[Federal Register: August 24, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 163)]
[Notices]
[Page 51988-51989]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24au04-29]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Proposal To Collect Information on the Expenditures Incurred by
Recipients of Bio-Medical Research Awards From the National Institutes
of Health (NIH)
ACTION: Proposed collection: comment request.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, the Department of Commerce invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or
continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 25,
2004.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce,
Room 6625, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20230, or via Internet at DHynek@doc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Additional information or copies of the
information collection instruments and instructions should be directed
to: Ms. Teresita Teensma, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of
Economic Analysis, BE-57, Washington, DC 20230 (Telephone: (202) 606-
9792, Internet: Teresita.Teensma@bea.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The survey to obtain the distribution of expenditures incurred by
recipients of biomedical research awards from the National Institutes
of Health Research (NIH) will provide information on how the NIH award
amounts are expended across several major categories. This information,
along with wage and price data from other published sources, will be
used to generate the Biomedical Research and Developmental Price Index
(BRDPI). The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of
Commerce develops this index for the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) under reimbursable contract. The BRDPI is an index of prices paid
for the labor, supplies, equipment, and other inputs required to
perform the biomedical research the NIH supports in its intramural
laboratories and through its awards to extramural organizations. The
BRDPI is a vital tool for planning the NIH research budget and
analyzing future NIH programs. A survey of award recipient entities is
currently the only means for updating the expenditure categories that
are used to prepare the BRDPI.
II. Authority
This survey will be voluntary. The authority for the National
Institutes of Health to collect information for the BRDPI is provided
in 45 CFR subpart C, Post-Award Requirements, section 74.21 which sets
forth explicit standards for grantees in establishing and maintaining
financial management systems and records and section 74.53 which
provides for the retention of such records as well as NIH access to
such records.
BEA will administer the survey and analyze the survey results on
behalf of NIH, through an interagency agreement between the two
agencies. The authority for the NIH to contract with DOC to make this
collection is the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535 and 1536).
The ``Special Studies'' authority, 15 U.S.C. 1525 (first
paragraph), permits DOC to provide, upon the request of any person,
firm or public or private organization (a) Special studies on matters
within the authority of the Department of Commerce, including preparing
from its records special compilations, lists, bulletins, or reports,
and (b) furnishing transcripts or copies of its studies, compilations
and other records. BEA has programmatic authority to perform this work
pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 1527a.
IH's support for this research is consistent with the Agency's
duties and authority under 42 U.S.C. 282.
The information provided by the respondents will be held
confidential and be used for exclusively statistical purposes. This
pledge of confidentiality is made under the Confidential Information
Protection provisions of title V, subtitle A, Public Law 107-347. Title
V is the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency
Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). Section 512 (on Limitations on Use and Disclosure
of Data and Information) of the Act, provides that ``data or
information acquired by an agency under a pledge of confidentiality and
for exclusively statistical purposes shall be used by officers,
employees, or agents of the agency exclusively for statistical
purposes. Data or information acquired by an agency under a pledge of
confidentiality for exclusively statistical purposes shall not be
disclosed by an agency in identifiable form, for any use other than an
exclusively statistical purpose, except with the informed consent of
the respondent.''
Responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in
identifiable form to anyone other than employees or agents of BEA
without your consent. By law, each employee as well as each agent is
subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or
both if he or she makes public any identifiable information that you
report about your business or institution.
Section 515 of the Information Quality Guidelines applies to this
survey. The collection and use of this information complies with all
applicable information quality guidelines, i.e., those of the Office of
Management and Budget, Department of Commerce, and BEA.
III. Method of Collection
A survey questionnaire with a cover letter that includes a brief
description of, and rationale for, the survey will be sent to potential
respondents by the first week of June of each year. A report of the
respondent's expenditures of the NIH award amounts, following the
proposed format for expenditure categories attached to the survey's
cover letter, will be requested to be returned no later than 60 days
after mailing. Survey respondents will be selected on the basis of
award levels, which determine the weight of the respondent in the
biomedical research and development price index. Potential respondents
will include (1) The top 100 organizations in total awards, which
account for about 74 percent of total
[[Page 51989]]
awards; (2) the top 40 organizations that are not primarily in the
``Research and Development (R&D) contracts'' category, and which
account for about 4 percent of total awards; and, (3) the top 10
organizations that are primarily in the ``R&D contracts'' category, and
which account for less than one percent of total awards.
IV. Data
OMB Number:
Form Number:
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Universities or other organizations that are NIH
award recipients.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 105.
Estimated Time Per Response: 11.2 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1,176 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: $43,982 (Assumes a 70 percent response
rate, an estimated reporting burden of 11.2 hours and an estimated
hourly cost of $37.40.)
V. 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 NIH, including whether the information has 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.
Dated: August 18, 2004.
Madeline Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-19302 Filed 8-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P