[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35490-35491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14286]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Manufacturing Extension Partnership Management Information 
Reporting

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before September 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Maureen O'Reilly, Management Analyst, NIST, by email to 
[email protected]). Please reference OMB Control Number 0693-0032 in 
the subject line of your comments. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Melissa Davis, NIST, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 100 Bureau 
Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, MS4800, 240-277-0269, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a national network of 
locally based manufacturing extension centers that assists small- and 
medium-sized manufacturers to improve their productivity, improve 
profitability, and enhance their economic competitiveness. The 
information collected will provide the MEP with information regarding 
MEP Center performance regarding the delivery of technology, and 
business solutions to U.S.-based manufacturers. The collected 
information will assist in determining the performance of the MEP 
Centers at both local and national levels, provide information critical 
to monitoring and reporting on MEP programmatic performance and assist 
management in policy decisions. Responses to the collection of 
information are mandatory per the regulations governing the operation 
of the MEP Program (15 CFR parts 290, 291, 292, and H.R. 1274--section 
2). The information collected will include center inputs and activities 
including services delivered, clients served, center staff, quarterly 
expenses and revenues, partners, strategic plan, operation plans, and 
client success stories. No confidentiality for information submitted is 
promised or provided. In order to reflect new initiatives and new data 
needs, NIST MEP has identified a need to revise its existing reporting 
processes by modifying existing reporting elements that will enable 
NIST MEP to better monitor and assess the extent to which the Centers 
are meeting program goals and milestones.

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected from the MEP Centers through the 
MEP Enterprise Information System (MEIS), https://meis.nist.gov.

[[Page 35491]]

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-0032.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 51.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 20 Hours for Quarterly Review, 4 Hours 
for Semi-Annual Review, 30 hours for the Annual Review; 80 hours for 
Panel Review. Recipients of Special Funding awards should anticipate an 
additional burden of 2 hours quarterly/semiannually (per award) based 
on the requirements of the cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,508 hours for Quarterly, 
Semi-annual, and Annual Review; and 1,360 hours for Panel Review.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority:

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-14286 Filed 7-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P