[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24873-24875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07517]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Computer Science for All--Evaluation and Systematic Review of Grantee 
Documents

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and 
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second 
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal 
Register, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed 
submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance 
simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance 
Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email to 
[email protected]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 
1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 
days a year (including Federal holidays).
    Comments: Comments regarding (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the NSF, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
use, and clarity of the information on respondents; 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 should be addressed to the points 
of contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Copies of the submission may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556. 
NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the 
collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number, and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to 
the collection of information that such persons are not required to 
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: Generic Clearance for the Regional Innovation 
Engines Evaluation and Monitoring Plan.
    OMB Number: 3145-NEW.
    Expiration Date of Approval: Not applicable.
    Type of Request: New information collection.

Description

    The instruments will collect data on (1) individuals in leadership 
or governance roles in funded NSF Regional Innovation Engine (NSF 
Engine), and individuals engaged or participating in the NSF Engine's 
activities; (2) organizations that are partnering with the NSF Engine 
or participating in NSF Engine activities; and (3) information on the 
programmatic activities, outputs, impact, and/or outcomes of the Engine 
(i.e., use-inspired research, development and translation, impact on 
the economy, new jobs created, new industries launched, and others).

Background

    The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 codified the National Science 
Foundation's cross-cutting Directorate for Technology, Innovation and 
Partnerships (TIP), NSF's first new directorate in more than 30 years, 
and charged it with the critical mission of advancing U.S. 
competitiveness through investments that accelerate the development of 
key technologies and address pressing national, societal and 
geostrategic challenges. NSF's TIP directorate deepens the Agency's 
commitment to support use-inspired research and the translation of 
research results to the market and society. In doing so, TIP 
strengthens the intense interplay between foundational and use-inspired 
work, enhancing the full cycle of discovery and innovation.
    TIP integrates with NSF's existing directorates and fosters 
partnerships--with government, industry, nonprofits, civil society, and 
communities of practice--to leverage, energize and rapidly bring to 
society use-inspired research and innovation. TIP spurs use-inspired 
research and innovation to meet the nation's priorities by accelerating 
the development of breakthrough technologies and advancing solutions.
    The NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program serves as 
a flagship funding program of the TIP directorate, with the goal of 
expanding and accelerating scientific and technological innovation 
within the U.S. by catalyzing regional innovation ecosystems throughout 
every region of our nation. The NSF Engines program was authorized in 
the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Section 10388) to
    (1) advance multidisciplinary, collaborative, use-inspired and 
translational research, technology development, in key technology focus 
areas;
    (2) address regional, national, societal, or geostrategic 
challenges;
    (3) leverage the expertise of multi-disciplinary and multi-sector 
partners, including partners from private industry, nonprofit 
organizations, and civil society organizations; and
    (4) support the development of scientific, innovation, 
entrepreneurial, and STEM educational capacity within the region of the 
Regional Innovation Engine to grow and sustain regional innovation.
    The NSF Engines program aims to fund regional coalitions of 
partnering organizations to establish NSF Engines that will catalyze 
technology and

[[Page 24874]]

science-based regional innovation ecosystems. Each NSF Engine is 
focused on addressing specific aspects of a major national, societal 
and/or geostrategic challenge that are of significant interest in the 
NSF Engine's defined ``region of service.'' The NSF Engines program 
envisions a future in which all sectors of the American population can 
participate in and benefit from advancements in scientific research and 
development equitably to advance U.S. global competitiveness and 
leadership. The program's mission is to establish sustainable regional 
innovation ecosystems that address pressing regional, national, 
societal, or geostrategic challenges by advancing use-inspired and 
translational research and development in key technology focus areas. 
The programmatic level goals of NSF Engines are to:

 Goal 1: Stimulate innovation in regions with low levels of 
innovation;
 Goal 2: Build and train an inclusive workforce;
 Goal 3: Advance key technologies;
 Goal 4: Create a culture that promotes inclusive and equitable 
prosperity;
 Goal 5: Cultivate new, sustainable, trusting cross-sector 
partnerships;
 Goal 6: Create a sustainable innovation ecosystem;
 Goal 7: Increase economic growth;
 Goal 8: Increase job creation.

