[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 188 (Wednesday, October 1, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47350-47351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-19142]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.
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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, VA 22314, 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: NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection
of information unless (a) the collection of information displays a
currently valid OMB control number and (b) the agency informs potential
respondents that they are not required to respond unless the
information collection displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Title of Collection: NCSES Generic Clearance for Improvement
Projects.
OMB Control Number: 3145-0174.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to reinstate, with
revisions, an information collection for three years.
Abstract. Established within the National Science Foundation by the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec. 505, codified in the
National Science Foundation Act of
[[Page 47351]]
1950, as amended, the National Center for Science and Engineering
Statistics (NCSES)--one of 13 principal federal statistical agencies--
serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the collection,
interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on
science, engineering, technology, research and development for use by
practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public. NCSES
conducts about a dozen nationally-representative surveys to obtain the
data for these purposes. The Generic Clearance will be used to ensure
that the highest quality data are obtained from these surveys. State of
the art methodology will be used to develop, evaluate, and test
questionnaires and survey concepts as well as to research and improve
survey and statistical methodologies. This may include field or pilot
tests of questions for future large-scale surveys, as needed. The
Generic Clearance will also be used to test and evaluate data
dissemination tools and methods in an effort to improve access for data
users.
Use of the Information. The purpose of these studies is to use the
latest and most appropriate methodology to improve NCSES surveys,
evaluate new data acquisition and collection efforts, and evaluate data
dissemination tools and mechanisms. Methodological findings may be
presented externally in technical papers at conferences, published in
the proceedings of conferences, or in journals. Improved NCSES surveys,
data collections, data procurement, and data dissemination will help
policymakers in decisions on research and development funding, graduate
education, and the scientific and engineering workforce, as well as
contributing to reduced survey costs.
Expected Respondents. The respondents will be from industry,
academia, nonprofit organizations, the public, and State, local, and
Federal governments. Respondents will be either individuals or
institutions, depending on the topic under investigation. NCSES expects
to use both qualitative and quantitative procedures, in various modes
(e.g., in-person, telephone, web). Up to 20,400 respondents will be
contacted across all projects. No respondent will be contacted more
than twice in one year under this generic clearance. Every effort will
be made to use technology to limit the burden on respondents from small
entities.
Estimate of Burden. NCSES estimates that a total reporting and
recordkeeping burden of 12,200 hours will result from activities to
improve its survey collections and data dissemination tools. The
calculation is shown in the following table:
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Total burden Annualized burden
Collection type Respondents (hours) (hours)
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R&D Enterprise Surveys................................. 800 1,050 350
Science and Engineering Workforce Surveys.............. 6,300 1,725 575
STEM Education Surveys................................. 800 1,000 334
Data Dissemination Tools and Methods................... 2,500 425 142
Other surveys and projects not specified............... 10,000 8,000 2,667
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Total.............................................. 20,400 12,200 4,067
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Dated: September 29, 2025.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2025-19142 Filed 9-30-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P