[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29393-29394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10405]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

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

[[Page 29394]]

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. The full 
submission may be found at: http://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.

DATES: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured 
of having their full effect if received by June 13, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science 
Foundation, 725 17th Street NW, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and 
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(s) 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.
    Comments regarding (a) whether the 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 burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (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 technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to the points 
of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the 
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0224.

Overview of Information Collection

    NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program funds 
REU Site grants and REU Supplements to organizations to provide 
authentic research experiences and related training for postsecondary 
students in STEM fields.
    All NSF Principal Investigators in all programs are required to 
submit annual and final project reports through the NSF Project Reports 
System in Research.gov. The REU Program Module is a component of the 
NSF Project Reports System that is designed to gather basic information 
about the pool of student applicants and participants in REU Site and 
REU Supplement projects. The information allows NSF to assess the 
demand and allocate resources for REU student positions within each 
discipline, to analyze the types of academic institutions and the 
educational levels represented by the participants, and to identify the 
participants for inclusion in periodic program evaluations.
    NSF is committed to providing stakeholders with information 
regarding the expenditure of taxpayer funds on its investments in human 
capital, including activities such as REU Sites and REU Supplements. If 
NSF could not collect information about the students who participate in 
undergraduate research experiences, NSF would have no other means to 
consistently document the number and diversity of the participants or 
to identify the participants for inclusion in efforts that gauge the 
quality of programmatic activities and the long-term effects of the 
activities on the students. Without the REU Program Module, NSF also 
would not have information about the competitiveness of the REU 
opportunities, which informs the management of the program's budget.

Consultation With Other Agencies and the Public

    This information collection is specific to a subset of NSF 
grantees. NSF has not consulted with other agencies but has gathered 
information from its grantee community through attendance at PI 
conferences. A request for public comments will be solicited through 
announcement of data collection in the Federal Register.

Background

    All NSF Principal Investigators are required to use the project 
reporting functionality in Research.gov to report on progress, 
accomplishments, participants, and activities annually and at the 
conclusion of their project. Information from annual and final reports 
provides yearly updates on project inputs, activities, and outcomes for 
use by NSF program officers in monitoring projects and for agency 
reporting purposes.
    If project participants include undergraduate students supported by 
a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites grant or by an 
REU Supplement, then the Principal Investigator is required to complete 
the REU Program Module in addition to the questions in NSF's standard 
report template.
    Respondents: Individuals (Principal Investigators).
    Number of Principal Investigator Respondents: 3,900 annually.
    Burden on the Public: 650 total hours.

    Dated: May 10, 2022.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022-10405 Filed 5-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P