Implementation of Scientific Integrity Principles: Draft Plan for Public Comment, 47271-47274 [2011-19701]
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government will be followed, as well as
all FOIA exemptions and procedures. 29
CFR 70.26. Consequently, it is possible
that application of FOIA rules may
result in release of information in
response to a FOIA request that an
applicant redacted in its ‘‘redacted
copy.’’
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VII. Agency Contacts
Any questions regarding this
solicitation for grant applications (SGA
11–3BS) should be directed to Robert
Glatter at glatter.robert@dol.gov or at
202–693–9570 (this is not a toll-free
number) or the Grant Officer, Carl
Campbell at campbell.carl@dol.gov or at
202–693–9839 (this is not a toll-free
number). MSHA’s Web page at https://
www.msha.gov is a valuable source of
background for this initiative.
VIII. Office of Management and Budget
Information Collection Requirements
This SGA requests information from
applicants. This collection of
information is approved under OMB
Control No. 1225–0086 (expires
November 30, 2012).
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are
required to respond to a collection of
information unless such collection
displays a valid OMB control number.
Public reporting burden for the grant
application is estimated to average 20
hours per response, for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information.
Each recipient who receives a grant
award notice will be required to submit
nine progress reports to MSHA. MSHA
estimates that each report will take
approximately five hours to prepare.
Send comments regarding the burden
estimated or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden, to
the OMB Desk Officer for MSHA, Office
of Management and Budget Room
10235, Washington DC 20503 and
MSHA, electronically to Robert Glatter
at glatter.robert@dol.gov or the Grant
Officer, Carl Campbell at
campbell.carl@dol.gov or by mail to
Robert Glatter, Room 2102, 1100 Wilson
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209.
This information is being collected for
the purpose of awarding a grant. The
information collected through this
‘‘Solicitation for Grant Applications’’
will be used by the Department of Labor
to ensure that grants are awarded to the
applicant best suited to perform the
functions of the grant. Submission of
this information is required in order for
the applicant to be considered for award
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of this grant. Unless otherwise
specifically noted in this
announcement, information submitted
in the respondent’s application is not
considered to be confidential.
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 965.
Dated: July 29, 2011.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations,
Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2011–19710 Filed 8–1–11; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–43–P
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Implementation of Scientific Integrity
Principles: Draft Plan for Public
Comment
National Science Foundation.
National Science Foundation
(NSF) Implementation of Scientific
Integrity Principles: Draft Plan for
Public Comment.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
On March 9, 2009, President
Obama issued a Memorandum for the
Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies on Scientific Integrity. Shortly
thereafter the Office of Science and
Technology Policy (OSTP) led an
interagency task group to develop an
implementation strategy, and NSF was
represented on the task group. On
December 17, 2010, the OSTP Director
issued a Memorandum with
implementation guidance (for copies of
both memoranda, see: https://
www.whitehouse.gov/administration/
eop/ostp/library/scientificintegrity).
NSF is fully committed to its efforts
to ensure that our processes will
advance the goals articulated in the
Memoranda. This report summarizes
NSF practices both current and planned
to maintain and enhance scientific
integrity across our S&E community.
The report is organized according to the
major headings and topics of the
December 2010 OSTP Memorandum.
DATES: Comments on the report are
welcome before September 6, 2011.
Comments will be useful in shaping the
agency’s implementation. Please send
comments to siip_comments@nsf.gov.
All comments received before the close
of the comment period will be available
for public inspection, including any
personally identifiable or confidential
business information that is included.
Because they will be made public,
comments should not include any
sensitive information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
siip_comments@nsf.gov.
SUMMARY:
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I. Foundations of Scientific Integrity In
Government
NSF works to maintain a culture of
scientific integrity. Although NSF does
not employ government scientists to
conduct intramural research on behalf
of the federal government, we do fund
basic science and engineering research
and education through awards to
colleges and universities through the
country. Consequently, we strongly
believe that research results should be
objective and not influenced by a
potential awardee’s financial interests or
affiliations. We are one of only two
agencies within the Federal Government
that has an investigator conflict-ofinterest policy that requires our grantee
institutions to (1) Collect financial
disclosure reports from investigators; (2)
review financial disclosure reports; and
(3) manage, reduce, or eliminate any
conflicts of interest prior to the
expenditure of any award funds.
In addition to ensuring research
results are not influenced by conflicts of
interest, NSF has a thorough and
rigorous conflict of interest merit review
process. And we expect the scientists
and engineers at NSF who conduct our
merit review process and make funding
decisions to adhere to the highest
standards of ethical conduct. This
includes civil service employees and
contractors; visiting scientists,
engineers, and educators; and those
working at NSF under the
Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
NSF’s internal procedures (https://
www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.
jsp?ods_key=manual15) summarize the
various government conflicts rules that
guide NSF staff.
