Notice of Intent To Seek Approval to Establish an Information Collection System, 91960-91961 [2016-30447]
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91960
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent to Seek Approval To
Establish an Information Collection
National Science Foundation.
Notice and Request for
Comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The National Science
Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans
to request clearance of this collection. In
accordance with the requirement of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we
are providing opportunity for public
comment on this action. After obtaining
and considering public comment, NSF
will prepare the submission requesting
that OMB approve clearance of this
collection for no longer than three years.
DATES: Written comments on this notice
must be received by February 17, 2017
to be assured of consideration.
Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent practicable.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230;
telephone (703) 292–7556; 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 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through
Friday. You also may obtain a copy of
the data collection instrument and
instructions from Ms. Plimpton.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments: Comments are invited on
(a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the Agency’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; 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.
Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting
Requirements for National User
Facilities managed by the NSF Division
of Materials Research.
OMB Number: 3145–0234.
Expiration Date of Approval: March
31, 2017.
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SUMMARY:
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Type of Request: Intent to seek
approval to renew an information
collection.
Overview of this Information
Collection:
The NSF Division of Materials
Research (DMR) supports a number of
National User Facilities that provide
specialized capabilities and
instrumentation to the scientific
community on a competitive proposal
basis. In addition to the user program,
these facilities support in-house
research, development of new
instrumentation or techniques,
education, and knowledge transfer.
The facilities integrate research and
education for students and post-docs
involved in experiments, and support
extensive K–12 outreach to foster an
interest in Science Technology
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
and STEM careers. Facilities capitalize
on diversity through participation in
center activities and demonstrate
leadership in the involvement of groups
underrepresented in science and
engineering.
National User Facilities will be
required to submit annual reports on
progress and plans, which will be used
as a basis for performance review and
determining the level of continued
funding. User facilities will be required
to develop a set of management and
performance indicators for submission
annually to NSF via the Research
Performance Project Reporting (RPPR)
module in Research.gov. These
indicators are both quantitative and
descriptive and may include, for
example, lists of successful proposal
and users, the characteristics of facility
personnel and students; sources of
financial support and in-kind support;
expenditures by operational component;
research activities; education activities;
knowledge transfer activities; patents,
licenses; publications; degrees granted
to students supported through the
facility or users of the facility;
descriptions of significant advances and
other outcomes of this investment. Such
reporting requirements are included in
the cooperative agreement which is
binding between the academic
institution and the NSF.
Each facility’s annual report will
address the following categories of
activities: (1) Research, (2) education
and training, (3) knowledge transfer, (4)
partnerships, (5) diversity, (6)
management, and (7) budget issues.
For each of the categories the report
will describe overall objectives and
metrics for the reporting period,
challenges or problems the facility has
encountered in making progress towards
goals, anticipated problems in the
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following year, and specific outputs and
outcomes.
Facilities are required to file a final
report through the RPPR. Final reports
contain similar information and metrics
as annual reports, but are retrospective
and focus on the period that was not
addressed in previous annual reports.
Use of the Information: NSF will use
the information to continue funding of
the DMR National User Facilities, and to
evaluate the progress of the program.
Estimate of Burden: 200 hours per
facility for three National User Facilities
for a total of 600 hours.
Respondents: Non-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Report: One (1) from each of the DMR
user facilities.
Dated: December 14, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016–30448 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent To Seek Approval to
Establish an Information Collection
System
National Science Foundation.
Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork
and respondent burden, the National
Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting
the general public or other Federal
agencies to comment on this proposed
continuing information collection.
DATES: Written comments on this notice
must be received by February 17, 2017,
to be assured consideration. Comments
received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
Send comments to address below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance
Officer, National Science Foundation,
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1265,
Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone
(703) 292–7556; 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).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments: Pursuant to the Paperwork
Reduction Act, Pub. L. 104–13 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), comments are
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\19DEN1.SGM
19DEN1
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 243 / Monday, December 19, 2016 / Notices
invited on: (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Foundation, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
Foundation’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; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting
Requirements for the Emerging Frontiers
in Research and Innovation program
OMB Number: 3145–0233.
