[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 48 (Friday, March 12, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12382-12383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6133]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation (NSF)
is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on
this proposed continuing information collection. This is the second
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal
Register at 63 FR 44937 (August 21, 1998) and no comments were
received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with
the publication of this second notice.
DATES: Comments regarding (a) Whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used; (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 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: Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for
National Science Foundation, 725-17th Street, N.W. Room 10235,
Washington, D.C. 20503, and to Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance
Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295,
Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send email to splimpto@nsf.gov. Comments
regarding these information collections are best assured of having
their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-306-1125 x
2017.
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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance
Officer at (703) 306-1125 x 2017 or send email to splimpto@nsf.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Scientific and Engineering Research Facilities
at Colleges and Universities (Follow-Up Survey).
OMB Control Number: 3145-0101.
Use of the Information: The 1998 Survey of Science and Engineering
Research Facilities at Universities and Colleges conducted by NSF
collected data on the status of academic science and engineering (S&E)
research facilities. The proposed Follow-Up Survey will collect
additional information to supplement the original survey data,
increasing its usefulness to Federal agencies and policymakers. Total
research construction costs will be identified by project and broken
down into particular space designation measurements, which will allow
OMB to establish more accurate and effective benchmark rates for
consideration during the internal review of academic research
facilities. The purpose of the Follow-Up Survey is to gather project
costs, research space costs, and gross and net assignable square feet
(NASF) for buildings with a research component which have total project
costs that exceed $25 million. Buildings that are eligible to be
included in the survey were constructed in U.S. research-performing
colleges and universities during fiscal years 1996 and 1997, based on
the data collected by NSF in the 1998 Survey of Scientific and
Engineering Research Facilities at Universities and Colleges. The
original NSF study was implemented to gather data about the status of
academic S&E research facilities for Federal policymakers to use in
policy decision-making. OMB's stated intention in implementing the
internal review process for academic research institutions is to
improve accountability of institutions regarding the federal funds
allocated for use in building construction and improvement. The Follow-
Up Survey, by focusing on costs segmented by project, requiring exact
space designations, taking into account any specialized project
features, and thereby improving the precision of analysis of large
research facility costs, will mitigate concerns about the usefulness of
the averaged benchmark rates determined by the initial study. The
increased accuracy of these data will allow Federal policymakers,
planners, and budget analysts, as well as academic officials and state
agencies, to make more exact and, as a result, more valid judgments
concerning the reasonableness of facility costs.
Expected Respondents: The initial basis for the sample will be
those 70 institutions that reported any new construction of research
space during fiscal years 1996 and 1997. Data will be collected using
pencil-and-paper methodology. A brief screening survey will precede the
main study questionnaire in order to determine eligibility for
inclusion in the main study. The screener surveys will be sent to the
coordinators designated for the 1998 Survey of Scientific and
Engineering Research Facilities at Universities and Colleges. Each
qualifying institution will be given the opportunity to designate a
coordinator to manage their data collection.
Burden on the Public: Based on the fact that the proposed survey
questions involve data that are readily available to the respondents,
combined with the overall brevity of the questionnaire, we do not
believe that the survey will represent a significant burden on the
respondents. Indeed, the information collected may be of benefit to the
respondents with improved accuracy in building cost estimates. The
screener survey will be sent by e-mail to 70 institutions. The
completion time per academic institution is expected to average 30
minutes. Assuming a 90% response rate on the screener survey, the
[[Page 12383]]
estimated burden would be 31.5 hours for academic institutions.
The Follow-Up Survey will be sent by mail to the qualifying
institutions, of which there is expected to be approximately 42. The
completion time per academic institution is expected to average 1.5
hours. Assuming a 90% response rate, the estimated burden would be 56.7
hours for academic institutions, for a total of 88.2 hours. The
information burden for any particular institution will be affected by
two major factors--the number of buildings recently constructed and
costing $25 million or more, and the quality of the institutions'
records systems.
Dated: March 9, 1999.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
NSF Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-6133 Filed 3-11-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