NSF staff who report information on
potential violations of rules and
regulations are protected from
retaliation; NSF participates in the
Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC)
2302(c) Certification Program which
allows federal agencies to meet the
statutory obligation to inform their
workforces about the rights and
remedies available to them under the
Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA)
and related civil service laws. (See:
https://www.nsf.gov/od/odi/nofear/
notice.jsp and https://www.osc.gov/
outreachAgenciesCertified.htm.)
Similarly, NSF awardees, whether
current or prospective, also are expected
to adhere to high standards of ethical
conduct. All allegations of research
misconduct are promptly reported to the
Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
(See: https://www.nsf.gov/oig/
misconscieng.jsp; 45 CFR part 689
https://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title45/
45cfr689_main_02.html).
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NSF awardees are also subject to the
responsible conduct of research
requirement of the America COMPETES
Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110–69). In
accordance with Section 7009, NSF
requires awardees to provide
appropriate training and oversight in the
responsible and ethical conduct of
research to undergraduates, graduate
students, and postdoctoral researchers
who will be supported by NSF to
conduct research. (For more information
on NSF’s implementation of Section
7009, please see https://
edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9–
19930.htm.)
Facilitating the free flow of scientific
and technological information and
maintaining open communication are
critical to NSF. The Foundation
participates in the Administration’s
Open Government Initiative (https://
www.nsf.gov/open). Through this
initiative, NSF publishes high-value
datasets such as information on
Freedom of Information Act requests,
Graduate Research Fellowship Award
recipients, abstracts of all funded NSF
awards, and NSF funding rates. Another
way that NSF facilitates the free flow of
information is through Research.gov
(https://www.research.gov), a portal that
provides information on research
spending and results. Research.gov
publishes summaries of results
supported by NSF. For awards made
effective January 2010, the Foundation
requires investigators to submit a brief
summary, prepared specifically for the
public, on the nature and outcomes of
their NSF-funded award (See Award &
Administration Guide, Chapter II: https://
www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/
pappguide/nsf11001/aag_2.jsp.)
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II. Public Communications
The Office of Legislative and Public
Affairs (OLPA) is the authorized news
media liaison for NSF. Within OLPA,
the Public Affairs staff works to promote
science, engineering and education
research coverage in mainstream and
targeted media, facilitating the timely
release of accurate information. The
overriding goal is openness and
accessibility. In this section, NSF
proposes a revised media policy as
follows:
Media Policy: Purpose
This document establishes NSF’s
media policy governing media
communications including advisories,
press releases, statements, interviews,
news conferences, and other related
media contacts. Federal public affairs
offices have been established to
facilitate the active dissemination of
agency research results and to
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coordinate media and public relations
activities. A principal goal of public
affairs is to help NSF most efficiently
achieve its agency mission through
policy making based on sound and
objective science.
Media Policy: Rights
NSF-funded scientists and staff have
the fundamental right to express their
personal views, provided they specify
that they are not speaking on behalf of,
or as a representative of, the agency but
rather in their private capacity. So long
as this disclaimer is made, the employee
is permitted to mention his or her
institutional affiliation and position if
this has helped inform his or her views
on the matter.
Employees have the right to review,
approve, and comment publicly on the
final version of any proposed
publication that significantly relies on
their research, identifies them as an
author or contributor, or purports to
represent their scientific opinion.
Media Policy: Responsibilities
NSF’s public affairs office is
responsible for:
• promoting media attention on
important scientific and institutional
developments;
• coordinating and facilitating contact
between journalists and the requested
agency staff;
• providing both reporters and
scientists with timely, accurate, and
professional media assistance; and
• providing draft press releases or
other public statements to agency
scientists whose work is included, to
assure the accuracy of scientific
information being communicated.
NSF employees are responsible for
working with the agency’s public affairs
staff to make significant research
developments accessible and
comprehensible to the public.
NSF employees are responsible for the
accuracy and integrity of their
communications and should not
represent the agency on issues of
politics or policy without prior approval
from the public affairs office.
Media Policy: Media and Public
Interactions
To help NSF public affairs best fulfill
its responsibilities, agency employees
should:
• Keep the public affairs office
informed of any media interest or
potential for interest in their work;
• Notify the public affairs office of
impending media contacts and provide
the public affairs office with a recap of
the non-confidential aspects of the
media conversation afterward;
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• Review drafts of press releases
written by staff from the public affairs
office both for their format and nonscientific content, as well as for the
accuracy of scientific information being
communicated; and
• Work with the public affairs office
to review presentations or news
conferences for their format and content
to assure the accuracy of scientific
information being communicated.
