[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53860-53862]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17004]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


Notice of Intent To Extend and Revise a Previously Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.

ACTION: Approval of notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice 
announces the National Institute of

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Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to extend and revise a 
previously approved information collection entitled, ``Research, 
Education, and Extension project online reporting tool (REEport).'' 
NIFA is proposing to modify the collection in response to the August 
25, 2022, Office of Science and Technology Policy Memorandum and audit 
findings of the USDA Office of Inspector General.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by October 10, 
2023 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments.
    Instructions: All comments received will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Givens, 816-527-5379, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title of Collection: Research, Education, 
and Extension project online reporting tool (REEport).
    OMB Control Number: 0524-0048.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: 8/31/2024.
    Type of Request: Request to revise and extend a currently approved 
information collection. The burden estimate for this collection has 
been decreased because the number of respondents has decreased.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), NIFA 
administers several competitive, peer-reviewed research, education, and 
extension programs, under which high-priority awards are made. These 
programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.); the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 
341 et seq.); and other legislative authorities. NIFA utilizes the 
REEport system to collect both technical and financial data related to 
NIFA-funded competitive (non-capacity) projects and allows grantees to 
report significant accomplishments and impacts of their research, 
extension, and educational work.
    NIFA is proposing to add additional reporting fields to REEport for 
two digital identifiers associated with publications that result from 
NIFA-funded projects. This information is currently collected in free 
text fields. This update will allow NIFA to clarify information 
requirements, meet public access requirements, and increase data 
validity. The first digital identifier is the Digital Object Identifier 
(DOI) registered to journal articles by publishers or content owners. 
The DOI will allow NIFA to eliminate the manual entry of publication 
data by grantees. The second digital identifier is a persistent 
identifier for data assets supporting NIFA-funded publications. 
Persistent identifiers for data assets may include DOI or other 
appropriate persistent identifiers as defined by an approved data 
management plan. NIFA proposes to collect the Open Researcher and 
Contributor ID (ORCID) for all NIFA-funded researchers and authors of 
NIFA-funded research products. The ORCID is a persistent digital 
identifier, available to individuals at no cost. Collecting persistent 
digital identifiers will help NIFA improve the robustness of its 
publication and other funding products data and be better positioned to 
demonstrate the value of its investments. The specific persistent 
identifier fields required will be updated in compliance with field and 
federal standards and best practices. The digital persistent identifier 
fields will be added to the Progress Report and Final Report in 
REEport.
    Total Estimate of the Burden: The estimated annual reporting burden 
for the REEport collection is as follows:

I. Project Initiation

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 7,360 hours. This includes the time needed for participant 
education; data entry, aggregation, and reporting; and preparation, 
review, and submission of program plans and budgetary information. The 
number of respondents and responses for this report has decreased from 
3,700 to 1,600 because NIFA now collects information about capacity 
grants in a different reporting system (the NIFA Reporting System 
(NRS)).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,600 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 4.6 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,360 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

II. Financial Report

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 9,380 hours. This includes the time needed for participant 
education; data entry, aggregation, and reporting; and preparation, 
review, and submission of program plans and budgetary information. The 
number of respondents and responses for this report has decreased from 
8,700 to 6,700 because NIFA now collects information about capacity 
grants in NRS.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,700 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 1.4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,380 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

III. Progress Report

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 25,460 hours. This includes the time needed for participant 
education; data entry, aggregation, and reporting; and preparation, 
review, and submission of program plans and budgetary information. NIFA 
proposes to collect persistent digital identifiers in this report but 
anticipates that this will not increase the amount of time needed to 
complete each response. The number of respondents and responses for 
this report has decreased from 8,700 to 6,700 because NIFA now collects 
information about capacity grants in NRS.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,700 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 3.8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 25,460 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

IV. Final Report

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 6,080 hours. This includes the time needed for participant 
education; data entry, aggregation, and reporting; and preparation, 
review, and submission of program plans and budgetary information. NIFA 
proposes to collect persistent digital identifiers in this report but 
anticipates that this will not increase the amount of time needed to 
complete each response. The number of respondents and responses for 
this report has decreased from 8,700 to 6,700 because NIFA now collects 
information about capacity grants in NRS.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,600 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 3.8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6,080 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Once after end of project.

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    Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
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 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request to OMB for approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.
    Obtaining a Copy of the Information Collection: A copy of the 
information collection and related instructions may be obtained free of 
charge by contacting Laura Givens as directed above.

    Done at Washington, DC, this day of July 27, 2023.
Dionne Toombs,
Associate Director for Programs, National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2023-17004 Filed 8-8-23; 8:45 am]
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