    To achieve these goals, each NSF Engine will carry out an 
integrated and comprehensive set of activities spanning use-inspired 
research, translation-to-practice, entrepreneurship, and workforce 
development to nurture and accelerate regional industries. In addition, 
each NSF Engine is expected to embody a culture of innovation and have 
a demonstrated, intense, and meaningful focus on improving diversity 
throughout its regional science and technology ecosystem. NSF Engines 
are awarded as cooperative agreements and are expected to undergo an 
annual comprehensive evaluation assessment of the NSF Engine's 
performance, which will inform subsequent year funding. The total 
funding for each NSF Engine is up to $160 million over 10 years with 
the first-ever group of NSF Engines expected to be announced in late 
2023.
    Effective monitoring, assessment, and evaluation of NSF Engines 
will be critical for making programmatic funding decisions and 
increasing the understanding of how regional innovation ecosystems are 
created. Systematic data and information collection will be 
qualitative, quantitative, and descriptive in nature and will provide a 
means for managing Program Directors to monitor progress throughout a 
given NSF Engine the award and ensure that the award is in good 
standing. These data will also allow NSF to assess the NSF Engines 
Program in terms of intellectual, technological, societal, commercial, 
and economic impacts that are core to the NSF merit review criteria. 
Finally, in compliance with the Evidence Act of 2019, information 
collected will be used for both internal and external program 
evaluation and assessment, satisfying Congressional requests, and 
supporting the Agency's policymaking and reporting needs.

Methodology

    This information collection, which entails collecting information 
from NSF Engines grantees and participants through a series of surveys, 
interviews, focus groups, and case studies, is in accordance with the 
Agency's commitment to improving service delivery as well as the 
Agency's strategic goal to ``advance the capability of the Nation to 
meet current and future challenges.''
    For this effort, four categories of survey instruments have been 
developed, each of which will include closed-ended and open-ended 
questions to generate quantitative and qualitative data. For ease of 
use for our respondent pool, survey questionnaires will be programmed 
into interactive web surveys and distributed to eligible respondents by 
email.
    The surveys, which will serve as a census for all applicable NSF 
Engines grantees, partner organizations, and participants, will be used 
to collect baseline measures at the start of the program and vital 
information on how grantees, partner organizations, and participants 
progress through the program. All data collected through web surveys 
will be made available to the external evaluator(s) for each NSF Engine 
to be used for their own analyses, assessments, and evaluation. The 
four categories of data that will be collected for each NSF Engine 
through web-based surveys are outlined below:
     Input data for a given NSF Engine
    [cir] The Chief Executive Officer, or designated personnel, will be 
asked to provide basic information on each NSF Engine participant 
(e.g., name of individual, email address of individual, which NSF 
Engine activity the individual is involved in), each partner 
organization (e.g., name and address of partner organization, point of 
contact for organization's involvement with NSF Engines, email address 
for organization's point of contact), and each programmatic activity 
(e.g., title of activity, activity lead name and email address, short 
description of the activity). Automated web-based surveys will be sent 
to the email addresses collected from this input. Data will be 
collected on a rolling basis as NSF Engine activities may start at any 
time during the award.
     Individual level data
    [cir] Demographic and personal data (e.g., age, gender, race, 
educational attainment, socioeconomic status, job status) will be 
collected for all participants in a given NSF Engine, including the 
Chief Executive Officer; members of the leadership team, governance 
board, and advisory committees, as applicable; researchers; and 
workforce development participants. Data collected from individuals 
will be used to monitor and assess whether the NSF Engine's 
participants reflect the demographic diversity of the region of service 
defined by the NSF Engine. In addition, these data can be used by 
individual NSF Engines to assess whether they are meeting their 
diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) objectives and 
targets. Surveys for individuals will be conducted once a year.
     Partner organization level data
    [cir] Partner organizations that are involved in any NSF Engines 
activities or provide any monetary, in-kind, or other contributions 
will be surveyed twice a year and asked to provide basic information 
about its organization (e.g., employer identification number, legal 
name of organization, type of organization); in which NSF Engine 
activities the organization participated; the monetary or estimated 
value of in-kind and other resources they contributed to the NSF 
Engine; with which other partner organizations within the NSF Engine 
they collaborated; why they are a partner of the NSF Engine; and other 
information related to the roles and responsibilities an organization 
has within NSF Engine. Individual Engines may use the data for internal 
assessments and to help inform decision making. Data collected from 
this effort will be used to monitor and assess the level of cross-
sector partnerships created within and across NSF Engines.
     Programmatic-level data
    [cir] NSF Engines activities fall into one of four programmatic 
categories: (1) use-inspired and translational research, (2) workforce 
development, (3) diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility 
(DEIA), and (4) ecosystem building (e.g., stakeholder engagement, 
strategic planning, building of infrastructure, partner outreach). The 
lead of each activity will be asked to provide