NSF’s public affairs officers should:
• Respond to all initial media
inquiries as soon as possible, but
seeking to respond within 30 minutes
whenever possible;
• Do all they can to help reporters get
the appropriate information needed for
an article;
• Know the reporter’s deadline to
ensure timely response;
• Provide contact information where
they will be available, even after hours,
on weekends, and on holidays;
• Draft press releases and/or other
multimedia products whenever
warranted;
• Ensure a timely turnaround on
press releases (within one week or less);
• Develop (or coordinate the
development of) talking points in
collaboration with the relevant experts
for the release of scientific papers and
other agency products; and
• Assure agency compliance with the
No Fear Act (a federal law that holds
agencies accountable for violations of
employee protection laws) by informing
employees of their rights under federal
anti-discrimination and whistleblower
protection laws.
Media Policy: Media Coverage
In the spirit of openness, media
representatives should be granted free
access to open meetings of NSF advisory
committees, open sessions of the
National Science Board meetings, and
other meetings open to the public and
convened by NSF, as well as permission
to reasonably use tape recorders,
cameras, and electronic equipment for
broadcast purposes in these public
meetings.
The public affairs officer coordinating
a meeting may be present, or consulted,
to undertake all responsibilities of a
news media nature, including but not
restricted to necessary physical
arrangements.
It shall be the responsibility of the
public affairs office to cooperate fully
with and accede to all reasonable
requests from news media
representatives. In instances where
conflicts or misunderstandings may
arise from the expressed views, wishes,
or demands on the part of news media
representatives, such matters should be
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referred at once to the head of NSF’s
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
for resolution.
The head of NSF’s Office of
Legislative and Public Affairs shall
exercise full authority and assume
responsibility for all decisions involving
the news media and related activity.
Media Policy: Scope
Below are examples of the types of
information that NSF considers within
and outside the scope of the policy
guidelines. Neither of these lists should
be considered comprehensive.
A. Covered Information
• NSF-funded science, engineering
and education research papers, books,
journal articles, reports, and similar
materials, unless they have disclaimers
to distinguish the research from NSF
views and positions;
• NSF-generated reports, brochures,
documents, newsletters, and
audiovisual products;
• Oral information, including
speeches, interviews, expert opinions
only if representing NSF’s views,
official positions, or policies; and
• Science & Engineering Indicators
reports of a statistical nature, which
includes statistical analyses, trend data,
etc., aggregated by the National Science
Board and NSF’s National Centers for
Science & Engineering Statistics.
B. Information Not Covered
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• Documents or multimedia materials
not authored by NSF and not
representing official views, including
research supported by NSF funding;
• Opinions where the presentation
makes it clear that what is being offered
is personal opinion rather than fact or
NSF’s views;
• Information dissemination limited
to government employees or agency
contractors or grantees;
• Information intended solely for
intra- or inter-agency use or sharing of
government information, such as budget
discussions, National Science Board and
NSF deliberations, and other
information that serves to assess the
success in achieving the agency’s
objectives, programs, training materials,
manuals, etc.; and
• Information intended to be limited
to public filings, subpoenas, or
adjudicative processes.
Media Policy: Types of Information
Disseminated by NSF to the Public
Annually, NSF produces hundreds of
various types of outreach and
communication materials and provides
thousands of pages of Web content for
access by the public. NSF’s public
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affairs office works with university and
institution public information offices to
generate and distribute content.
Types of Dissemination
NSF disseminates information
through a wide range of methods, using
more than one medium for the same
information. In light of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, NSF strides to
publish most of its print products in
electronic, rather than paper, format.
• Print: Including limited quantities
of NSF’s Strategic Plan, Science &
Engineering Indicators, National
Science Board special reports, etc.;
• Electronic: Such as NSF Web sites,
Listservs, e-mail, social media sites such
as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
FlickR;
• Audiovisual: Audio or video
programs, media webcasts, slideshows,
powerpoint presentations by the agency
Director and Deputy Director; and
• Oral: Formal speeches, oral
presentations, lectures, and interviews
for publication or broadcast.
Media Policy: Guidelines for the Media
NSF’s public affairs office has
established these guidelines. They are
available online at https://nsf.gov/news/
policies_for_media.jsp.
When seeking information about NSF,
or interviews with NSF leadership or
staff, we ask that media contact Public
Affairs for assistance. Our Public Affairs
media team members, their contact
information and the ‘‘beats’’ they cover
are listed at https://www.nsf.gov/news/
olpastaff.jsp.
