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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 235 (Friday, December 6, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73541-73543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29070]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION: Notice

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for 
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection 
project: ``AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS).'' In accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520,

[[Page 73542]]

AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information 
collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 4, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at 
doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.
    Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection 
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be 
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports 
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477, or by email at 
doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project

AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS)

    AHRQ has developed a systematic method for its grantees to report 
project progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded 
by the Agency. This system, the Grants Reporting System (GRS), was 
first approved by OMB on November 10, 2004. The system addressed the 
shortfalls in the previous reporting process and established a 
consistent and comprehensive grants reporting solution for AHRQ. The 
GRS provides a centralized repository of grants research progress and 
additional information that can be used to support initiatives within 
the Agency. This includes future research planning and support to 
administration activities such as performance monitoring, budgeting, 
knowledge transfer as well as strategic planning.
    This Project has the following goals:
    (1) To promote the transfer of critical information more frequently 
and efficiently and enhance the Agency's ability to support research 
designed to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its 
costs, and broaden access to effective services; and
    (2) To increase the efficiency of the Agency in responding to ad-
hoc information requests; and
    (3) To support Executive Branch requirements for increased 
transparency and public reporting; and
    (4) To establish a consistent approach throughout the Agency for 
information collection regarding grant progress and a systematic basis 
for oversight and for facilitating potential collaborations among 
grantees; and
    (5) To decrease the inconvenience and burden on grantees of 
unanticipated ad-hoc requests for information by the Agency in response 
to particular (one-time) internal and external requests for 
information.

Method of Collection

    Grants Reporting System--Grantees use the GRS to report project 
progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded by the 
Agency. Grantees submit a progress report on a quarterly basis which is 
reviewed by AHRQ personnel. All users access the GRS system through a 
secure online interface which requires a user id and password entered 
through the GRS Login screen. When status reports are due, AHRQ 
notifies Principle Investigators (PI) and Vendors via email.
    The GRS is an automated user-friendly resource that is utilized by 
AHRQ staff for preparing, distributing, and reviewing reporting 
requests to grantees for the purpose of information sharing. AHRQ 
personnel are able to systematically search on the information 
collected and stored in the GRS database. Personnel will also use the 
information to address internal and/or external requests for 
information regarding grant progress, preliminary findings, and other 
requests, such as Freedom of Information Act requests, and producing 
responses related to federally mandated programs and regulations.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

    Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the 
respondents. It will take grantees an estimated 10 minutes to enter the 
necessary data into the Grant Reporting System (GRS) and reporting will 
occur four times annually. The total annualized burden hours are 
estimated to be 333 hours.
    Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden for the 
respondents. The total estimated cost burden for respondents is 
$11,772.

                                  Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of
                    Form name                        Number of     responses per     Hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
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Data entry into GRS.............................             500               4           10/60             333
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             500              na              na             333
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                                   Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
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                                                     Number of     Total burden   Average hourly    Total cost
                    Form name                       respondents        hours        wage rate*        burden
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Data entry into GRS.............................             500             333          $35.35         $11,772
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................             500             333              na         $11,772
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* Based upon the average wages for Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations (29-0000), ``National
  Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2012,'' U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
  Labor Statistics.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act 
legislation, comments on AHRQ's information collection are requested 
with regard to any of the following: (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
AHRQ healthcare research and healthcare information dissemination 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours 
and costs) of the proposed collection(s) 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 upon the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

[[Page 73543]]

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the 
proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: November 22, 2013.
Richard Kronick,
AHRQ Director.
[FR Doc. 2013-29070 Filed 12-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-M
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