Expiration Date of Approval: March
31, 2017.
Type of Request: Intent to seek
approval to renew an information
collection system.
Abstract:
Proposed Project:
The Emerging Frontiers in Research
and Innovation (EFRI) program
recommends, prioritizes, and funds
interdisciplinary initiatives at the
emerging frontier of engineering
research and education. These
investments represent transformative
opportunities, potentially leading to:
new research areas for NSF, ENG, and
other agencies; new industries or
capabilities that result in a leadership
position for the country; and/or
significant progress on a recognized
national need or grand challenge.
Established in 2007, EFRI supports
cutting-edge research that is difficult to
fund through other NSF programs, such
as single-investigator grants or large
research centers. EFRI seeks high-risk
opportunities with the potential for a
large payoff where researchers are
encouraged to stretch beyond their
ongoing activities. Based on input from
workshops, advisory committees,
technical meetings, professional
societies, research proposals, and
suggestions from the research
community the EFRI program identifies
those emerging opportunities and
manages a formal process for funding
their research. The emerging ideas
tackled by EFRI are ‘‘frontier’’ because
they not only push the understood
limits of engineering but actually
overlap multiple fields. The EFRI
funding process inspires investigators
with different expertise to work together
on one emerging concept.
EFRI awards require multidisciplinary teams of at least one
Principal Investigator and two CoPrincipal Investigators. The anticipated
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20:55 Dec 16, 2016
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duration of all awards is 4-years. The
anticipated funding level for each
project team may receive support of up
to a total of $2,000,000 spread over four
years, pending the availability of funds.
In that sense EFRI awards are above the
average single-investigator award
amounts.
EFRI-funded projects could include
research opportunities and mentoring
for educators, scholars, and university
students, as well as outreach programs
that help stir the imagination of K–12
students, often with a focus on groups
underrepresented in science and
engineering.
We are seeking to collect additional
information from the grantees about the
outcomes of their research that goes
above and beyond the standard
reporting requirements used by the NSF
and spans over a period of 5 years after
the award. This data collection effort
will enable program officers to
longitudinally monitor outputs and
outcomes given the unique goals and
purpose of the program. This is very
important to enable appropriate and
accurate evidence-based management of
the program and to determine whether
or not the specific goals of the program
are being met.
Grantees will be required to submit
this information on an annual basis to
support performance review and the
management of EFRI grants by EFRI
officers. EFRI grantees will be required
to submit these indicators to NSF via a
data collection Web site that will be
embedded in NSF’s IT infrastructure.
These indicators are both quantitative
and descriptive and may include, for
example, the characteristics of project
personnel and students; sources of
complementary cash and in-kind
support to the EFRI project;
characteristics of industrial and/or other
sector participation; research activities;
education activities; knowledge transfer
activities; patents, licenses;
publications; descriptions of significant
advances and other outcomes of the
EFRI effort. Such reporting requirements
will be included in the cooperative
agreement which is binding between the
academic institution and the NSF.
Each submission will address the
following major categories of activities:
(1) Knowledge transfer across
disciplines, (2) innovation of ideas in
areas of greater opportunity, (3)
potential for translational research, (4)
project results advance the frontier/
creation of new fields of study, (5)
innovative research methods or
discoveries are introduced to the
classroom, and (6) fostering
participation of underrepresented
groups in science. For each of the
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91961
categories, the report will enumerate
specific outputs and outcomes.
Use of the Information: The data
collected will be used for NSF internal
reports, historical data, and performance
review by peer site visit teams, program
level studies and evaluations, and for
securing future funding for continued
EFRI program maintenance and growth.
Estimate of Burden: Approximately 10
hours per grant for approximately 80
grants per year for a total of 800 hours
per year.
Respondents: Principal Investigators
who lead the EFRI grants.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Report: One report collected for each of
the approximately 80 grantees every
year.
Dated: December 14, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science
Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016–30447 Filed 12–16–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Comment Request
National Science Foundation.
