[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64013-64014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22952]


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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; NIST Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility 
Information Collections

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 December 20, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Elizabeth Reinhart, Management Analyst, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, [email protected]. Please reference OMB 
Control Number 0693-xxxx 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

[[Page 64014]]

specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Jeanita Pritchett, Acting Director, Diversity, Equity, and 
Inclusivity Office (DEIO), NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The NIST mission and vision is rooted in driving innovation and 
industry through measurement science and standards to improve quality 
of life. NIST recognizes that to improve quality of life, it must 
cultivate a culture that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and 
accessible. One of NIST's core values is inclusivity, which captures a 
commitment to work collaboratively to harness the diversity of people 
and ideas, both inside and outside of NIST, to attain the best 
solutions to multidisciplinary challenges. Under Executive Orders 14035 
and 13985, the Federal Government is tasked with advancing equity 
within the Federal Government workforce (E.O. 14035) and advancing 
racial equity and support for underserved communities through the 
Federal Government (E.O. 13985).
    In support of this core value, and in recognition that the NIST 
workforce is its most critical asset, the FY20-FY25 NIST Strategic Plan 
embraced a strategic goal to build a ``One NIST'' culture where 
everyone feels engaged and empowered. In addition, the recently 
released NIST Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) 
Strategic Plan, FY22-FY24, outlines the tactical steps needed for NIST 
to harness the diverse lived experiences of its workforce and customers 
in bringing a One NIST culture to reality.
    Data collection is a key element of the NIST DEIA Strategic Plan, 
FY22-FY24, as NIST is taking a quantitative approach to measuring and 
tracking progress on plan implementation. This approach is supported by 
the June 25, 2021, Executive Order 14035 on ``Diversity, Equity, 
Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce,'' which calls 
for a whole-of-government approach to cultivating DEIA across the 
Federal Government. Additionally, Executive Order 13985 on ``Advancing 
Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the 
Federal Government,'' released on January 25, 2021, tasked agencies 
with advancing equitable service delivery through expanded outreach and 
data collection. Moreover, the FY22 Government-Wide Strategic Plan to 
Advance DEIA in the Federal Workforce, released November 23, 2021, 
outlines a set of priorities for advancing and embedding DEIA 
throughout the Federal Government that includes data collection as 
critical to integrating DEIA in all ways of working.
    The purpose of this generic clearance is to allow for easily 
deployable, repeated DEIA climate surveys and focus groups to capture 
periodic snapshots of NIST's progress toward building a One NIST 
culture through the various lived experiences of the NIST workforce and 
its stakeholders. Importantly, NIST is unique in that about half of the 
NIST workforce is non-Federal, including guest researchers, 
contractors, and other external collaborators. In fact, some 
organizational units within NIST consider non-Federal collaborators to 
be their mission. It is therefore imperative to capture the full range 
of experiences within NIST.
    While initial collections will be conducted across the organization 
by the NIST Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Office (DEIO), 
organizational units and managers across NIST will be able to quickly 
deploy their own DEIA data collections under this generic. DEIO 
provides NIST-wide consultation on the integration of DEIA across all 
aspects of NIST mission delivery. The office serves as the focal point 
for all NIST-wide DEIA-related efforts, including the implementation of 
the NIST DEIA Strategic Plan, FY22-FY24. The office conducts NIST-wide 
assessments and audits to evaluate the advancement of DEIA-related 
goals. The ability to collect climate data through the lens of DIEA in 
this generic will be critical for establishing baselines on the current 
climate and tracking progress on advancing DEIA in support of building 
a welcoming, inclusive culture at NIST.

II. Method of Collection

    NIST will collect this information electronically and through 
interviews. Electronic data collection methods will be conducted on 
NIST-approved software with appropriate protections for the data being 
collected. In addition, NIST will collect data by mail, fax, telephone, 
technical discussions, and in-person interviews, where feasible and 
appropriate. NIST may also utilize observational techniques to collect 
this information. Data storage will comply with NIST policies for 
storing sensitive and non-sensitive data, as applicable.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: New collection.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission; new collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; private sector; Federal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: Varies, dependent upon the data 
collection method.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 15,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

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. 2022-22952 Filed 10-20-22; 8:45 am]
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