[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60173-60174]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18852]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


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

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: 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 Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) 
intention to extend and revise a currently approved information 
collection entitled, ``Reporting Requirements for State Plans of Work 
for Agricultural Research and Extension Formula Funds.'' NIFA is 
proposing to change the collection title to ``NIFA Reporting System 
(NRS)'', include a new financial reporting module, modify existing 
reports in order to request digital persistent identifiers, and allow 
respondents to provide information on Co-Project Director(s) when 
applicable.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by October 30, 
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: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Instructions: All comments received will be posted without change 
to www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: NIFA Reporting System (NRS).
    OMB Control Number: 0524-0036.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: 10/31/2025.
    Type of Request: Notice of intent to extend and revise a currently 
approved information collection.
    Abstract: The ``NIFA Reporting System'' (NRS), provides data 
management and reporting for capacity funded research projects and 
extension programs. NRS currently contains the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) (7 U.S.C. 7601 et 
seq.) Plans of Work, Annual Reports of Accomplishments, and other 
capacity grant data for research projects and extension programs. The 
programs are authorized pursuant to the authorities contained in the 
McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et 
seq.), the Hatch Act of 1887 and the Hatch Multistate Research Fund (7 
U.S.C. 361a and 361c), the Agricultural Extension at 1890 Land-Grant 
Institutions (7 U.S.C. 3221), Agricultural research at 1890 land-grant 
colleges (7 U.S.C. 3222), Animal Health and Disease Research (7 U.S.C. 
3195), Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1674), 
District of Columbia Public Post-secondary Education Reorganization Act 
(DC ST Section 38-1202.09), and the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 341).
    NIFA proposes to add a new financial module within NRS comprised of 
two separate forms: the Financial Report form and the Office of Grants 
and Financial Management (OGFM) supplemental information form.
    The Financial Report form will capture expenditures for individual 
research projects and extension programs and will allow for both 
individual and bulk data entry options. This reporting would include 
NIFA, other federal, state, and other funding expenditures and Full 
Time Equivalents (FTE) supporting the project/program during the fiscal 
year of reporting.
    The OGFM Supplemental Information Form will collect information on 
required target percentages for integrated and extension programs 
required to submit this information as part of AREERA reporting 
requirements. NIFA plans to prepopulate some of the fields in the form 
so that the response will be limited to total expenditures of three 
types (Hatch (Regular and Multistate) integrated, Smith-Lever 
multistate, and Smith-Lever extension activities), any carryover used, 
and information for a waiver (if applicable).
    NIFA also proposes to modify the Project/Program Initiation report 
to include a new optional field for Co-Project Directors.
    Finally, NIFA also seeks to modify the Project/Program Results 
report to include a new field for digital persistent identifiers 
associated with products resulting from capacity funded research 
projects and extension programs.
    Total Estimate of the Burden: The estimated annual reporting burden 
for the NRS collection is as follows:

I. Plan of Work

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 4,800 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. 
There are four components of the Plan of Work: Executive Summary, Merit 
and Scientific Peer Review Processes, Stakeholder Input, and Critical 
Issues.
    Estimate of Burden:
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 75 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 64 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,800 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

II. Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 4,800 hours. This includes the time needed for participant 
education; data entry,

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aggregation, and reporting; and preparation, review, and submission of 
program plans and budgetary information.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 75 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 64 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,800 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

III. Project/Program Initiation

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 9,200 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 add a new optional field for Co-Project Director(s) but 
anticipates that this will not increase the amount of time needed to 
complete each response.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 4.6 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,200 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

IV. Project/Program Results

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 32,300 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. 
Project/Program Results were previously included in ``Annual Report of 
Accomplishments and Results'' above but is being separated to include 
Results for non-AREERA capacity funding. NIFA is proposing to add 
fields specifically for reporting products resulting from projects and 
programs but anticipates that this will not increase the amount of time 
needed to complete each response.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,500 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 3.8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 32,300 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

V. Financial Report for All Projects and Programs

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 11,900 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 
used burden estimates from the Financial Report in the current REEport 
collection (OMB 0524-0048, ``Research, Education, and Extension project 
online reporting tool (REEport)'') to estimate the burden for Financial 
Report in NRS.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,500 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 1.4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,900 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

VI. OGFM Supplemental Form

    The total annual estimated burden for this information collection 
is 102 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 plans to 
prepopulate some of the fields in the form so that the response will be 
limited to total expenditures of three types (Hatch (Regular and 
Multistate) integrated, Smith-Lever multistate, and Smith-Lever 
extension activities), any carryover used, and information for a waiver 
(if applicable). The OGFM Supplemental Form will have a deadline after 
the Financial Report, which should streamline the expenditures data 
needed.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 51 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Burden per Response: 2 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 102 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    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 including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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 through the use of 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 for OMB 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 August 19, 2023.
Dionne Toombs,
Associate Director for Programs, National Institute of Food and 
Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2023-18852 Filed 8-30-23; 8:45 am]
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