Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 210 / Wednesday, October 30, 2024 / Notices 86377 

2. Department of Health and Human 

Services, Administration for Strategic 

Preparedness and Response, Medical 

Countermeasures (DAA–0611–2023– 

0003). 

3. Department of Justice, Office of the 

Deputy Attorney General, Justice 

Manual Records (DAA–0060–2024– 

0016). 

4. Department of the Treasury, 

Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of 

Income Division Records (DAA–0058– 

2017–0019). 

5. Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission, Agency-wide, Legal 

Records (DAA–0403–2023–0001). 

6. Export-Import Bank of the United 

States, Agency-wide, Records of the 

Office of the Inspector General (DAA– 

0275–2024–0001). 

7. Library of Congress, Agency-wide, 

Library Archives and Research 2024 

updates (DAA–0297–2024–0008). 

8. Library of Congress, Agency-wide, 

Outreach 2024 Updates (DAA–0297– 

2024–0009). 

9. Peace Corps, Agency-wide, Site 

History Documentation (DAA–0490– 

2023–0005). 

William P. Fischer, 

Acting Chief Records Officer for the U.S. 

Government. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25182 Filed 10–29–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7515–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Comment Request; Grantee 

Reporting Requirements for NSF 

Regional Innovation Engines (NSF 

Engines) Program 

AGENCY: National Science Foundation 

(NSF). 

ACTION: Submission for OMB review; 

comment request. 

SUMMARY: The National Science 

Foundation has submitted the following 

information collection requirement to 

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 no comments 

were received. NSF is forwarding the 

proposed submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (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 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, Alexandria, 

Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292– 

7556; or send email to splimpto@

nsf.gov. 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: 

Comments: Comments regarding (a) 

whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

NSF, including whether the information 

shall have practical utility; (b) the 

accuracy of the NSF’s estimate of the 

burden of the proposed collection of 

information; (c) ways to enhance the 

quality, use, and clarity of the 

information on respondents; 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 

should be addressed to the points of 

contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section. 

Copies of the submission may be 

obtained by calling 703–292–7556. NSF 

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 to 

respond to the collection of information 

that such persons are not required to 

respond to the collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting 

Requirements for the NSF Regional 

Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) 

Program. 

OMB Number: 3145–NEW. 

Expiration Date of Approval: Not 

Applicable. 

Type of Request: Intent to seek 

approval to establish an information 

collection. 

Proposed Project: 

The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 

codified the National Science 

Foundation’s cross-cutting Directorate 

for Technology, Innovation and 

Partnerships (TIP), NSF’s first new 

directorate in more than 30 years, and 

charged it with the critical mission of 

advancing U.S. competitiveness through 

investments that accelerate the 

development of key technologies and 

address pressing national, societal, and 

geostrategic challenges. 

The NSF Engines program was 

authorized in the CHIPS and Science 

Act of 2022 (section 10388) to (1) 

advance multidisciplinary, 

collaborative, use-inspired and 

translational research, technology 

development, in key technology focus 

areas; (2) address regional, national, 

societal, or geostrategic challenges; (3) 

leverage the expertise of 

multidisciplinary and multi-sector 

partners, including partners from 

private industry, nonprofit 

organizations, and civil society 

organizations; and (4) support the 

development of scientific, innovation, 

entrepreneurial, and STEM educational 

capacity within the region of the 

Regional Innovation Engine to grow and 

sustain regional innovation. The NSF 

Engines program serves as a flagship 

funding program of the TIP directorate, 

with the goal of expanding and 

accelerating scientific and technological 

innovation within the United States by 

catalyzing regional innovation 

ecosystems throughout every region of 

our nation. 

In January 2024, NSF established 10 

inaugural NSF Engine awards across 18 

states, uniquely placing science and 

technology leadership as the central 

driver for regional economic 

competitiveness. By way of example, 

the NSF Engines: Colorado—Wyoming 

Climate Resilience Engine, led by Rocky 

Mountain Innovation Initiative Inc., 

aims to advance the region’s research 

and commercialization efforts focused 

on sensing, monitoring and predictive 

analytic technologies for climate 

resiliency spanning methane emissions, 

soil carbon capture, earth sensing, water 

scarcity, wildfires and extreme weather. 