Submission for OMB review;
comment request.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
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 at 81 FR 49689, and one
comment was 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 (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
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\19DEN1.SGM
19DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 243 (Monday, December 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91960-91961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30447]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent To Seek Approval to Establish an Information
Collection System
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the
National Science Foundation (NSF) is inviting the general public or
other Federal agencies to comment on this proposed continuing
information collection.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by February 17,
2017, to be assured consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to address
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 1265, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-7556; 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).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments: Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, Pub. L. 104-13
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), comments are
[[Page 91961]]
invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Foundation, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Foundation'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; and
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the
Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation program
OMB Number: 3145-0233.
Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew an information
collection system.
Abstract:
Proposed Project:
The Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program
recommends, prioritizes, and funds interdisciplinary initiatives at the
emerging frontier of engineering research and education. These
investments represent transformative opportunities, potentially leading
to: new research areas for NSF, ENG, and other agencies; new industries
or capabilities that result in a leadership position for the country;
and/or significant progress on a recognized national need or grand
challenge.
Established in 2007, EFRI supports cutting-edge research that is
difficult to fund through other NSF programs, such as single-
investigator grants or large research centers. EFRI seeks high-risk
opportunities with the potential for a large payoff where researchers
are encouraged to stretch beyond their ongoing activities. Based on
input from workshops, advisory committees, technical meetings,
professional societies, research proposals, and suggestions from the
research community the EFRI program identifies those emerging
opportunities and manages a formal process for funding their research.
The emerging ideas tackled by EFRI are ``frontier'' because they not
only push the understood limits of engineering but actually overlap
multiple fields. The EFRI funding process inspires investigators with
different expertise to work together on one emerging concept.
EFRI awards require multi-disciplinary teams of at least one
Principal Investigator and two Co-Principal Investigators. The
anticipated duration of all awards is 4-years. The anticipated funding
level for each project team may receive support of up to a total of
$2,000,000 spread over four years, pending the availability of funds.
In that sense EFRI awards are above the average single-investigator
award amounts.
EFRI-funded projects could include research opportunities and
mentoring for educators, scholars, and university students, as well as
outreach programs that help stir the imagination of K-12 students,
often with a focus on groups underrepresented in science and
engineering.
We are seeking to collect additional information from the grantees
about the outcomes of their research that goes above and beyond the
standard reporting requirements used by the NSF and spans over a period
of 5 years after the award. This data collection effort will enable
program officers to longitudinally monitor outputs and outcomes given
the unique goals and purpose of the program. This is very important to
enable appropriate and accurate evidence-based management of the
program and to determine whether or not the specific goals of the
program are being met.
Grantees will be required to submit this information on an annual
basis to support performance review and the management of EFRI grants
by EFRI officers. EFRI grantees will be required to submit these
indicators to NSF via a data collection Web site that will be embedded
in NSF's IT infrastructure. These indicators are both quantitative and
descriptive and may include, for example, the characteristics of
project personnel and students; sources of complementary cash and in-
kind support to the EFRI project; characteristics of industrial and/or
other sector participation; research activities; education activities;
knowledge transfer activities; patents, licenses; publications;
descriptions of significant advances and other outcomes of the EFRI
effort. Such reporting requirements will be included in the cooperative
agreement which is binding between the academic institution and the
NSF.
Each submission will address the following major categories of
activities: (1) Knowledge transfer across disciplines, (2) innovation
of ideas in areas of greater opportunity, (3) potential for
translational research, (4) project results advance the frontier/
creation of new fields of study, (5) innovative research methods or
discoveries are introduced to the classroom, and (6) fostering
participation of underrepresented groups in science. For each of the
categories, the report will enumerate specific outputs and outcomes.
Use of the Information: The data collected will be used for NSF
internal reports, historical data, and performance review by peer site
visit teams, program level studies and evaluations, and for securing
future funding for continued EFRI program maintenance and growth.
Estimate of Burden: Approximately 10 hours per grant for
approximately 80 grants per year for a total of 800 hours per year.
Respondents: Principal Investigators who lead the EFRI grants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One report collected for
each of the approximately 80 grantees every year.
Dated: December 14, 2016.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2016-30447 Filed 12-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
