-7556.
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: Reporting Requirements for the National 
Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Hubs Program.
    OMB Number: 3145-NEW.
    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

[[Page 32073]]

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.
    Use of the Information: The information collected is primarily for 
the agency's AICA Reporting requirements, and other congressional 
requests.
    Respondents: I-Corps Sites, Nodes, and Hubs Grantees.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,000.
    Average burden per reporting: 15 minutes per respondent--10 minutes 
for the record of participation and five minutes for the follow-up 
survey for an estimate of 250 hours per year.
    Frequency: Twice a year--once for the record of participation and 
once for the follow-up survey.
    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.

    Dated: June 10, 2021.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2021-12665 Filed 6-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P