When you interview a member of NSF
leadership or staff, a member of the
media team may sit in/listen in on the
interview. Our goal is to support the
interviewee and to assist you with any
follow-up information needed.
If you contact us during normal
business hours (East Coast time), you
can expect a return call or message as
soon as possible, within 30 minutes of
your call or message, or at the most, the
same day. We will do all we can to
respond to your query by your deadline.
We will always provide you with
accurate information and will work to
put you directly in contact with the best
expert to respond to your questions. Be
aware that there are circumstances
where the information we can provide
is limited. These include details about
possible or ongoing investigative work,
pre-decisional budget data, and NSF
personnel records.
When we provide editorial content to
media, as with our partnerships with
LiveScience.com and U.S. News and
World Report, the content is clearly
labeled as such.
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We encourage you to make use of
resources available on our Web site.
Images and video in our press releases
and Discovery feature stories are
generally available for your use. Credit
information and any restrictions on use
will be listed with the image or video.
Our Multimedia Gallery at https://
www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/ offers images,
videos and audio files, and is searchable
by topic. Remember to check for credit
information and any restrictions on use.
Our National Center for Science and
Engineering Statistics (NCSES) site at
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ provides
useful statistics about the science and
engineering enterprise, and links to the
biennial Science and Engineering
Indicators, published by the National
Science Board.
III. Use of Federal Advisory
Committees (FAC)
NSF’s scientific advisory committees
provide advice and recommendations to
NSF concerning support for science
research and education. This may
include advice on program
management, overall program balance,
and other aspects of program
performance; on the impact of NSF
research support and NSF-wide policies
on the scientific community; and on
potential science and research thrusts,
long-range plans and partnership
opportunities.
Currently NSF invites suggestions for
FAC membership on the NSF Web page
(https://www.nsf.gov/about/
performance/dir_advisory.jsp). NSF
plans to revise the text on this page for
consistency with the OSTP
Memorandum. In addition, NSF plans to
issue a Federal Register notice at least
once a year to alert a wider audience to
the NSF Advisory Committees. Since
vacancies come up on an ad hoc basis,
this Federal Register notice would
cover NSF’s scientific Advisory
Committees and refer persons interested
in serving as members or recommending
members to the point of contact for the
specific Committee.
NSF provides biographical
information for some but not all FAC
members. NSF will ensure that the
practice is consistent across the agency.
Selection of FAC members is at the
discretion of the Assistant Director/
Office Head or some combination of
these senior management officials. The
NSF leadership plans to devote an
annual senior management session to
discuss expectations and best practices
for FAC member selection.
The NSF Designated Agency Ethics
Official will provide copies of all
Conflict of Interest waivers granted to
FAC members to the respective
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Designated Federal Official to be posted
on the appropriate FAC Web site.
NSF will use the following disclaimer
on all FAC reports, recommendations,
and products, unless there is prior
agreement to do otherwise:
The function of Federal advisory
committees is advisory only. Any opinions,
findings, conclusions, or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the
Advisory Committee, and do not necessarily
reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
IV. Professional Development of
Government Scientists and Engineers
NSF has a strong commitment to
ensuring that its staff remains at the
cutting edge of the nation’s workforce
by fostering a culture of continuous
learning. To that end, NSF permits staff
(including scientists and engineers) to
pursue research and developmental
activities related to NSF’s mission and
goals such as attending or giving
presentations at conferences or
involvement in committees on
Government time.
NSF also allows its staff to participate
in any research or educational
institution, scientific society,
professional association or editorial
board, provided written permission is
obtained from the scientist’s or
engineer’s supervisor or ethics
counselor.
V. Implementation
NSF plans to develop a single, easily
accessible Web site for Scientific
Integrity with appropriate links and
points of contact. NSF plans to follow
the OSTP guidelines for Federal
Advisory Committees as outlined in
Section II above and will offer
appropriate training to staff on
implementation. These steps will be
taken by December 31, 2011.
Dated: July 29, 2011.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2011–19701 Filed 8–3–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. A2011–34; Order No. 782]
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Post Office Closing
Postal Regulatory Commission.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This document informs the
public that an appeal of the closing of
the Innis, Louisiana post office has been
filed. It identifies preliminary steps and
SUMMARY:
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provides a procedural schedule.
Publication of this document will allow
the Postal Service, petitioners, and
others to take appropriate action.
