[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53659-53660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-27203]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
Submission for OMB Review; Title of Collection: NSF Survey of 
Scientific and Engineering Research Facilities at Colleges and 
Universities

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

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    1. SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-
13 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation 
(NSF) is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to 
comment on this proposed continuing information collection. This is the 
second notice for public comment, the first was published on July 31, 
1997, in the Federal Register at 62 FR 147, 41093-41094. We received 
comments from two sources and after due consideration sent replies to 
the commenters. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission, the 
comments with our responses, to OMB for clearance simultaneously with 
the publication of this second notice
    2. DATES: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should receive 
written comments on or before November 14, 1997.
    3. ADDRESSES: Submit comments to Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science 
Foundation, 725--17th Street, N.W, Room 10235, Washington, D.C. 20503. 
Please include the current OMB Control Number 3145-0101 with your 
comments.
    4. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    (a) Abstract. In 1995 OMB approved both the 1996 and 1998 survey 
cycles of the NSF Survey of Scientific and Engineering Research 
Facilities at Colleges and Universities (OMB No. 3145-0101). The survey 
collects information on the science and engineering (S&E) research 
facilities at the nation's higher education institutions. The minor 
modifications to the approved 1998 questionnaire make the data of more 
use to Federal agencies and policy makers.
    (b) Proposed Modifications to the OMB-Approved 1998 Survey
    <diamond> Sample size. As requested by NIH, NSF, and OMB, we are 
requesting that the 1998 survey sample be increased from 315 to 365 to 
allow analyses by Carnegie classification, by minority serving 
institutions and institutions within the EPSCoR States for policy 
makers.
    <diamond> Items to be modified in the 1998 survey.
    <radical> GSF (gross square feet) in addition to the currently 
collected NASF (net assignable square feet). Institutions already have 
the GSF of a project to calculate the NASF of that project.
    <radical> Proportion of repair/renovation or new construction 
project cost,  in addition to the currently collected repair/renovation 
or new construction cost as a total, including non-fixed equipment over 
$1 million. This data are readily available to the institutions and 
should add very little burden.
    <radical> Percentage of institutional funds, in addition to the 
currently collected proportion of construction and repair/renovation 
cost attributable to institutional funds. The question will be posed in 
two parts: one asking if the institution has ready access to these 
data; and second, if data are available, asking the institution to 
supply that data. This way of posing the question assures minimal 
burden to the respondent.
    <radical> Percentage of total animal research NASF assigned to 
levels of restricted-use laboratories, in addition to the total NASF or 
animal laboratories, This is information readily available to the 
institutions and would be of minimal burden.
    (c) Item to be dropped from the 1998 survey. We plan to omit the 
status of institutions relative to the cap on tax-exempt bonds 
(modification request by NIH and NSF).

5. Use of the Information

    The information from this survey will be used by Federal policy 
makers, planners, and budget analysts in making policy decisions, as 
well as by academic officials, the S&E establishment, and State 
agencies that funds universities and colleges. The survey will provide 
updated data on the status of and trends in scientific and engineering 
research facilities to help policy makers with decisions about the 
health of academic S&E research, funding, regulations, and reporting 
guidelines.
    Specifically, data will be used in:
    <diamond> A separate report of the findings for Congress;
    <diamond> A special report for NIH on the Status of Biomedical 
Research Facilities;
    <diamond> Other NSF compilations such as National Patterns of R&D 
Resources and Science and Engineering Indicators;
    <diamond> Special reports for other Federal agencies on an as-
needed basis; and
    <diamond> A public release file of collected data in aggregate form 
made available to researchers on the World Wide Web

6. Expected Respondents

    The sample size for the 1998 survey is planned to be increased from 
315 to 365 of the nation's higher education institutions, selected to 
provide nationally representative data for both undergraduate and 
graduate degree-granting schools. The respondents will have the option 
to complete the survey on disk. With the improvements in the computer-
aid survey 60% of the institutions are expected to respond through this 
method in 1998.

7. Burden on the Public

    The average completion time for the survey by academic institutions 
was reduced (from 43 to 24 hours) between 1988 and 1994. In 1996, with 
the continued improvements in institutional databases and the 
introduction of the option to complete the survey on disk, completion 
time was further reduced by one hour, bringing the 1996 average 
completion time for the survey by academic institutions to 23 hours.
    Much of the data noted in the proposed modification are readily 
available to the respondents. It is expected that the proposed 
modifications to the questionnaire will cause little or no change in 
burden

[[Page 53660]]

hours. With an estimated 60% of the institutions expected to respond 
through this method in 1998, which will make possible a substantial 
reduction in response burden over 1996 (when 40% responded 
electronically). However, with the addition of 50 institutions the 
overall response time is expected to remain 24 hours.
    Throughout the years as the survey instrument and data collection 
techniques have improved the response rate has improved and the average 
burden on the institutions declined.
    The Burden estimates are as follows:

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                                          Number of                     
              Fiscal year               institutions   Hours to respond 
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1992..................................         303    30.               
1994..................................         309    24.               
1996..................................         307    23.               
1998..................................         357    24 est.           
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    Dated: October 7, 1997.
Gail A. McHenry,
NSF Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-27203 Filed 10-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M