[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 106 (Friday, May 31, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47194-47195]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11967]


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

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Small Business Administration.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Small Business Administration (SBA) is seeking approval 
from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information 
collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act and OMB procedures, SBA is publishing this notice to allow all 
interested member of the public an additional 30 days to provide 
comments on the proposed collection of information.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for this information 
collection request should be sent within 30 days of publication of this 
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection request by selecting ``Small Business 
Administration''; ``Currently Under Review,'' then select the ``Only 
Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. This information collection can 
be identified by title and/or OMB Control Number.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You may obtain a copy of the 
information collection and supporting documents from the Agency 
Clearance Office at [email protected]; (202) 205-7030, or from 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a request for the extension with 
changes to a currently approved collection (previous OMB number: 3245-
0392). Through the RIC Initiative, the SBA is investing in regional 
clusters--geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, 
specialized suppliers, academic institutions, service providers, and 
associated organizations with a specific industry focus--throughout the 
United States that span a variety of industries. The three primary 
goals of the initiative are to (1) increase opportunities for small 
business participation within clusters, (2) promote innovation in the 
industries on which the clusters are focused, and (3) enhance economic 
development and growth in cluster regions. To achieve these goals, the 
clusters provide a host of services to the target population of small 
and emerging businesses within their regional and industry focuses. 
Services include direct business advising and support and sponsoring 
events, such as networking opportunities with investors, partner 
organizations, ESOs, and other stakeholders in the regions. This 
information collection is necessary for the SBA to understand the 
progress of the RIC Initiative towards achieving its goals.
    The evaluation consists of two key components: an implementation 
evaluation and an outcome evaluation. The implementation evaluation 
focuses on how the Initiative is implemented across the fourteen 
clusters and on the services that each cluster provides to its small 
businesses. The outcome evaluation focuses on short and intermediate-
term outcomes linked directly to the cluster services, as well as on 
long-term business outcomes that can be reasonably expected to result 
from the short- and intermediate-term outcomes. The short-term outcomes 
include the satisfaction and the perceived effectiveness of the program 
for business management and growth. The intermediate-term outcomes 
include development of new products, commercialization of new 
technologies, marketing and export services, improved access to 
capital, and industry integration. Long-term outcomes include increased 
revenue and employment. Over the previous years, evaluation results 
have helped to track the program performance outcomes and provide 
suggestions for program improvements to better facilitate innovation 
and small business growth. Furthermore, the evaluation survey data 
helped the SBA to better focus cluster activities on local contexts, 
particularly for rural and agricultural small businesses. This data 
will not be used to evaluate the effectiveness of an individual 
cluster.
    The data collection effort involves three types of RIC Initiative 
stakeholders: small businesses, partner organizations, and cluster 
administrators. Small businesses participating in the cluster will be 
sent an online survey to provide data about their cluster participation 
experiences, satisfaction with the program and its components, the 
performance of their firms with respect to a variety of outcomes, and 
the role of cluster participation in the achievement of these outcomes. 
Similarly, partner organizations will be asked to complete an online 
survey to provide data about their experiences with the RIC Initiative. 
The questions include reasons for the RIC participation, collaboration 
with and support for small businesses, and the role of cluster 
participation on key organizational outcomes associated with the RIC 
Initiative participation. Small businesses and partner organizations 
will also be interviewed once a year to obtain information on barriers, 
facilitators, and other local influences on cluster and ecosystem 
engagement, best practices to facilitate innovation, and suggestions 
for potential cluster improvements (among other topics). The cluster 
administrators will be asked to provide participant rosters, which 
provide the framework for the surveys that the small businesses and 
partner organizations are sent. The administrator survey requests 
information about the services they

[[Page 47195]]

provided to these two groups of stakeholders, and their operations in 
general. Cluster administrators will also be interviewed once a year to 
obtain information about how their operations have evolved, the 
adjustments they made, best practices, issues encountered, and the 
lessons learned.
    Small Business Web Survey. Estimated Number of Respondents: 180. 
Frequency of Response: Once per year. Estimated Average Minutes per 
Respondent: 114.7. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 344. Small 
Business Interview. Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 12. 
Frequency of Response: Once per year. Estimated Average Minutes per 
Response: 43. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 8.6. Partner 
Organization Web Survey. Estimated Number of Respondents: 150. 
Frequency of Response: Once per year. Estimated Average Minutes per 
Respondent: 71. Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 177.5. Partner 
organization Interview. Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 12. 
Frequency of Response: Once per year. Estimated Average Minutes per 
Response: 37. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 7.4. Cluster 
Administrator Interview. Estimated Number of Respondents: 20. Frequency 
of Response: Once per year. Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 87. 
Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 29. Cluster Administrator Web Survey. 
Estimated Number of Respondents: 20. Frequency of Response: Once per 
year. Estimated Average Minutes per Response: 35.3. Estimated Annual 
Hour Burden: 11.8 (including the time needed for administrators to 
prepare their rosters). Administrative data request. Estimated Number 
of Respondents: 20. Frequency of Response: Once per year. Estimated 
Average Minutes per Response: 30. Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 10.

Solicitation of Public Comments

    Comments may be submitted on (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the agency to properly perform its 
functions; (b) whether the burden estimates are accurate; (c) whether 
there are ways to minimize the burden, including through the use of 
automated techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) 
whether there are ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information.
    OMB Control: 3245-0392.
    Title: Evaluation of the Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) 
Initiative.
    Description of Respondents: Small businesses concerns and partner 
organizations involved in Regional Innovation Clusters and cluster 
administrators.
    SBA Form Number: N/A.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 350.
    Total Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 531.5.

Curtis Rich,
Agency Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-11967 Filed 5-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8026-09-P