2016-03508. Proposed Collection; 60-Day Comment request National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs; Office of the Director (OD)

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Division of Loan Repayment (DLR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

To Submit Comments and for Further Information: Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact: Steve Boehlert, Director of Operations, Division of Loan Repayment, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 206 (MSC 7650), Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7650. Mr. Boehlert may be contacted via email at [e-mail] or by calling 301-451-4465. Formal requests for additional plans and instruments must be requested in writing.

Comment Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60 days of the date of this publication.

Proposed Collection: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Loan Repayment Programs (LRP). Type of Information Collection Request: Extension of a currently approved collection (OMB No. 0925-0361, expiration date 06/30/17). Office of the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Need and Use of Information Collection: The NIH makes available financial assistance, in the form of educational loan repayment, to M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D., Psy.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., D.C., N.D., O.D., D.V.M, or equivalent doctoral degree holders who perform biomedical or behavioral research in NIH intramural laboratories or as extramural grantees or scientists funded by domestic non-profit organizations for a minimum of two years (three years for the General Research LRP) in research areas supporting the mission and priorities of the NIH.

The AIDS Research Loan Repayment Program (AIDS-LRP) is authorized by section 487A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-1); the Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (CR-LRP) is authorized by section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); the General Research Loan Repayment Program (GR-LRP) is authorized by section 487C of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-3); the Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program (LRP-CR) is authorized by section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-5a); the Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (PR-LRP) is authorized by section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-6); the Extramural Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (ECR-LRP) is authorized by an amendment to section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); the Contraception and Infertility Research LRP (CIR-LRP) is authorized by section 487B (42 U.S.C. 288-2); and the Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program (HD-LRP) is authorized by section 464z-5 (42 U.S.C. 285t-2). Form Numbers: NIH 2674-1, NIH 2674-2, NIH 2674-3, NIH 2674-4, NIH 2674-5, NIH 2674-6, NIH 2674-7, NIH 2674-8, NIH 2674-9, NIH 2674-10, NIH 2674-11, NIH 2674-12, NIH 2674-13, NIH 2674-14, NIH 2674-15, NIH 2674-16, NIH 2674-17, NIH 2674-18, NIH 2674-19, and NIH 2674-20.

The NIH Loan Repayment Programs can repay up to $35,000 per year toward a participant's extant eligible educational loans, directly to financial institutions. The information proposed for collection will be used by the Division of Loan Repayment to determine an applicant's eligibility for participation in the program. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 33,242.

Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Type of respondent	Number of respondents	Estimated number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Annual burden hours requested
Intramural LRPs:
Initial Applicants	40	1	10	400
Advisors/Supervisors	40	1	1	40
Recommenders	120	1	30/60	60
Financial Institutions	8	1	15/60	2
Subtotal	210			502
Extramural LRPs:
Initial Applicants	1650	1	11	18,150
Advisors/Supervisors	1480	1	1	1,480
Recommenders	4950	1	30/60	2,475
Financial Institutions	100	1	15/60	25
Subtotal	8,180			22,130
Intramural LRPs:
Renewal Applicants	40	1	7	280
Advisors/Supervisors	40	1	2	80
Subtotal	80			360
Extramural LRPS
Renewal Applicants	1000	1	8	8,000
Advisors/Supervisors	750	1	1	750
Recommenders	3000	1	30/60	1,500
Subtotal	4750			10,250
Total	13,220			33,242

Dated: February 10, 2016.

Lawrence A. Tabak,

Deputy Director, National Institutes of Health.