The focus on climate resiliency derives 

from several climate emergencies that 

have hit the area from unprecedented 

wildfires to devastating droughts and 

heatwaves, and will leverage the 

region’s robust startup ecosystem and 

research capacity. This Engine includes 

a large ecosystem of core partners that 

are essential to its success: large 

corporations; universities (including 

four- and two-year academic 

institutions, Tribal Colleges, and 

Hispanic-Serving Institutions); 

economic and workforce development 

organizations; non-profits; and 

investment firms. This diverse coalition 

of partners will be central to R&D, 

translation of technology to 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
86378 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 210 / Wednesday, October 30, 2024 / Notices 

commercialization, and workforce 

development efforts. 

Each Engine is focused on addressing 

specific aspects of a major national, 

societal and/or geostrategic challenge 

that are of significant interest in the NSF 

Engine’s defined ‘‘region of service.’’ 

The NSF Engines program envisions a 

future in which all sectors of the 

American population can participate in, 

and benefit from, advancements in 

scientific research and development 

equitably to advance U.S. global 

competitiveness and leadership. The 

program’s mission is to establish 

sustainable regional innovation 

ecosystems that address pressing 

regional, national, societal, or 

geostrategic challenges by advancing 

use-inspired and translational research 

and development in key technology 

focus areas. The programmatic level 

goals of NSF Engines are to: 

Goal 1: Establish self-sustaining 

innovation ecosystems; 

Goal 2: Establish nationally 

recognized regional ecosystems for key 

industries; 

Goal 3: Broaden participation in 

inclusive innovation ecosystems; 

Goal 4: Advance technologies relevant 

to national competitiveness; 

Goal 5: Catalyze regions with nascent 

innovation ecosystems; 

Goal 6: Increase economic growth; 

Goal 7: Increase job creation. 

To achieve these goals, each Engine 

will carry out an integrated and 

comprehensive set of activities spanning 

use-inspired research, translation-to 

practice, entrepreneurship, and 

workforce development to nurture and 

accelerate regional industries. In 

addition, each Engine is expected to 

embody a culture of innovation and 

have a demonstrated, intense, and 

meaningful focus on improving 

diversity throughout its regional science 

and technology ecosystem. 

This request is to seek approval from 

OMB in establishing a new data 

collection pertaining to grantee 

reporting requirements for the NSF 

Engines program. The reporting 

requirements consist of: (1) Quarterly 

Reports; (2) a 5-year Strategic and 

Implementation Plan; and (3) Annual 

Evaluation Reports. 

The Quarterly Reports will be 

required quarterly (every three months) 

with initial report due at month three 

(3); and the others at subsequent 

intervals of six (6) and nine (9). The 

report at month twelve (12) will cover 

the activities and outcomes for the 

entire year including the last quarter. 

The reporting will follow the same 

cadence until the end date of the project 

or the life of the award. NSF will use the 

collective Engine inputs from the 

reports in addition to the results of 

NSF’s formal review of the required 

plans to determine eligibility for 

receiving the subsequent increment of 

NSF Engines funding. The Quarterly 

Reports contains 11 items, and grantees 

are required to include a brief 

description of the status with highlights 

of changes since the previous report 

and/or deviations from original plans 

outlined in the proposal. If there are no 

activities or outcomes to report for a 

certain item, the report shall note so for 

that item. 

* i. Governance and Management. 

The staffing, activities, and effort 

associated with Governance and 

Management, e.g., hiring, restructuring. 

* ii. Progress on the Engine’s Fiveyear Strategic and Implementation 

Plan’s component plans. Activities 

undertaken toward developing and/or 

modifying the required component 

plans should be described, in addition 

to implementation and notable 

outcomes for each. 

* iii. Budget Expenditures. Summary 

of budget expenditures for the specified 

quarterly reporting period(s). The report 

should include the above information at 

the six-month and one-year mark, each 

covering the two preceding quarters. 

This should include any rebudgeting in 

excess of 15% of the original plan or 

$100,000, whichever is greater, by the 

awardee or sub-awardee organized by 

programmatic core functions, i.e., useinspired R&D, workforce development, 

translation innovations to practice and 

subcategorized by NSF budget category 

(NSF form 1030). The cumulative 

amount should be compared against the 

planned budget for each reporting 

period. Variances from plans, positive 

or negative, and mitigation steps if 

needed, should be discussed. 

