[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84634-84636]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-24501]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; 
National Science Foundation Research Infrastructure Guide

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the National Science Foundation (NSF) is providing 
opportunity for public comment on revisions to the NSF Research 
Infrastructure Guide (RIG).

DATES: Written comments should be received by January 17, 2025, to be 
assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the information collection and 
requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
should be addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, 
National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Ave.,

[[Page 84635]]

Alexandria, VA 22314, or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3340435f5a5e43475c735d40551d545c45"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="deadaeb2b7b3aeaab19eb0adb8f0b9b1a8">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Plimpton on (703) 292-7556 or 
send email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1764677b7e7a6763785779647139707861"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6c5c6dadfdbc6c2d9f6d8c5d098d1d9c0">[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, which is accessible 
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including federal 
holidays).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title of Collection: Research Infrastructure Guide.
    OMB Approval Number: 3145-0239.
    Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to extend with revision an 
information collection for three years.
    Proposed Project: The revision to the Research Infrastructure Guide 
(RIG) aims to enhance guidance for the Construction Stage and 
implementation, focusing on planning and execution, and improve 
guidance for Operations Stage planning. It introduces contextual 
guidance for tailoring, scaling, and progressively elaborating planning 
efforts across all life cycle stages of Major Facilities and Mid-scale 
Research Infrastructure (RI). The updates provide more comprehensive 
project management guidance, including risk management, contingency 
estimating and management, and performance measurement. Additionally, 
the revision offers enhanced supplemental guidance on 
cyberinfrastructure, information assurance, partnerships, and Agile 
methodology for NSF projects. The draft version of the NSF RIG is 
available on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/lfo/lfo_documents.jsp.
    To facilitate review, a section called List of Changes with brief 
descriptions of the changes is provided in the RIG. NSF is particularly 
interested in public comment on the new content provided in Sections 
2.9 Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Guidance, 3.5 Construction Stage 
and Implementation Planning, and 3.6 Operations Stage Planning.
    The National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (Pub. L. 81-507) set 
forth NSF's mission and purpose:
    ``To promote the progress of science; to advance the national 
health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.* * *''
    The Act authorized and directed NSF to initiate and support:
    <bullet> Basic scientific research and research fundamental to the 
engineering process;
    <bullet> Programs to strengthen scientific and engineering research 
potential;
    <bullet> Science and engineering education programs at all levels 
and in all the various fields of science and engineering;
    <bullet> Programs that provide a source of information for policy 
formulation; and
    <bullet> Other activities to promote these ends.
    Among Federal agencies, NSF is a leader in providing the academic 
community with advanced instrumentation needed to conduct state-of-the-
art research and to educate the next generation of scientists, 
engineers, and technical workers. The knowledge generated by these 
tools sustains U.S. leadership in science and engineering to drive the 
U.S. economy and secure the future. A crucial part of NSF's 
responsibility is to ensure that the research and education communities 
have access to these resources and to provide the support needed to 
utilize them optimally and implement timely upgrades.
    The scale of advanced instrumentation spans from small research 
tools to large, shared resources or facilities accessible to entire 
scientific communities. Demand for such instrumentation is rapidly 
growing, driven by the accelerating pace of discovery. The need for 
shared Research Infrastructure (RI) is especially high, and this demand 
is expected to increase further as more researchers and educators 
depend on these expansive facilities, instruments, and databases to 
achieve the next significant intellectual breakthroughs.
    NSF defines RI as any combination of facilities, equipment, 
instrumentation, computational hardware and software, and the necessary 
human capital in support of the same. Historically, NSF has supported 
diverse types of RI, including particle accelerators, detectors, radio 
and optical telescopes, remote research stations, research vessels and 
aircraft, high-performance computing, and geographically distributed 
observatories, as well as large-scale surveys and data sets.
    NSF currently provides support for facility construction through 
the Major Research Equipment and Facility Construction (MREFC) account 
and the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account. The MREFC 
account, established in FY1995, is an agency-wide capital account that 
provides funding for the Construction Stage of Major Facilities with a 
Total Project Cost (TPC) of $100M or greater for construction, and Mid-
scale RI with a TPC of $20-$100M.
    The growth and diversification of Major Facility and Mid-scale RI 
require that NSF remain attentive to the ever-changing issues and 
challenges inherent in their planning, construction, operation, 
management, and oversight. Most importantly, dedicated, competent NSF 
and Awardee staff are needed to manage and oversee these RI, giving the 
attention and oversight that good practice dictates and that proper 
accountability to taxpayers and Congress demands. To this end, there is 
also a need for consistent, documented requirements and procedures to 
be understood and used by NSF program managers and awardees for all 
such RI.
    Use of the Information: Research Infrastructure (RI) is a crucial 
component of the science and engineering enterprise, and supporting it 
is one of NSF's primary responsibilities. NSF provides awards to 
external entities--primarily universities, university consortia, or 
non-profit organizations--to construct, manage, and operate these 
facilities. These awards are typically made through cooperative 
agreements. While NSF does not directly build or operate the facilities 
it funds, it remains responsible for overseeing their development, 
management, and overall performance.
    The Research Infrastructure Guide (RIG) is intended to:
    <bullet> Articulate NSF's oversight policies, processes, and 
procedures at each life cycle stage for Major Facilities and Mid-scale 
RI.
    <bullet> Provide guidance to organizations for proposal development 
and effective management of funded activities, following established 
program and project management best practices.
    This version of the RIG provides enhanced guidance for planning 
across all life cycle stages, including Development, Design, 
Construction and implementation, Operations, and Disposition. It offers 
detailed instructions on tailoring, appropriately scaling, and 
progressively elaborating plans to align with the scale and complexity 
of the RI. Additionally, key project management elements are improved 
to ensure stronger oversight.
    The RIG does not replace the formal procedures outlined in the 
Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), which are 
required for all NSF awards. Instead, it supplements the PAPPG by 
providing specific guidance on NSF policies and procedures for the 
planning, management, and oversight of Major Facilities and Mid-scale 
RI. All RI require merit and technical review, as well as approval of 
specific deliverables. The level of review and approval for these 
projects differs significantly from standard grants, as does the degree 
of oversight necessary to ensure proper accountability for federal 
funds. The

