Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request, 54250-54251 [2021-21254]

Agencies

• NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 187 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54250-54251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21254]


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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 Center for Science and Engineering Statistics 
(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the 
following information collection requirement to the Office of 
Management Budget (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 NCSES received 
five comments. NCSES is forwarding the proposed new submission to 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 https://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, Suite 
18200, 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 regarding this information 
collection are best assured of having their full effect if received 
within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission may be 
obtained by calling 703-292-7556.
    NCSES 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 respond to the 
collection of the 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:
    Comments: As required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), comments on the 
information collection activities as part of this study were solicited 
through the publication of a 60-Day Notice in the Federal Register on 
April 16, 2020, at 85 FR 21271. We received five (5) comments to the 
NTEWS (version dated 6/2/2020).
    In sum, each of the five comments expressed strong support for the 
collection and offered suggestions for modified or additional survey 
content, such as collecting additional details about work credentials 
or collecting data in a way that would better enable international 
comparisons. NCSES responded to each commenter individually, providing 
background information about the survey, its goals for this initial 
survey cycle, and the feasibility of adding new content. Some of the 
commenters' suggestions will be incorporated into the non-production 
bridge panel for this initial survey cycle. NSF is proceeding with the 
information collection request.
    Title of Collection: The National Training, Education, and 
Workforce Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 3145-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The National Center for Science and 
Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) requests a three-year approval for a new collection referred to 
as the 2022 National Training, Education, and Workforce Survey (NTEWS). 
The 2022 NTEWS will be a voluntary data collection sponsored by NCSES 
and cosponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) 
within the U.S. Department of Education. The content of the 2022 NTEWS 
builds upon NCES's former federal survey, the 2016 Adult Training and 
Education Survey (ATES). This collection serves to measure and 
understand two research concepts that are of national interest: (1) the 
education, training, and career pathways of skilled technical workers, 
and (2) the prevalence and interplay of education (postsecondary 
degrees and certificates), work credentials (certifications and 
licenses), and work experience programs among American workers.
    Established within NSF by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act 
of 2010 Sec.  505, codified in the NSF Act of 1950, as amended, NCSES 
serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the collection, 
interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on 
science, engineering, technology, and research and development for use 
by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
    As the initial NTEWS, the 2022 data collection effort will serve as 
the baseline cycle for a planned biennial, rotating panel design. 
Respondents will have the option to complete the survey by web, paper, 
or computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI). NCSES plans to 
incorporate a couple of methodological experiments to examine response 
mode and incentive options in the initial administration.
    The U.S. Census Bureau will serve as the Federal data collection 
contractor on behalf of NCSES and NCES. The NTEWS data will be 
protected under the applicable Census Bureau confidentiality statutes.
    Use of the information: NCSES and NCES intend to publish national 
estimates from the 2022 NTEWS and use the results to inform the next 
survey cycle. NCSES plans to use the NTEWS data for the two 
congressionally mandated biennial reports: Women, Minorities, and 
Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and Science and 
Engineering Indicators. NCES plans to release a special-topic 
statistical report on the status of educational and professional 
credentials in the United States. Also, a public release file of 
collected data, designed to protect respondent confidentiality, will be 
made available to policymakers, researchers, and the public on the 
internet.
    Expected Respondents: NCSES expects an estimated total of 30,565 
respondents. With three samples in the 2022 NTEWS collection, the 
expected number of respondents for each sample is 27,000 respondents 
from production, 3,125 respondents from the bridge panel, and 440 
respondents from the seeded sample. NCSES will select adults ages 16-75 
(inclusive) and not enrolled in high school. The production will select 
its sample from the 2018 American Community Survey, collected by the 
U.S. Census Bureau. The bridge panel (non-production because data 
cannot generate official statistics) will select its sample from a 
commercial list. Finally, the seeded sample (non-production because 
data will not be released to the public but will be used for NCSES and 
NCES analysis for future postsecondary certificates measurement 
improvements) will be chosen from a list of recent postsecondary 
certificate

[[Page 54251]]

awardees from four postsecondary community/technical colleges or 
systems. The NTEWS sample design will meet the needs of both NCSES and 
NCES by providing coverage of the workforce-eligible adult population 
and including an oversample of adults who are in skilled technical 
occupations.
    Estimate of Burden: The expected response rate for the overall 
NTEWS sample is 62 percent, or 30,565 respondents. The amount of time 
to complete the survey may vary depending on an individual's 
circumstances and the collection mode (web, paper, or telephone). NCSES 
estimates an average completion time of 15 minutes. NCSES estimates 
that the average annual burden for the initial NTEWS for the three-year 
OMB clearance period will be no more than 2,547 hours [(30,565 
completed cases x 15 minutes)/3 years].
    Updates: A few changes occurred between the publication of the 
first FRN and this second FRN. The first FRN did not include the 
estimated burden of the non-production seeded sample and bridge panel 
studies, which are reflected in this FRN. The estimated burden for the 
production sample in the first FRN approximated the average annual 
burden for the initial NTEWS throughout the three-year OMB clearance 
period to be 2,084 hours [(25,000 completed cases x 15 minutes)/3 
years]. NCSES increased the production sample size from 42,000 to 
43,200 to meet precision requirements for NTEWS estimates. This FRN 
contains revised burden information.
    Comments: Comments are invited on (a) aspects of the data 
collection effort (including, but not limited to, the following: the 
availability of administrative and supplemental sources of data on the 
skilled technical workforce, survey content, contact strategy, and 
statistical methods); (b) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
NCSES, including whether the information shall have practical utility; 
(c) the accuracy of the NCSES's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information; (d) ways to enhance the quality, use, and 
clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology; and (e) 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.

    Dated: September 27, 2021.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2021-21254 Filed 9-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P