[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60418-60419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21638]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research 
(SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Pre-Award Information 
Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

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

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 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.

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, 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: National Science Foundation (NSF) Small 
Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer 
(STTR) Pre-Award Information Collection.
    OMB Control No.: 3145-New.
    Abstract: The NSF SBIR/STTR programs focus on transforming 
scientific discovery into products and services with commercial 
potential and/or societal benefit. Unlike fundamental or basic research 
activities that focus on scientific and engineering discoveries, the 
NSF SBIR/STTR programs support the creation of opportunities to move 
fundamental science and engineering out of the lab and into the market 
at scale, through startups and small businesses representing deep 
technology ventures.
    The NSF SBIR/STTR programs have two phases: Phase I and Phase II. 
Phase I is a 6-12 month experimental or theoretical investigation that 
allows the awardees to determine the scientific and technical 
feasibility, as well as the commercial merit of the idea or concept. 
Phase II further develops the proposed concept, with a goal of working 
toward the commercial launch of the new product, process, or service 
being developed.
    The NSF SBIR/STTR programs request the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval of this clearance that will allow the programs to 
collect information from a selected group of applicants--those that 
have been reviewed by independent experts and that NSF Program 
Directors are considering recommending for funding--for the purpose of 
making a funding decision. This information includes, but is not 
exclusive to, a list of company officers and the corresponding 
ownership status of each company officer within the startup, whether 
the startup is associated or affiliated with other companies, whether 
there exist any relationships (personal, financial, and/or 
professional) between project personnel, and the locations of all the 
facilities where significant research will be performed for the 
proposed project. Such data will enable the NSF Program Directors to 
evaluate a given company's business structure, ascertain the level of 
commitment of the Principal Investigator (PI) and co-PIs to the startup 
venture, and identify conflicts of interests (if any), as part of the 
due diligence process that the programs undertake to verify there are 
no fraudulent or inappropriate business practices prior to recommending 
the small business for an award.
    Following standard OMB requirements, NSF will request OMB approval 
in advance and provide OMB with a copy of the form containing these 
questions. Data collected will be used strictly for due-diligence, 
auditing, and/or legal purposes, and are needed for effective pre-award 
management, administration, and/or program monitoring. The applicants, 
if being considered for award, will only be asked to submit a signed 
form containing their responses to the questions once for each NSF 
SBIR/STTR proposal (Phase I and II, if applicable). The data collection 
burden to the selected applicants will be limited to no more than 10 
minutes of the respondents' time in each instance. Summaries of the 
collected data are also being used to respond to queries from Congress, 
the Small Business Administration, the public, NSF's external merit 
reviewers who serve as advisors, including Committees of Visitors, 
NSF's Office of the Inspector General, and other pertinent 
stakeholders.
    Respondents: PIs listed on the NSF SBIR/STTR proposals.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 750.
    Frequency: Once.
    Average Time: 0.167 hours.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 126 hours per year.
    Comments: Comments regarding (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the NSF, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
use, and clarity of the information on respondents; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who

[[Page 60419]]

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.
    Copies of the submission 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.

    Dated: September 30, 2022.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022-21638 Filed 10-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P