Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 237 / Monday, December 10, 2012 / Notices 73453 

of grace periods for these patents. This 

study would support the USPTO’s 

efforts to be a leader on intellectual 

property matters internationally and to 

promote efficiency and cooperation in 

the global patent system. 

The USPTO plans to survey scientific 

researchers affiliated with select 

European universities who have 

published journal articles disclosing 

potentially patentable materials during a 

five year period. The universities will be 

selected from the Times Higher 

Education university rankings for 

specific, patent-intensive research areas. 

The USPTO envisions that the 

respondents will be surveyed only once. 

The survey may be distributed in waves 

for convenience. 

The Grace Period Study survey will 

be an electronic survey. The cover letter 

that will be distributed with the survey 

will reference the journal article used to 

identify the respondent, explain why 

the USPTO is conducting the survey, 

explain that the responses will be kept 

confidential, and provide instructions 

on how to access the survey. Preresponse and reminder letters, in 

addition to a brief non-response followup for a small sample of 

nonrespondents, will be used to 

encourage response from the sample 

members. 

This is a voluntary survey and all 

responses will remain confidential. The 

collected data will not be linked to the 

respondent and contact information that 

is used for sampling purposes will be 

maintained in a separate file from the 

quantitative data. Respondents are not 

required to provide any identifying 

information such as their name, address, 

or Social Security Number. In order to 

access and complete the online survey, 

respondents will need to use a 

username, password, and survey ID 

number. 

II. Method of Collection 

Electronically over the Internet 

through a secure, third-party survey 

distributor using access information 

supplied by IIPI. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0651–00xx. 

Form Number(s): No form numbers. 

Type of Review: New information 

collection. 

Affected Public: Businesses or other 

for-profits and non-profit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

420 responses per year. The USPTO 

estimates that no responses will be 

received from small entities. Out of a 

sample size of 3,000, the USPTO 

estimates that 420 completed surveys 

will be received, for a response rate of 

14%. This estimate is based on the 

response rate of a similar survey of 

German researchers conducted by the 

German Ministry for Education and 

Research (BMBF). 

Estimated Time per Response: The 

USPTO estimates that it will take 

approximately 10 minutes (0.17 hours) 

to complete this survey. This estimated 

time includes reading the instructions 

for the survey, gathering the necessary 

information, completing the survey, and 

submitting it to the USPTO. 

Estimated Total Annual Respondent 

Burden Hours: 71 hours. 

Estimated Total Annual Respondent 

Cost Burden: $3,287. The USPTO 

estimates that scientists will be 

completing these surveys and that their 

hourly rate will be comparable to the 

hourly rate for scientists in the United 

States. Using the hourly mean rate of 

$46.29 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics for physical scientists and 

others, the USPTO estimates $3,287 per 

year for the respondent cost burden for 

this collection. 

Item 

Estimated time 

for response 

(min) 

Estimated 

annual 

responses 

Estimated 

annual 

burden hours 

Grace Period Study Survey ......................................................................................................... 10 420 71 

Totals .................................................................................................................................... ........................ 420 71 

Estimated Total Annual Non-hour 

Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There are 

no annual (non-hour) costs for this 

information collection. The USPTO 

covers the costs of all survey materials. 

IV. Request for 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 

(including hours and cost) of the 

proposed collection 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 

on respondents, e.g., the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Dated: December 4, 2012. 

Susan K. Fawcett, 

Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–29637 Filed 12–7–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–16–P 

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National 

and Community Service (CNCS), as part 

of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance consultation 

program to provide the general public 

and federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

and/or continuing collections of 

information in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This 

program helps to ensure that requested 

data can be provided in the desired 

format, reporting burden (time and 

financial resources) is minimized, 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood, and the impact of collection 

requirement on respondents can be 

properly assessed. 

Currently, CNCS is soliciting 

comments concerning its proposed 

renewal of its Senior Corps Project 

Progress Report (PPR) (OMB Control 

Number 3045–0033). The Senior Corps 

PPR has two components: (1) Narratives 

and work plans, and (2) the Progress 

Report Supplement (PRS), which is an 

annual survey of volunteer 

demographics and grantee 

characteristics. The resulting data is 

used by grantees and the CNCS to track 

performance, as well as to identify 

trends and to support management and 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with 

73454 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 237 / Monday, December 10, 2012 / Notices 

analysis. In conjunction with the PPR 

renewal, CNCS proposes to change the 

PPR reporting frequency of narratives 

and work plans from annual to semiannual submission. 