DATES: Administrative record due (from
Postal Service): August 10, 2011;
deadline for notices to intervene: August
23, 2011. See the Procedural Schedule
in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section for other dates of interest.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
electronically by accessing the ‘‘Filing
Online’’ link in the banner at the top of
the Commission’s Web site (https://
www.prc.gov) or by directly accessing
the Commission’s Filing Online system
at https://www.prc.gov/prc-pages/filingonline/login.aspx. Commenters who
cannot submit their views electronically
should contact the person identified in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section as the source for case-related
information for advice on alternatives to
electronic filing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephen L. Sharfman, General Counsel,
at 202–789–6820 (case-related
information) or DocketAdmins@prc.gov
(electronic filing assistance).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C.
404(d), on July 26, 2011, the
Commission received a petition for
review of the Postal Service’s
determination to close the post office in
Innis, Louisiana. The petition was filed
by Larry Rebalais (Petitioner) and is
postmarked July 19, 2011. The
Commission hereby institutes a
proceeding under 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(5)
and establishes Docket No. A2011–34 to
consider Petitioner’s appeal. If
Petitioner would like to further explain
his position with supplemental
information or facts, Petitioner may
either file a Participant Statement on
PRC Form 61 or file a brief with the
Commission no later than August 30,
2011.
Categories of issues apparently raised.
Petitioner contends that: (1) The Postal
Service failed to consider the effect of
the closing on the community (see 39
U.S.C. 404(d)(2)(A)(i); and (2) the Postal
Service failed to adequately consider the
economic savings resulting from the
closure (see 39 U.S.C. 404(d)(2)(A)(iv)).
After the Postal Service files the
administrative record and the
Commission reviews it, the Commission
may find that there are more legal issues
than those set forth above, or that the
Postal Service’s determination disposes
of one or more of those issues. The
deadline for the Postal Service to file the
applicable administrative record with
the Commission is August 10, 2011. See
39 CFR 3001.113. In addition, the due
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date for any responsive pleading by the
Postal Service to this notice is August
10, 2011.
Availability; Web site posting. The
Commission has posted the appeal and
supporting material on its Web site at
https://www.prc.gov. Additional filings
in this case and participants’
submissions also will be posted on the
Commission’s Web site, if provided in
electronic format or amenable to
conversion, and not subject to a valid
protective order. Information on how to
use the Commission’s Web site is
available online or by contacting the
Commission’s webmaster via telephone
at 202–789–6873 or via electronic mail
at prc-webmaster@prc.gov.
The appeal and all related documents
are also available for public inspection
in the Commission’s docket section.
Docket section hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on
Federal government holidays. Docket
section personnel may be contacted via
electronic mail at prc-dockets@prc.gov
or via telephone at 202–789–6846.
Filing of documents. All filings of
documents in this case shall be made
using the Internet (Filing Online)
pursuant to Commission rules 9(a) and
10(a) at the Commission’s Web site,
https://www.prc.gov, unless a waiver is
obtained. See 39 CFR 3001.9(a) and
3001.10(a). Instructions for obtaining an
account to file documents online may be
found on the Commission’s Web site or
by contacting the Commission’s docket
section at prc-dockets@prc.gov or via
telephone at 202–789–6846.
The Commission reserves the right to
redact personal information which may
infringe on an individual’s privacy
rights from documents filed in this
proceeding.
Intervention. Persons, other than the
Petitioner and respondent, wishing to be
heard in this matter are directed to file
a notice of intervention. See 39 CFR
3001.111(b). Notices of intervention in
this case are to be filed on or before
August 23, 2011. A notice of
intervention shall be filed using the
Internet (Filing Online) at the
Commission’s Web site unless a waiver
is obtained for hardcopy filing. See 39
CFR 3001.9(a) and 3001.10(a).
Further procedures. By statute, the
Commission is required to issue its
decision within 120 days from the date
it receives the appeal. See 39 U.S.C.
404(d)(5). A procedural schedule has
been developed to accommodate this
statutory deadline. In the interest of
expedition, in light of the 120-day
decision schedule, the Commission may
request the Postal Service or other
participants to submit information or
memoranda of law on any appropriate
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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 150 (Thursday, August 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47271-47274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19701]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Implementation of Scientific Integrity Principles: Draft Plan for
Public Comment
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: National Science Foundation (NSF) Implementation of Scientific
Integrity Principles: Draft Plan for Public Comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On March 9, 2009, President Obama issued a Memorandum for the
Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on Scientific Integrity.
Shortly thereafter the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)
led an interagency task group to develop an implementation strategy,
and NSF was represented on the task group. On December 17, 2010, the
OSTP Director issued a Memorandum with implementation guidance (for
copies of both memoranda, see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/library/scientificintegrity).