[[Page 24875]]

information about the activity twice a year. Different survey 
questionnaires will be used for each of the four programmatic 
categories. Basic information to be collected for all activities 
include activity status (i.e., active, completed, on hold, or 
cancelled); identification of milestones; and milestone status (i.e., 
on track, at risk, or off track). Information specific to each 
programmatic category will also be collected. For instance, the survey 
questionnaire on use-inspired and translational research activities 
will also collect information on intellectual property (e.g., invention 
disclosures, patents granted, licensing agreements, royalties earned) 
as well as where along is the research spectrum of an activity (e.g., 
technology and adoption readiness levels). For the workforce 
development survey questionnaire, information will also be collected on 
the targeted population(s) of the workforce development activity. 
Individual NSF Engines may use the data for internal assessments and to 
help inform decision making. Data collected from this effort will also 
be used to monitor and assess the progress made in use-inspired and 
translational research, workforce development, DEIA, and ecosystem 
building within and across NSF Engines.
    In addition to the web-based surveys, follow-up interviews and 
focus groups will be conducted with project team leaders, such as 
Principal Investigators (PIs), Principal Directors (PDs), Chief 
Executive Officers (CEO), and members of the governance boards, as well 
as NSF Engines stakeholders, such NSF Engines participants, and partner 
and community-based organizations. Case studies and focus group 
interviews will be used to collect qualitatively rich discursive and 
observational information that cannot be collected within web surveys. 
Both interviews (focus groups and/or follow-up) and case studies will 
be conducted virtually with the possibility of in-person interviews and 
non-participant observation to be held in the future.
    NSF's TIP directorate will only submit a collection for approval 
under this clearance if it meets the following conditions:
    [cir] The collection has a reasonably low burden for respondents 
(based on considerations of total burden hours, total number of 
respondents, or burden-hours per respondent) and is low-cost for the 
Federal government;
    [cir] The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues 
of concern for other Federal agencies; and
    [cir] Information gathered will be used for the dual and 
interrelated purposes of disseminating information about the NSF 
Engines program and using this information to conduct enhanced program 
monitoring for NSF Engines, identify and implement efficiencies, and 
make programmatic improvements.
    Feedback collected under this clearance provides useful information 
for the continued evolution of the NSF Engines program, but it may not 
yield data that can be generalized to the overall population in all 
instances. Our qualitative data collection campaigns--follow-up 
interviews, focus groups, and case studies--are designed to provide 
contextual understanding of the progress made by each NSF Engine, and 
to identify NSF Engines or projects that demonstrate exceptional 
performance in efforts to build an inclusive, sustainable innovation 
ecosystem. All data collection campaigns (e.g., web-based surveys, 
interviews, focus groups), collectively, will help TIP monitor the 
progress of individual NSF Engines, identify trends over time, and 
assess overall program performance.
    Affected Public: Please refer to the detailed descriptions of each 
programmatic category for the targeted groups.
    Average Expected Annual Number of Activities: For each Engine 
award, we anticipate the following lower and upper bounds for the 
numbers of responses and response burdens by collection method:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Collection component           Number of respondents       Number of hours        Total burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 surveys............................  40-70 respondents per    10-15 hours per Engine   400-1,050 hours per
                                        Engine.                  per year.                Engine per year.
Focus group interviews...............  10 participants/Engine   2 hours per session....  200 hours per Engine
                                        (10 Engines).                                     per year.
                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total............................  .......................  .......................  600-1,250 hours per
                                                                                          Engine per year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As shown above, the annual response burden for the collections 
under this request is in the range of 600-1,250 hours.
    Respondents: Lower bound estimate of 60 individuals and upper bound 
estimate of 400 individuals per NSF Engine award per year.
    Annual Responses: Lower and upper bound estimates of 100 and 600 
responses per NSF Engine per year, respectively. The total number of 
annual responses will be based on the total number of NSF Engines 
awarded, which is determined by annual funding availability.
    Frequency of Response: Please refer to the description of 
programmatic categories for frequency of data collection.
    Average Minutes per Response: 30.
    Burden Hours: Lower and upper bound estimates of approximately 85 
and 400 hours per NSF Engine award, respectively.

    Dated: April 4, 2024.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2024-07517 Filed 4-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P