[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66454-66456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21045]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Public Comment Request; of the National Institute on Disability, 
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grantee 
Annual Performance Reporting (APR) and Final Report Forms; OMB No.: 
0985-0050

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an 
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of 
information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This IC 
Extension solicits comments on the information collection requirements 
relating to the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, 
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grantee Annual Performance 
Reporting (APR) and Final Report Forms OMB Control Number 0985-0050.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted 
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by November 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to: [email protected]. Submit written comments on the collection 
of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Myrial Earl.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Earl Myrial at 
[email protected], Administration for Community Living or (202) 
795-7341.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day 
notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension of an existing 
collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for 
approval.
    To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the 
proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, ACL 
invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this 
collection of information, including: (1) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates; (3) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques

[[Page 66455]]

when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.
    The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Grantee Annual Performance Reporting 
(APR) and Final Report Forms collect data from all NIDILRR grantees via 
a web-based reporting system and addresses specific HHS regulations 
that shall be met by applicants and grantees. HHS regulations that 
apply to NIDILRR Grant programs include Part 75 of the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit requirements for 
HHS Awards. Specifically, Sec.  75.342, which requires grantees to 
submit an annual performance report or, for the last year of a project, 
a final report that evaluates: (a) the grantee's progress in achieving 
the objectives in its approved application, (b) the effectiveness of 
the project in meeting the purposes of the program, and (c) the results 
of research and related activities.
    Additionally, GPRA requires all Federal agencies to implement 
performance measurement systems that include: (1) a five-year strategic 
plan, (2) an annual performance plan, and (3) an annual performance 
report. Currently, NIDILRR has met these requirements and has 
established performance indicators to meet the reporting requirements. 
The NIDILRR APR System currently includes reporting forms for all 10 of 
NIDILRR's grant programs.
    This information collection system covers 10 grant programs funded 
or administered by NIDILRR/ACL, and each grantee submits its 
information using a reporting form that is unique to the program 
mechanism under which it is funded. The 10 forms meet the reporting 
requirements for the following programs:

1. Rehabilitation Research Training Centers (RRTC)
2. Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC)
3. Field Initiated Research Projects (FIP)
4. Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects (ARRT)
5. Model Systems--(includes spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, 
burn centers)
6. Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP)
7. Knowledge Translation (KT) Projects
8. ADA National Network Centers (ADAs)
9. Small Business Innovation Research Projects (SBIR)
10. Research Fellowships Program (RFP)

    Reporting forms for all 10 programs are Web-based.
    Data collected through these forms: (a) facilitate program planning 
and management; (b) respond to ACL/HHS Grants Policy Administration 
Manual (GPAM) requirements; and (c) respond to the reporting 
requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 
1993 (Pub. L. 103-62).
    NIDILRR/ACL uses the information gathered annually from these data 
collection efforts to provide Congress with the information mandated in 
GPRA, provide OMB information required for assessment of performance on 
GPRA indicators, and support its evaluation activities. Data collected 
from the 10 grant programs will provide a national description of the 
research activities of approximately 313 NIDILRR grantees. NIDILRR's 
GPRA plan must collect information to meet the following mandates: (a) 
implementation of a comprehensive plan that includes goals and 
objectives; (b) measurement of the program's progress in meeting its 
objectives; and (c) submission of an annual report on program 
performance, including plans for program improvement, as appropriate. 
The data collection system addresses nearly all of the agency's GPRA 
indicators, either directly or by providing information for the 
agency's other review processes.
    An important gap in sociodemographic information in the Web-based 
Reporting System for NIDILRR Grantees is a lack of items collecting 
sexual orientation and gender identify. Adding sexual orientation and 
gender identify items to the Annual Performance Reporting Forms for 
NIDILRR Grantees is part of ACL's strategy to address ``Executive Order 
13988 on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender 
Identity and Sexual Orientation.'' Issued in January 2021, Executive 
Order 13988 called upon agencies to identify existing and new policies 
to promote equal treatment under the law and ensure that all persons 
can access healthcare and other essential services without being 
subjected to sex discrimination. To support alignment with Executive 
Order 13988, as well as Executive Orders 13985 and 14075, three items 
will be added to the Annual Performance Reporting Forms for NIDILRR 
Grantees to collect sexual orientation and gender identity. Including 
sexual orientation and gender identity questions in this information 
collection will provide data on topics such as accessibility and 
utilization of services and programs funded by ACL by lesbian, gay, 
bisexual, and transgender populations and the health disparities that 
impact this community. Understanding these disparities can and should 
lead to improved service delivery for ACL's programs and populations 
served.
    The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website 
for review at: https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
    Estimated Program Burden: ACL estimates the burden of this 
collection of information as follows:

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                                                     Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
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New Grantees....................................            * 71               1              52           3,692
Continuations of Major Programs.................             138               1              22           3,036
Other Continuations.............................             104               1              10           1,040
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             313  ..............  ..............           7,768
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* Does not include SBIR Phase I grants, which do not use the system.


    Dated: September 21, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator and the 
Assistant Secretary for Aging.

[[Page 66456]]

[FR Doc. 2023-21045 Filed 9-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P