Copies of the information collection 

requests can be obtained by contacting 

the office listed in the address section 

of this notice. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the individual and office 

listed in the ADDRESSES section by 

February 8, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by the title of the information 

collection activity, by any of the 

following methods: 

(1) By mail sent to: Corporation for 

National and Community Service, 

Senior Corps; Attention Ms. Angela 

Roberts, Associate Director, Room 9401; 

1201 New York Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20525. 

(2) By hand delivery or by courier to 

the CNCS mailroom on the 8th Floor at 

the mail address given in paragraph (1) 

above, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

(3) By fax to: (202) 606–3475, 

Attention Ms. Angela Roberts, Associate 

Director 

(4) Electronically through 

www.regulations.gov. Individuals who 

use a telecommunications device for the 

deaf (TTY–TDD) may call 1–800–833– 

3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. 

Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Angela Roberts, (202) 606–6822 or by 

email at aroberts@cns.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CNCS is 

particularly interested in comments 

that: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of CNCS, including whether 

the information will have practical 

utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are expected to respond, including the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology 

(e.g., permitting electronic submissions 

of responses). 

Background 

The Progress Report (PPR) was 

designed to ensure that grantees of the 

Senior Corps’ programs (RSVP, Foster 

Grandparent and Senior Companion 

Programs) address and fulfill legislated 

program purposes; meet agency program 

management and grant requirements; 

track and measure progress to benefit 

the local project and its contributions to 

senior volunteers and the community; 

and to report progress toward work plan 

objectives agreed upon in the granting of 

the award. 

Current Action 

CNCS seeks to renew and revise the 

current OMB-approved Progress Report. 

In August of 2013, Senior Corps revised 

its OMB approved Grant Application 

Instructions. The revised Grant 

Application Instructions incorporated 

new standard national performance 

measures for Senior Corps programs. 

The revised PPR will align with the new 

national performance measures, and 

allow grantees to enter actual data and 

progress towards plans and targets set in 

the Grant Application. 

The revised PPR will be used in the 

same manner as the existing PPR to 

report progress toward accomplishing 

work plan goals and objectives, 

reporting volunteer and service outputs, 

reporting actual outcomes related to 

self-nominated performance measures 

meeting challenges encountered, 

describing significant activities, and 

requesting technical assistance. CNCS 

also seeks to continue using the current 

application until the revised application 

is approved by OMB. The current 

application is due to expire on August 

31, 2013. 

Type of Review: Renewal. 

Agency: Corporation for National and 

Community Service. 

Title: Senior Corps Project Progress 

Report. 

OMB Number: 3045–0033. 

Agency Number: CNCS Form 1020. 

Affected Public: Sponsors of Senior 

Corps grants. 

Total Respondents: 1,250. 

Frequency: Work plans and 

narratives: Semi-Annual; Progress 

Report Supplement: Annual. 

Average Time per Response: Work 

plans and narratives: 4 hours. Progress 

Report Supplement: 8 hours. 

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 20,000 

hours. 

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 

None. 

Total Burden Cost (operating/ 

maintenance): None. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for Office of 

Management and Budget approval of the 

information collection request; they will 

also become a matter of public record. 

Dated: December 3, 2012. 

Erwin Tan, 

Director, Senior Corps. 

[FR Doc. 2012–29781 Filed 12–7–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6050–$$–P 

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Revision of Information Collection; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National 

and Community Service (CNCS), as part 

of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance consultation 

program to provide the general public 

and federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

and/or continuing collections of 

information in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA95) (44 U.S.C. Sec. 3506(c)(2)(A)). 

This program helps to ensure that 

requested data can be provided in the 

desired format, reporting burden (time 

and financial resources) is minimized, 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood, and the impact of collection 

requirement on respondents can be 

properly assessed. 

Currently, CNCS is soliciting 

comments concerning its proposed 

revision of its Senior Corps Grant 

Application (424–NSSC) (OMB Control 

Number 3045–0035). CNCS proposes to 

revise the Senior Corps Grant 

Application with the following 

modifications to: 

• Align language with standard 

national performance measure 

requirements; revise the Grant 

Application Narrative questions to 

clarify new concepts; 

• Simplify language and wording of 

questions; 

• Revise questions to better express 

the desired outcomes; 

• Facilitate stronger alignment 

between narrative sections and the 

performance measures work plans. The 

proposed revisions do not change the 

estimated respondent burden. 

Copies of the information collection 

request can be obtained by contacting 

the office listed in the addresses section 

of this Notice. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the individual and office 

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