[[Page 84636]]

RIG's requirements, recommended procedures, and best practices apply to 
any RI substantial enough to require ongoing, close interaction with 
NSF and the National Science Board.
    NSF will update the RIG periodically to reflect requirements, 
policies, and/or procedures changes. Awardees are expected to monitor 
and adopt the requirements and best practices included in the RIG, 
which aim to improve management and oversight of Major Facility and 
Mid-scale RIs and enable the most efficient and cost-effective delivery 
of tools to the research and education communities.
    Submitting proposals and subsequent documentation related to the 
development, design, construction or implementation, and operations of 
a Major Facility or Mid-scale RI to NSF is part of the information 
collected that NSF uses to fulfill its responsibility to support merit-
based research and education projects in all the scientific and 
engineering disciplines. NSF is also committed to providing oversight 
on RI, which they must balance against monitoring its information 
collection to identify and address any excessive reporting burdens.
    NSF has approximately 25 Major Facilities in various stages of 
Development, Design, Construction, Operations, and Disposition. Major 
Facilities undergoing a significant upgrade may be classified in both 
design or construction and operations at the same time. Two to four new 
construction awards are made approximately every five years based on 
science community RI needs and availability of funding. Among the 25 
Major Facilities, there are approximately seven (7) facilities annually 
that are either in Design or Construction Stages. These stages require 
the highest level of reporting and management documentation per the 
RIG. Currently, there are approximately 27 Mid-scale Research 
Infrastructure in the Track1 Program and nine in the Track 2 Program.
    Burden on the Public: NSF estimates that approximately five Full 
Time Equivalents (FTEs) are necessary for each Major Facility in design 
or construction to respond to NSF performance and financial reporting 
and project management documentation requirements on an annual basis; 
or 10,400 hours per year. NSF estimates approximately one and half 
(1.5) FTE for a Major Facility in operations to respond to performance 
and financial reporting on an annual basis; or 3,120 hours per year. 
For Mid-scale RI, NSF estimates approximately one (1) FTE is necessary 
for each Mid-Scale RI to respond to NSF project management 
documentation requirements on an annual basis; or 2,080 hours per year. 
With seven (7) Major Facilities in design or construction and twenty-
one (20) in operations and four (4) Mid-scale RI, this equates to 
roughly 150,000 public burden hours annually.
    Comments: In addition to the previously mentioned types of 
comments, feedback is also invited on the following:
    (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 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare 
the submission requesting OMB clearance of this collection for no 
longer than 3 years.

    Dated: October 18, 2024.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2024-24501 Filed 10-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P


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