[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16943-16944]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05771]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Expenditures Incurred by Recipients of Biomedical Research and 
Development Awards From the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), 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 access 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 May 22, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Jennifer A. Bennett, Chief, Durable Goods and Equipment 
Section, Industry Economics Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, 4600 
Silver Hill Road, BE-61, Washington DC 20233, or by email to 
[email protected] or [email protected]. Please reference OMB Control 
Number 0608-0069 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 Jennifer A. Bennett, Chief, Durable Goods and Equipment Section, 
Industry Economics Division (BE-61), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd., Washington, DC 20233; 
(301-278-9769); or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The survey obtains the distribution of expenditures incurred by 
recipients of biomedical research awards from NIH and will provide 
information on how the NIH award amounts are expended across several 
major categories. This information, along with wage and price data from 
other published sources, will be used to generate the Biomedical 
Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI). The BRDPI is an index of 
prices paid for the labor, supplies, equipment, and other inputs 
required to perform the biomedical research the NIH supports in its 
intramural laboratories and through its awards to extramural 
organizations. The BRDPI is a vital tool for planning the NIH research 
budget and analyzing future NIH programs. A survey of award recipients 
is currently the only means for updating the expenditure category 
weights that are used to prepare the BRDPI. BEA develops the index for 
NIH under a reimbursable interagency agreement.
    This survey will be voluntary. The authority for NIH to collect 
information for the BRDPI is provided in 45 CFR 75.302 and 75.308. 
These sections set forth explicit standards for grantees in 
establishing and maintaining financial management systems and records. 
Additional authority exists under 45 CFR 75.361 and 75.364, which 
provide for the retention of such records as well as NIH access to such 
records.
    BEA will administer the survey and analyze the survey results on 
behalf of NIH, through a reimbursable interagency agreement between the 
two agencies. The authority for the NIH to reimburse BEA for this 
collection is the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535).
    BEA possesses programmatic authority to conduct this collection 
under 15 U.S.C. 1525 (first paragraph). NIH's support for this research 
is consistent with its duties and authority under 42 U.S.C. 282.
    The information provided by the respondents will be held 
confidential and be used for exclusively statistical purposes. This 
pledge of confidentiality is made under the Confidential Information 
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018 (CIPSEA) (44 U.S.C. 
3572). This section provides that ``data or information acquired by an 
agency under a pledge of confidentiality and for exclusively 
statistical purposes shall be used by officers, employees, or agents of 
the agency exclusively for statistical purposes. Data or information 
acquired by an agency under a pledge of confidentiality for exclusively 
statistical purposes shall not be disclosed by an agency in 
identifiable form, for any use other than an exclusively statistical 
purpose, except with the informed consent of the respondent.''
    Responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in 
identifiable form to anyone, other than employees or agents of BEA or 
agents of NIH, without prior written permission of the person filing 
the report. By law, each employee as well as each agent is subject to a 
jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both for 
disclosing to the public any identifiable information that is reported 
about a business or institution.
    Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations 
Act for FY2001 (Pub. L. 106-554) (the Information Quality Guidelines) 
applies to this survey. The collection and use of this information 
comply with all applicable information quality guidelines, i.e., those 
of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), DOC, BEA, and NIH.

II. Method of Collection

    A survey with a cover letter that includes a brief description of, 
and rationale for, the survey will be sent by email to potential 
respondents by the first week of August 2023, 2024, and

[[Page 16944]]

2025. A report of the respondent's expenditures of the NIH award 
amounts (including NIH awards received as a sub-recipient from another 
institution and following the proposed format for expenditure 
categories included with the survey form) will be requested to be 
completed and submitted online no later than December 8 of each survey 
year, which in most years will be approximately 120 days after mailing. 
Survey respondents will be selected based on award levels, which 
determine the weight of the respondent in the BRDPI. Potential 
respondents will include (1) The top 100 organizations in total awards, 
which account for about 76 percent of total awards; (2) 40 additional 
organizations that are not primarily in the ``Research and Development 
(R&D) contracts'' category; and (3) 10 additional organizations that 
are primarily in the ``R&D contracts'' category.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0069.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, extension of current 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Universities or other organizations that are NIH 
award recipients.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 150.
    Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours but may vary among 
respondents because of differences in institution structure, size, and 
complexity.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,400 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary
    Legal Authority: 45 CFR 75.302, 75.308, 75.361, and 75.364; 15 
U.S.C. 1525; 42 U.S.C. 282.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting comments to permit BEA to: (a) Evaluate whether 
the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper 
functions of the NIH, 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 Under Secretary of 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-05771 Filed 3-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P