[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 28 (Friday, February 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9125-9126]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02011]


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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; Solicitations of Outside Advisors Information Collection 
Request (ICR)

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

[[Page 9126]]


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 April 9, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
mail to Liz Reinhart, Management Analyst, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, at [email protected] or 
[email protected]. 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 Cierra Bean, Business Operations Specialist, CHIPS Program Office, 
at [email protected] or 1-202-815-2677.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The CHIPS Incentives Program is authorized by title XCIX--Creating 
Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America of the William 
M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021 (Pub. L. 116-283, referred to as the CHIPS Act or Act), as amended 
by the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Division A of Pub. L. 117-167). The CHIPS 
Incentives Program is administered by the CHIPS Program Office (CPO) 
within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the 
United States Department of Commerce (Department).
    On February 28, 2023, the CHIPS Program Office (CPO) released a 
notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for CHIPS 
Incentives that will support investments in the construction, 
expansion, and modernization of (a) commercial facilities in the United 
States for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, 
current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors; (b) commercial 
facilities in the United States for wafer manufacturing; and (c) 
commercial facilities in the United States for materials used to 
manufacture semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, 
provided that the capital investment, equals or exceeds $300 million.
    As stated on p. 14 of the NOFO, ``[t]he Department will engage 
outside advisors, consultants, and/or attorneys at the due diligence 
stage. . . .'' The information request seeks information from potential 
advisors, consultants, and/or attorneys to determine their 
qualifications to provide advice on transactions under the NOFO in 
fields such as construction management, corporate investigations and 
risk, finance and audits, insurance, market reviews, legal, real 
estate, and other technical issues.

II. Method of Collection

    The CPO intends to collect information from applicants through 
email, although other methods, e.g., interviews, etc., may also be 
leveraged.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,600 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $75,750.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory to be retained as an outside 
advisor.
    Legal Authority: CHIPS Act of 2022 (Division A of Pub. L. 117-167) 
(the Act).

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 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. 2024-02011 Filed 2-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P