[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 67 (Friday, April 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20860-20861]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07363]


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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 MEP Client Impact Survey

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 June 6, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Maureen O'Reilly, Management Analyst, NIST at 
[email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number 0693-0021 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 Megean Blum, NIST MEP, 301-975-3160, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Sponsored by NIST, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is 
a national network of locally-based manufacturing extension centers 
working with small manufacturers to assist them improve their 
productivity, improve profitability and enhance their economic 
competitiveness. The information collected will provide the MEP with 
information regarding MEP Center performance regarding the delivery of 
technology and business solutions to U.S.-based manufacturers. The 
collected information will assist in determining the performance of the 
MEP Centers at both local and national levels, provide information 
critical to monitoring and reporting on MEP programmatic performance, 
and assist management in policy decisions. Responses to the collection 
of information are mandatory per the regulations governing the 
operation of the MEP Program (15 CFR parts 290, 291, 292, and H.R. 
1274--section 2). The information collected will include MEP Customer 
inputs regarding their sales, costs, investments, and employment. 
Customers will take the survey online. Customers will only be surveyed 
once per year under this collection. Data collected in this survey is 
confidential.

II. Method of Collection

    Information will be collected electronically.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-0021.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Revision of a current information collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,625.
    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

[[Page 20861]]

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 for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-07363 Filed 4-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P