2013-29070. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: “AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS).” In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by February 4, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at [e-mail].

Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer, [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Project

AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS)

AHRQ has developed a systematic method for its grantees to report project progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded by the Agency. This system, the Grants Reporting System (GRS), was first approved by OMB on November 10, 2004. The system addressed the shortfalls in the previous reporting process and established a consistent and comprehensive grants reporting solution for AHRQ. The GRS provides a centralized repository of grants research progress and additional information that can be used to support initiatives within the Agency. This includes future research planning and support to administration activities such as performance monitoring, budgeting, knowledge transfer as well as strategic planning.

This Project has the following goals:

(1) To promote the transfer of critical information more frequently and efficiently and enhance the Agency's ability to support research designed to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its costs, and broaden access to effective services; and

(2) To increase the efficiency of the Agency in responding to ad-hoc information requests; and

(3) To support Executive Branch requirements for increased transparency and public reporting; and

(4) To establish a consistent approach throughout the Agency for information collection regarding grant progress and a systematic basis for oversight and for facilitating potential collaborations among grantees; and

(5) To decrease the inconvenience and burden on grantees of unanticipated ad-hoc requests for information by the Agency in response to particular (one-time) internal and external requests for information.

Method of Collection

Grants Reporting System—Grantees use the GRS to report project progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded by the Agency. Grantees submit a progress report on a quarterly basis which is reviewed by AHRQ personnel. All users access the GRS system through a secure online interface which requires a user id and password entered through the GRS Login screen. When status reports are due, AHRQ notifies Principle Investigators (PI) and Vendors via email.

The GRS is an automated user-friendly resource that is utilized by AHRQ staff for preparing, distributing, and reviewing reporting requests to grantees for the purpose of information sharing. AHRQ personnel are able to systematically search on the information collected and stored in the GRS database. Personnel will also use the information to address internal and/or external requests for information regarding grant progress, preliminary findings, and other requests, such as Freedom of Information Act requests, and producing responses related to federally mandated programs and regulations.

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden

Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the respondents. It will take grantees an estimated 10 minutes to enter the necessary data into the Grant Reporting System (GRS) and reporting will occur four times annually. The total annualized burden hours are estimated to be 333 hours.

Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden for the respondents. The total estimated cost burden for respondents is $11,772.

Exhibit 1—Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Hours per response	Total burden hours
Data entry into GRS	500	4	10/60	333
Total	500	na	na	333

Exhibit 2—Estimated Annualized Cost Burden

Form name	Number of respondents	Total burden hours	Average hourly wage rate*	Total cost burden
Data entry into GRS	500	333	$35.35	$11,772
Total	500	333	na	$11,772
* Based upon the average wages for Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations (29-0000), “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2012,” U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Request for Comments

In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act legislation, comments on AHRQ's information collection are requested with regard to any of the following: (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of AHRQ healthcare research and healthcare information dissemination functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed collection(s) 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 upon the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record.

Dated: November 22, 2013.

Richard Kronick,

AHRQ Director.