NSF is fully committed to its efforts to ensure that our processes
will advance the goals articulated in the Memoranda. This report
summarizes NSF practices both current and planned to maintain and
enhance scientific integrity across our S&E community. The report is
organized according to the major headings and topics of the December
2010 OSTP Memorandum.
DATES: Comments on the report are welcome before September 6, 2011.
Comments will be useful in shaping the agency's implementation. Please
send comments to siip_comments@nsf.gov. All comments received before
the close of the comment period will be available for public
inspection, including any personally identifiable or confidential
business information that is included. Because they will be made
public, comments should not include any sensitive information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: siip_comments@nsf.gov.
I. Foundations of Scientific Integrity In Government
NSF works to maintain a culture of scientific integrity. Although
NSF does not employ government scientists to conduct intramural
research on behalf of the federal government, we do fund basic science
and engineering research and education through awards to colleges and
universities through the country. Consequently, we strongly believe
that research results should be objective and not influenced by a
potential awardee's financial interests or affiliations. We are one of
only two agencies within the Federal Government that has an
investigator conflict-of-interest policy that requires our grantee
institutions to (1) Collect financial disclosure reports from
investigators; (2) review financial disclosure reports; and (3) manage,
reduce, or eliminate any conflicts of interest prior to the expenditure
of any award funds.
In addition to ensuring research results are not influenced by
conflicts of interest, NSF has a thorough and rigorous conflict of
interest merit review process. And we expect the scientists and
engineers at NSF who conduct our merit review process and make funding
decisions to adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct. This
includes civil service employees and contractors; visiting scientists,
engineers, and educators; and those working at NSF under the
Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
NSF's internal procedures (https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=manual15) summarize the various government conflicts
rules that guide NSF staff.
NSF staff who report information on potential violations of rules
and regulations are protected from retaliation; NSF participates in the
Office of Special Counsel's (OSC) 2302(c) Certification Program which
allows federal agencies to meet the statutory obligation to inform
their workforces about the rights and remedies available to them under
the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) and related civil service laws.
(See: https://www.nsf.gov/od/odi/nofear/notice.jsp and https://www.osc.gov/outreachAgenciesCertified.htm.)
Similarly, NSF awardees, whether current or prospective, also are
expected to adhere to high standards of ethical conduct. All
allegations of research misconduct are promptly reported to the Office
of the Inspector General (OIG). (See: https://www.nsf.gov/oig/misconscieng.jsp; 45 CFR part 689 https://law.justia.com/us/cfr/title45/45cfr689_main_02.html).
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NSF awardees are also subject to the responsible conduct of
research requirement of the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-
69). In accordance with Section 7009, NSF requires awardees to provide
appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical
conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and
postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct
research. (For more information on NSF's implementation of Section
7009, please see https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-19930.htm.)
Facilitating the free flow of scientific and technological
information and maintaining open communication are critical to NSF. The
Foundation participates in the Administration's Open Government
Initiative (https://www.nsf.gov/open). Through this initiative, NSF
publishes high-value datasets such as information on Freedom of
Information Act requests, Graduate Research Fellowship Award
recipients, abstracts of all funded NSF awards, and NSF funding rates.
Another way that NSF facilitates the free flow of information is
through Research.gov (https://www.research.gov), a portal that provides
information on research spending and results. Research.gov publishes
summaries of results supported by NSF. For awards made effective
January 2010, the Foundation requires investigators to submit a brief
summary, prepared specifically for the public, on the nature and
outcomes of their NSF-funded award (See Award & Administration Guide,
Chapter II: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf11001/aag_2.jsp.)
II. Public Communications
The Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA) is the
authorized news media liaison for NSF. Within OLPA, the Public Affairs
staff works to promote science, engineering and education research
coverage in mainstream and targeted media, facilitating the timely
release of accurate information. The overriding goal is openness and
accessibility. In this section, NSF proposes a revised media policy as
follows:
Media Policy: Purpose
This document establishes NSF's media policy governing media
communications including advisories, press releases, statements,
interviews, news conferences, and other related media contacts. Federal
public affairs offices have been established to facilitate the active
dissemination of agency research results and to coordinate media and
public relations activities. A principal goal of public affairs is to
help NSF most efficiently achieve its agency mission through policy
making based on sound and objective science.
Media Policy: Rights
NSF-funded scientists and staff have the fundamental right to
express their personal views, provided they specify that they are not
speaking on behalf of, or as a representative of, the agency but rather
in their private capacity. So long as this disclaimer is made, the
employee is permitted to mention his or her institutional affiliation
and position if this has helped inform his or her views on the matter.
Employees have the right to review, approve, and comment publicly
on the final version of any proposed publication that significantly
relies on their research, identifies them as an author or contributor,
or purports to represent their scientific opinion.
