2012-25354. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Coastal Ocean Program Grants Proposal Application Package

AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before December 17, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Laurie Golden, 301-713-3338 ext 151 or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This request is for a revision of a currently approved information collection. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program (COP) provides direct financial assistance through grants and cooperative agreements for research supporting the management of coastal ecosystems. The statutory authority for COP is Public Law 102-567 Section 201 (Coastal Ocean Program). In addition to standard government application requirements, applicants for financial assistance are required to submit a project summary form, current and pending form and a key contacts form. Recipients are required to file annual progress reports and a project final report using COP formats. All of these requirements are needed for better evaluation of proposals and monitoring of awards.

This request is for a revision due to the addition of the Key Contacts and the Current and Pending Federal Support forms. These additional forms are necessary for consistency. The main purpose of this information collection is to enable COP to provide a summary of the key applicant contacts and their current and pending Federal funding. The information gathered will enable COP to properly and quickly evaluate proposals in a collaborative environment with its partner agencies.

II. Method of Collection

Respondents have a choice of either electronic or paper forms.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0384.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (revision of a currently approved collection).

Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; State, local, or tribal government; business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 700.

Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes each for a project summary, key contacts and current and pending federal support; 5 hours for an annual report; and 10 hours for a final report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,050.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.

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, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: October 11, 2012.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.