[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 6 (Friday, January 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 964-965]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-196]



[[Page 964]]

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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of Intent to Seek Approval To Extend and Revise a Current 
Information Collection

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to 
request renewal of this collection. In accordance with the requirement 
of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13), 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 three years.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by March 10, 
2009 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

For Additional Information or Comments: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton, 
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 
Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone (703) 292-
7556; or send e-mail to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e49794888d8994908ba48a9782ca838b92"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="afdcdfc3c6c2dfdbc0efc1dcc981c8c0d9">[email protected]</span></a>. 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.
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title of Collection: Survey of Research and 
Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges; OMB Control 
Number 3145-0100.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: May 31, 2009.
    Proposed Renewal Project: Separately budgeted current fund 
expenditures on research and development in the sciences and 
engineering performed by universities and colleges and federally funded 
research and development centers--A web survey, the Survey of Research 
and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges, originated 
in fiscal year (FY) 1954 and has been conducted annually since FY 1972. 
The survey is the academic research and development expenditure 
component of the NSF statistical program that seeks to provide a 
``central clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, and 
analysis of data on the availability of, and the current and projected 
need for, scientific and technical resources in the United States, and 
to provide a source of information for policy formulation by other 
agencies of the Federal government,'' as mandated in the National 
Science Foundation Act of 1950.
    Use of the Information: The proposed project will continue the 
annual survey cycle for up to three years. The Academic R&D Survey will 
be a census of the full population-for FY 2009 an expected 751 
institutions (713 universities or colleges plus 38 federally funded 
research and development centers--FFRDCs). These institutions account 
for over 95 percent of the Nation's academic R&D funds. NSF will also 
conduct a pretest of a revised and expanded version of the survey for 
planned implementation in FY 2010 with a subset of 40 universities or 
colleges.
    The survey has provided continuity of statistics on R&D 
expenditures by source of funds and by science & engineering (S&E) 
field, with separate data requested on current fund expenditures for 
research equipment by S&E field. Further breakdowns are collected on 
passed through funds to subrecipients and received as a subrecipient, 
and on R&D expenditures by field of science and engineering from 
specific Federal Government agency sources. Information on R&D for non-
S&E fields is also requested. Data are published in NSF's annual 
publication series Academic R&D Expenditures and are available 
electronically on the World Wide Web.
    The survey is a fully automated web data collection effort and is 
handled primarily by the administrators in university budget and 
accounting offices. To minimize burden, institutions are provided with 
an abundance of guidance and help menus on the web, in addition to 
printing and responding via paper copy if necessary. Each record is 
pre-loaded with the institution's 2 previous years data and a complete 
program for editing and trend checking. Response to this voluntary 
survey in FY 2007 was 96.9 percent.

                                              Burden estimates \1\
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                                                               Doctorate-    Masters-    Bachelors
                                                Total number    granting     granting      degree      FFRDC's
                     Year                            of          burden       burden       burden       burden
                                                institutions     hours        hours        hours        hours
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FY 1999.......................................           480         20.8         13.0          7.5          9.4
FY 2000.......................................           700         21.0         12.0         10.5          9.2
FY 2001.......................................           625         30.2         11.9          9.0         12.1
FY 2002.......................................           625         28.7         14.9         12.2          4.5
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\1\Average burden hours for institutions responding to burden item.



[[Page 965]]

    Dated: January 6, 2009.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
 [FR Doc. E9-196 Filed 1-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P


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