* iv. Research Security. Research 

security efforts of the lead organization 

and sub-awardee organizations 

pertinent to the activities on the Engine 

award, if any. 

* v. Cybersecurity Incidents. 

Description of all reportable 

cybersecurity incidents pertinent to the 

activities on the Engine award. 

* vi. Infrastructure construction, 

operations and maintenance (O&M), 

and sustainability plan. Includes all 

costs and activities related to building 

construction, design and engineering 

services, and on-site costs, e.g., prep 

costs including cleanup, legal services, 

etc. This also covers the development of 

shared research facilities, i.e., any 

facility that will not be used exclusively 

for Engine activities. The O&M and 

sustainability plan for infrastructure 

should be included in the third 

quarterly report, and changes reported 

routinely in subsequent ones. 

* vii. R&D, Translation and 

Workforce Development Projects. This 

section should provide a status update 

of all Engine-funded projects and 

initiatives, reported against the initial 

project milestones and/or objectives as 

outlined in approved strategic and 

implementation plans, including any 

Project Funding Competition Plans. 

Include notable outcomes from these 

activities. This section should cover the 

selection and termination of projects 

during the reporting period. 

* viii. Risk Assessment and 

Monitoring. Within sixty (60) days of the 

award start date, a comprehensive 

formal risk assessment should be 

performed of the Engine using widely 

accepted standards with detail captured 

in a risk register, specifically any key 

risks identified and how those risks 

plan to be addressed, e.g., mitigate, 

transfer, eliminate, accept. Status 

reporting of the identified risks shall be 

included in the quarterly reports to 

NSF. 

* ix. Core partners. This section 

should document the changes to the set 

of core partners and any changes in the 

nature of the core partners’ activities 

and commitments to the Engine. 

* x. Commitments and Resources. 

This section should describe changes in 

commitments and resources made 

available to Engine activities by nonNSF sources. Include new commitments 

of cash and in-kind resources by such 

sources during this period, and the 

quantitative impact of these 

commitments to the three Engine core 

functions (use-inspired R&D, 

Translation, and Workforce 

Development). 

* xi. Progress of Meeting AwardSpecific Terms and Conditions. Each 

Engine award has a list of terms and 

conditions that are specific to the given 

award. In this section, Engines will 

describe progress on these items since 

the last reporting period. 

The Five (5)-year Strategic and 

Implementation Plan shall be comprised 

of component plans (7) listed below. 

Each shall be tailored to the Engine’s 

mission, operating structure, and region 

of service and cover the specified 

topical areas. Component plans must be 

submitted for NSF approval. The 

Component Plans should only be 

submitted once they are in a final form 

and ready for approval. After a plan has 

been submitted, NSF may review and 

provide feedback on the plan document, 

typically within sixty (60) days of 

submission. The awardee may be 

requested by NSF to revise and resubmit 

the plan, incorporating such feedback. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 210 / Wednesday, October 30, 2024 / Notices 86379 

NSF reserves the right to potentially 

continue this iterative process until 16- 

months post award start date, at which 

point the last submitted component 

plan will be deemed as the final version 

of the document that NSF shall consider 

for approval in line with the program 

goals. A more detailed set of 

expectations for each deliverable will be 

provided by the Program Officer post 

award. 

• i. Engine Vision and Mission 

Statements (month 4) 

• ii. Governance and Management 

Æ Governance and Management Plan 

(month 4) 

Æ Partnership Agreement (month 4) 

Æ Workforce Development Agreement 

(month 16) 

Æ IP Management Plan (month 4) 

Æ Financial and Resource 

Sustainability Plan (month 16) 

• iii. Strengths, Weaknesses, 

Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) 

Analyses for R&D and Translation, 

Workforce Development, and 

Inclusive Engagement (month 4) 

• iv. Strategic Plans 

Æ For R&D and Translation (month 9) 

Æ For Workforce Development 

(month 16) 

Æ For Inclusive Engagement (month 

12) 

• v. Implementation Plans 

Æ For R&D and Translation (month 

12) 

Æ For Workforce Development 

(month 16) 

Æ For Inclusive Engagement (month 

12) 

• vi. Evaluation Plan (month 9) 

• vii. IP Agreements (month 10) 

• viii. Benchmarks; Baselines; Specific, 

Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, 

and Timely (SMART) Objectives 

and Targets 

Æ For R&D and Translation (month 

12) 

Æ For Workforce Development 

(month 16) 

Æ For Inclusive Engagement (month 

16) 

Engines awardees will publicly 

disseminate the following within 1 

month of approval by NSF: a public 

version of their SWOT analyses; 

strategic plans; and implementation 

plans. 

