03-15138. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Evaluation of the NIDCD Partnership Program OMB # 0925-0479

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement of section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), the 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.

Proposed Collection

Title: Evaluation of the NIDCD Partnership Program. Type of Information Collection Request: REVISION. Need and Use of Information Collection: The NIDCD was established to support biomedical and behavioral research and research training in hearing, smell, balance, taste, voice, speech and language. Although minorities and women will dominate the work force within the next decade, both groups are under represented in the science and health professional field. Because of this concern, the NIDCD, with assistance from the Office of Research on Minority Health, established the Partnership Program in 1994 to increase the number of minority scientists and health care professionals doing research on communication and communication disorders. The proposed survey will yield data about: (1) Reasons for participation in the program; (2) satisfaction of participants with the program and (3) how participation in the program has lead to the pursuit of a career in the health field. This survey will track the Partnership Program's success at increasing the number of women and minorities who are scientists. Frequency of Response: One. Affected Public: Individuals. Type of Respondent: Partnership Program Participants and Applicants. The annual reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 51; Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2; Average Burden Hours Per Response: .50; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 18. The total annualized cost to respondents is estimated at: $288. There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to report.

(Note: The following table is acceptable for the Respondent and Burden Estimate Information, if appropriate, instead of the text as shown above.)

Type of respondents	Estimated number of respondents	Estimated number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Estimated total annual burden hours requested
New Program Participants	7	2	.50	3.5
Past Program Participants	14	2	.50	7
Program Applicants	30	1	.25	7.5
Total	51			18

Request For Comments

Written and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the following points (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for fulfillment of the NIDCD mission, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed data collection, including the validity of the methodology; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the data collection and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including appropriate use of automated collection techniques and information technology.

Direct Comments to OMB

Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory Affairs, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: Desk Officer for NIH. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact: Mrs. Kay C. Johnson-Graham, EEO Officer, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, NIDCD, NIH, Building 31, Room 3C08, 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, or call non-toll-free number 301-402-6415 or E-mail your request, including your address to: [e-mail].

Comments Due Date

Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30-days of the date of this publication.

Dated: June 3, 2003.

W. David Kerr,

Executive Officer, NIDCD National Institutes of Health.