Media Policy: Responsibilities
NSF's public affairs office is responsible for:
promoting media attention on important scientific and
institutional developments;
coordinating and facilitating contact between journalists
and the requested agency staff;
providing both reporters and scientists with timely,
accurate, and professional media assistance; and
providing draft press releases or other public statements
to agency scientists whose work is included, to assure the accuracy of
scientific information being communicated.
NSF employees are responsible for working with the agency's public
affairs staff to make significant research developments accessible and
comprehensible to the public.
NSF employees are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of
their communications and should not represent the agency on issues of
politics or policy without prior approval from the public affairs
office.
Media Policy: Media and Public Interactions
To help NSF public affairs best fulfill its responsibilities,
agency employees should:
Keep the public affairs office informed of any media
interest or potential for interest in their work;
Notify the public affairs office of impending media
contacts and provide the public affairs office with a recap of the non-
confidential aspects of the media conversation afterward;
Review drafts of press releases written by staff from the
public affairs office both for their format and non-scientific content,
as well as for the accuracy of scientific information being
communicated; and
Work with the public affairs office to review
presentations or news conferences for their format and content to
assure the accuracy of scientific information being communicated.
NSF's public affairs officers should:
Respond to all initial media inquiries as soon as
possible, but seeking to respond within 30 minutes whenever possible;
Do all they can to help reporters get the appropriate
information needed for an article;
Know the reporter's deadline to ensure timely response;
Provide contact information where they will be available,
even after hours, on weekends, and on holidays;
Draft press releases and/or other multimedia products
whenever warranted;
Ensure a timely turnaround on press releases (within one
week or less);
Develop (or coordinate the development of) talking points
in collaboration with the relevant experts for the release of
scientific papers and other agency products; and
Assure agency compliance with the No Fear Act (a federal
law that holds agencies accountable for violations of employee
protection laws) by informing employees of their rights under federal
anti-discrimination and whistleblower protection laws.
Media Policy: Media Coverage
In the spirit of openness, media representatives should be granted
free access to open meetings of NSF advisory committees, open sessions
of the National Science Board meetings, and other meetings open to the
public and convened by NSF, as well as permission to reasonably use
tape recorders, cameras, and electronic equipment for broadcast
purposes in these public meetings.
The public affairs officer coordinating a meeting may be present,
or consulted, to undertake all responsibilities of a news media nature,
including but not restricted to necessary physical arrangements.
It shall be the responsibility of the public affairs office to
cooperate fully with and accede to all reasonable requests from news
media representatives. In instances where conflicts or
misunderstandings may arise from the expressed views, wishes, or
demands on the part of news media representatives, such matters should
be
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referred at once to the head of NSF's Office of Legislative and Public
Affairs for resolution.
The head of NSF's Office of Legislative and Public Affairs shall
exercise full authority and assume responsibility for all decisions
involving the news media and related activity.
Media Policy: Scope
Below are examples of the types of information that NSF considers
within and outside the scope of the policy guidelines. Neither of these
lists should be considered comprehensive.
A. Covered Information
NSF-funded science, engineering and education research
papers, books, journal articles, reports, and similar materials, unless
they have disclaimers to distinguish the research from NSF views and
positions;
NSF-generated reports, brochures, documents, newsletters,
and audiovisual products;
Oral information, including speeches, interviews, expert
opinions only if representing NSF's views, official positions, or
policies; and
Science & Engineering Indicators reports of a statistical
nature, which includes statistical analyses, trend data, etc.,
aggregated by the National Science Board and NSF's National Centers for
Science & Engineering Statistics.
B. Information Not Covered
Documents or multimedia materials not authored by NSF and
not representing official views, including research supported by NSF
funding;
Opinions where the presentation makes it clear that what
is being offered is personal opinion rather than fact or NSF's views;
Information dissemination limited to government employees
or agency contractors or grantees;
Information intended solely for intra- or inter-agency use
or sharing of government information, such as budget discussions,
National Science Board and NSF deliberations, and other information
that serves to assess the success in achieving the agency's objectives,
programs, training materials, manuals, etc.; and
Information intended to be limited to public filings,
subpoenas, or adjudicative processes.
Media Policy: Types of Information Disseminated by NSF to the Public
Annually, NSF produces hundreds of various types of outreach and
communication materials and provides thousands of pages of Web content
for access by the public. NSF's public affairs office works with
university and institution public information offices to generate and
distribute content.
Types of Dissemination
NSF disseminates information through a wide range of methods, using
more than one medium for the same information. In light of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, NSF strides to publish most of its
print products in electronic, rather than paper, format.
