2017-13276. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Application Cover Sheet

AGENCY:

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 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 August 25, 2017.

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 Mary Clague, NIST SBIR Program Office, 100 Bureau Drive, MS 2200, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, 301-975-4188, [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The SBIR program was originally established in 1982 by the Small Business Innovation Development Act (Pub. L. 97-219), codified at 15 U.S.C. 638. It was then expanded and extended by the Small Business Research and Development (R&D) Enhancement Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102-564), and received subsequent reauthorization and extensions that include Public Law 112-81, extending SBIR through September 30, 2022. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) serves as the coordinating agency for the SBIR program. It directs the agency implementation of SBIR, reviews progress, and reports annually to Congress on its operation.

The NIST SBIR Cover Sheet is the first page of each application that responds to the annual NIST SBIR Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO). The information collected in the Cover Sheet provides identifying information and demographic data for use in NIST's annual report to the SBA on the program.

II. Method of Collection

The information will be collected as part of the application process and will be submitted either through grants.gov or by paper.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: #0693-0072.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Extension of a current information collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 150 per year.

Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 75 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

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.

Sheleen Dumas,

Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief Information Officer.