[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67021-67022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25665]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


Notice of Intent To Extend and Revise Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice 
announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) 
intention to extend and revise a previously approved information 
collection, entitled NIFA Application Kit. This information collection 
replaces an existing information collection, also entitled NIFA 
Application Kit.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by January 24, 
2022 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments.
    Instructions: All comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Martin, 202-445-5388, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title of Collection: NIFA Application Kit.
    OMB Control Number: 0524-0039.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: 12/31/2021.
    Type of Request: Notice of intent to extend and revise a currently 
approved information collection. The burden for this collection remains 
unchanged.
    NIFA is requesting a three-year extension for the current 
collection entitled ``NIFA Application Kit.''
    NIFA is also proposing non-substantive updates to the existing 
``Application Type Form'' to reflect all grant types currently 
available. The form will be modified to include ``New Investigator 
Seed'' as an additional option under ``Grant Type.''
    Abstract: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) 
sponsors ongoing agricultural research, extension, and education 
programs under which competitive, formula, and special awards of a 
high-priority nature are made. Because competitive applications are 
submitted, many of which necessitate review by peer panelists, it is 
particularly important that applicants provide the information in a 
standardized fashion to ensure equitable treatment for all.
    Standardization is also important to applicants to other programs 
as it lends itself to a more efficient process and minimizes 
administrative burden. For this reason, NIFA uses standard forms in the 
SF-424 Research and Related (R&R) form family which includes agency-
specific forms for the application process. NIFA issues Requests for 
Application (RFAs) that includes the instructions for the preparation 
and submission of applications. These instructions provide, where 
appropriate, the necessary format for information in order to expedite, 
to the extent possible, the application review process. NIFA requires 
submission of applications electronically through Grants.gov.
    The forms and narrative information are mainly used for application 
evaluation and administration purposes. While some of the information 
is used to respond to inquiries from Congress and other government 
agencies, the forms are not designed to be statistical surveys.
    Also included in this information collection is one form which only 
applies to recipients of a NIFA fellowship/scholarship. The form is 
only used to document pertinent demographic data on the fellows/
scholars, documentation of the progress of the fellows/scholars under 
the program, and performance outcomes of the student beneficiaries.
    Respondents: Universities, non-profit institutions, State, local, 
or Tribal government, and a limited number of for- profit institutions 
and individuals.
    Estimated Number of Respondents by form:
    Letter of Intent: 2,739.
    Form NIFA-2008 Assurance Statement(s): 2,000.
    Supplemental Information: 5,377.
    Application Type: 2,200.
    Proposal Type Form: 2,687.
    NIFA-2010 Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Exit: 150.
    The individual form burden is as follows (calculated based on a 
survey of grant applicants conducted by NIFA):
    Letter of Intent: 2 hours.
    Form NIFA-2008 Assurance Statement(s): 30 minutes.
    Supplemental Information: 2 hours.
    Application Type: 15 minutes.
    Proposal Type Form: 15 minutes.
    NIFA-2010 Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Exit: 3 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on the public for all forms: 18,354 
hours.
    Frequency of Respondents: Annually.
    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 will 
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 to be 
collected; 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

[[Page 67022]]

technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request to OMB for approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.
    Obtaining a Copy of the Information Collection: A copy of the 
information collection and related instructions may be obtained free of 
charge by contacting Robert Martin as directed above.

    Done at Washington, DC, this day of November 18, 2021.
Carrie L. Castille,
Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2021-25665 Filed 11-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P