Print: Including limited quantities of NSF's Strategic
Plan, Science & Engineering Indicators, National Science Board special
reports, etc.;
Electronic: Such as NSF Web sites, Listservs, e-mail,
social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and FlickR;
Audiovisual: Audio or video programs, media webcasts,
slideshows, powerpoint presentations by the agency Director and Deputy
Director; and
Oral: Formal speeches, oral presentations, lectures, and
interviews for publication or broadcast.
Media Policy: Guidelines for the Media
NSF's public affairs office has established these guidelines. They
are available online at https://nsf.gov/news/policies_for_media.jsp.
When seeking information about NSF, or interviews with NSF
leadership or staff, we ask that media contact Public Affairs for
assistance. Our Public Affairs media team members, their contact
information and the ``beats'' they cover are listed at https://www.nsf.gov/news/olpastaff.jsp.
When you interview a member of NSF leadership or staff, a member of
the media team may sit in/listen in on the interview. Our goal is to
support the interviewee and to assist you with any follow-up
information needed.
If you contact us during normal business hours (East Coast time),
you can expect a return call or message as soon as possible, within 30
minutes of your call or message, or at the most, the same day. We will
do all we can to respond to your query by your deadline.
We will always provide you with accurate information and will work
to put you directly in contact with the best expert to respond to your
questions. Be aware that there are circumstances where the information
we can provide is limited. These include details about possible or
ongoing investigative work, pre-decisional budget data, and NSF
personnel records.
When we provide editorial content to media, as with our
partnerships with LiveScience.com and U.S. News and World Report, the
content is clearly labeled as such.
We encourage you to make use of resources available on our Web
site. Images and video in our press releases and Discovery feature
stories are generally available for your use. Credit information and
any restrictions on use will be listed with the image or video. Our
Multimedia Gallery at https://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/ offers images,
videos and audio files, and is searchable by topic. Remember to check
for credit information and any restrictions on use.
Our National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)
site at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/ provides useful statistics about
the science and engineering enterprise, and links to the biennial
Science and Engineering Indicators, published by the National Science
Board.
III. Use of Federal Advisory Committees (FAC)
NSF's scientific advisory committees provide advice and
recommendations to NSF concerning support for science research and
education. This may include advice on program management, overall
program balance, and other aspects of program performance; on the
impact of NSF research support and NSF-wide policies on the scientific
community; and on potential science and research thrusts, long-range
plans and partnership opportunities.
Currently NSF invites suggestions for FAC membership on the NSF Web
page (https://www.nsf.gov/about/performance/dir_advisory.jsp). NSF
plans to revise the text on this page for consistency with the OSTP
Memorandum. In addition, NSF plans to issue a Federal Register notice
at least once a year to alert a wider audience to the NSF Advisory
Committees. Since vacancies come up on an ad hoc basis, this Federal
Register notice would cover NSF's scientific Advisory Committees and
refer persons interested in serving as members or recommending members
to the point of contact for the specific Committee.
NSF provides biographical information for some but not all FAC
members. NSF will ensure that the practice is consistent across the
agency.
Selection of FAC members is at the discretion of the Assistant
Director/Office Head or some combination of these senior management
officials. The NSF leadership plans to devote an annual senior
management session to discuss expectations and best practices for FAC
member selection.
The NSF Designated Agency Ethics Official will provide copies of
all Conflict of Interest waivers granted to FAC members to the
respective
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Designated Federal Official to be posted on the appropriate FAC Web
site.
NSF will use the following disclaimer on all FAC reports,
recommendations, and products, unless there is prior agreement to do
otherwise:
The function of Federal advisory committees is advisory only.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in
this material are those of the Advisory Committee, and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
IV. Professional Development of Government Scientists and Engineers
NSF has a strong commitment to ensuring that its staff remains at
the cutting edge of the nation's workforce by fostering a culture of
continuous learning. To that end, NSF permits staff (including
scientists and engineers) to pursue research and developmental
activities related to NSF's mission and goals such as attending or
giving presentations at conferences or involvement in committees on
Government time.
NSF also allows its staff to participate in any research or
educational institution, scientific society, professional association
or editorial board, provided written permission is obtained from the
scientist's or engineer's supervisor or ethics counselor.
V. Implementation
NSF plans to develop a single, easily accessible Web site for
Scientific Integrity with appropriate links and points of contact. NSF
plans to follow the OSTP guidelines for Federal Advisory Committees as
outlined in Section II above and will offer appropriate training to
staff on implementation. These steps will be taken by December 31,
2011.
Dated: July 29, 2011.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2011-19701 Filed 8-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
