Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 35976 [2015-15352]

Agencies

• NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 120 (Tuesday, June 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 35976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15352]


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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, Public Law 104-13. 
This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published 
in the Federal Register at 80 FR 16030 and no comments were received. 
NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the 
publication of this second notice. The full submission may be found at: 
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
    Comments: Comments regarding this information collection are best 
assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 
703-292-7556. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the NSF, including whether the information will 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, utility and 
clarity of the information to be collected, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated or other forms of information technology should 
be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, 
Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725 7th Street 
NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. Plimpton, 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send email to 
splimpto@nsf.gov. 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).
    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: Survey of Science and Engineering Research 
Facilities.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-0101.
    Summary of Collection: The National Science Foundation Survey of 
Science and Engineering Research Facilities is a Congressionally 
mandated (Pub. L. 99-159; NSF Act of 1950, as amended; America COMPETES 
Reauthorization Act of 2010), biennial survey that has been conducted 
since 1986. As required by law, the survey collects data on the amount, 
condition, and costs of the physical facilities used to conduct science 
and engineering research. Congress expected this survey to provide the 
data necessary to describe the status and needs of science and 
engineering research facilities. Data on computing and networking 
capacity, often termed ``cyberinfrastructure'' were collected from 2003 
to 2013. These questions are being eliminated from future 
questionnaires based on a review by NSF that indicated the data did not 
provide clear and useful metrics for measuring cyberinfrastructure.
    Use of the Information: Analysis of the Facilities Survey data will 
provide updated information on the status of scientific and engineering 
research facilities and capabilities. In order to provide consistency 
and comparability across national academic surveys, the data collection 
field of ``agricultural sciences and natural sciences'' will be divided 
into two fields: (1) Agricultural sciences and (2) natural resources 
and conservation. ``Physical sciences, group 1: Atmospheric, earth, and 
geological sciences; meteorology; and oceanography'' will be renamed 
``geosciences, atmospheric, and ocean sciences,'' and will include 
appropriate subfield examples. ``Physical sciences, group 2: Astronomy, 
astrophysics, chemistry, materials sciences, and physics'' will be 
renamed ``physical sciences,'' and will include appropriate subfield 
examples. ``Health and clinical sciences'' will be renamed ``health 
sciences.'' Some subfield examples will be updated in the various major 
S&E fields. The survey information can be used by Federal policy 
makers, planners, and budget analysts in making policy decisions, as 
well as by institutional academic officials, the scientific/engineering 
establishment, and state agencies and legislatures that fund 
universities. Detailed statistical tables and a summary InfoBrief are 
available at https://nsf.gov/statistics/srvyfacilities/. Data reports 
can also be run from the NSF Integrated Science and Engineering 
Resources Data System (WebCASPAR).
    Expected Respondents: The Facilities Survey is a census of 
institutions that performed at least $1 million in separately budgeted 
science and engineering research and development in the previous fiscal 
year.
    In the most recent FY 2013 Facilities Survey, a census of 588 
academic institutions was conducted. The sampling frame used for the 
survey was the FY 2012 Higher Education Research and Development Survey 
conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering 
Statistics. Data are collected through a Web-based interface, although 
institutions have the option of printing and completing a PDF that can 
be sent by mail.
    Estimate of Burden: The Facilities Survey will be sent to 
approximately 600 academic institutions for the FY 2015 and FY 2017 
data collection cycles. The completion time per academic institution is 
expected to average 19 hours, based on completion time estimates 
provided by all survey participants in the FY 2013 survey. This would 
result in an estimated burden of 11,210 hours per cycle.
    Comments: As required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), comments on the 
information collection activities as part of this study were solicited 
through publication of a 60-Day Notice in the Federal Register on March 
23, 2015, at 80 FR 16030. We received no comments.

    Dated: June 17, 2015.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2015-15352 Filed 6-22-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7555-01-P