The first annual evaluation report is 

expected at month 18 from the award 

start date, and then annually thereafter 

for the life of the award. The report is 

prepared and submitted to NSF by an 

external evaluation team required of 

each Engine award. The report discusses 

progress relative to the milestones, 

baselines, benchmarks, objectives, and 

targets as listed in the corresponding 5- 

year strategic and implementation plan. 

The evaluation reports provide an 

objective and independent assessment 

of how each Engine is performing 

relative to their goals and milestones, 

and are not subject to approval by 

Engine awardees. 

Information gathered will be used for 

the dual and interrelated purposes of 

disseminating information about the 

NSF Engines program and using this 

information to make programmatic 

improvements, efficiencies, and 

enhanced program monitoring for NSF 

Engines. Feedback collected under this 

clearance provides useful information 

for the continued evolution of the NSF 

Engines program. The collective 

reporting requirements will help TIP 

monitor the progress of individual 

Engines, identify trends over time, 

assess overall program performance. 

Burden on the Public 

For each Engine award, we anticipate 

the following number of responses and 

response burden by reporting 

requirement: 

Reporting requirements 

Number of 

responses per 

year 

Minimum 

burden per 

response 

(hours) 

Maximum 

burden per 

response 

(hours) 

Annual burden 

(hours) 

per engine 

Quarterly Reports .................................................................................... 4 10 ..................... 20 ..................... 40–80. 

A Five (5)-year Strategic and Implementation Plan ............................... 1 Year 1: 200 ......

Year 1: 400 ......

200–400 ...........

Year 2: 80 .........

Year 2: 160 ......

80–160 .............

Year 3: 80. 

Year 3: 80. 

80–160. 

Total ................................................................................................. 5 ........................... ........................... 120–480. 

We estimated that, on average, each of 

the twenty components of the Five-year 

Strategic and Implementation Plan 

could take up to 520 hours to complete, 

hence the upper bound estimate of 

10,400 hours per Engine. We also 

anticipate that each component of the 

Plan will be developed and completed 

by multiple and various team members 

within an Engine. 

In addition, the upper bound estimate 

for the annual evaluation report reflects 

not only the effort for writing the report 

but also account for data cleaning, data 

analysis, and data visualization. We 

anticipate that the burden for 

subsequent years to be lower as 

workflow and cadence will be 

established after the first year. 

A total of 10 Engine teams were 

awarded. For the first year, the total 

amount of burden estimated is between 

1,280 and 11,520 hours per Engine. For 

subsequent years, 320 and 1,280 hours. 

Dated: October 24, 2024. 

Suzanne H. Plimpton, 

Reports Clearance Officer, National Science 

Foundation. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25125 Filed 10–29–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Request for Public Comment: Request 

for Information on the CHIPS and 

Science Act, Section 10343 

AGENCY: National Science Foundation. 

ACTION: Request for public comment; 

Extension of comment period. 

SUMMARY: On August 27, 2024, the 

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

published in the Federal Register a 

document entitled ‘‘Request for 

Information on the CHIPS and Science 

Act, Section 10343.’’ In response to 

requests by prospective commenters 

that they would benefit from additional 

time to adequately consider and 

respond to the RFI, NSF has determined 

that an extension of the comment period 

until Friday, December 13, 2024, at 

11:59 p.m. (eastern), is appropriate. 

DATES: The end of the comment period 

for the document entitled ‘‘Request for 

Information’’ published on August 27, 

2024 (89 FR 68657), is extended from 

November 15, 2024, until December 13, 

2024. 

ADDRESSES: To respond to this Request 

for Information, please use the official 

submission form available at: https://

www.surveymonkey.com/r/ 

ResearchEthicsRFI. 

Respondents only need to provide 

feedback on one or more questions of 

interest or relevance to them. Each 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1