[Federal Register: November 5, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 215)]
[Notices]
[Page 65823-65824]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05no08-21]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Notice of Intent To Revise a Currently Approved Information
Collection
AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320,
this notice announces the Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service's intention to revise a currently approved
information collection entitled, ``Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service Application Kit for Research and
Extension Programs''.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by January 9,
2009, to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
[[Page 65824]]
ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice may be sent to Jason
Hitchcock, USDA/CSREES/ISTM, STOP 2216, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-2216 or sent electronically to:
jhitchcock@csrees.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the information
collection, contact Jason Hitchcock, e-mail:
jhitchcock@csrees.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Application Kit for Research and Extension Programs.
OMB Number: 0524-0039.
Expiration Date of Current Approval: April 30, 2009.
Type of Request: Revise a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service (CSREES) sponsors ongoing agricultural research, extension, and
education programs under which competitive, formula, and special awards
of a high-priority nature are made. Before awards can be made, certain
information is required from applicants as part of an application
process.
The nature of the competitive, peer-reviewed process makes it
important that information from applicants be available in a
standardized format to ensure equitable treatment. Each year, request
for applications are issued for various research, education, and
extension areas targeted for support. Applicants submit applications
for these targeted areas following formats outlined in the application
guidelines accompanying each program's solicitation. CSREES awards
grants after evaluating these applications, using peer review panels
and other merit review processes. The forms and narrative information
are mainly used for application evaluation and administration purposes.
While some of the information is used to respond to inquiries from
Congress and other government agencies, the forms are not designed to
be statistical surveys.
CSREES requires submission of grant applications electronically
through the Grants.gov storefront. The application processes through
Grants.gov leverage several standard forms. In addition to Grants.gov's
standards forms, CSREES must collect some additional information for
the proper evaluation and processing of applications. These forms
include the following:
Supplemental Information Form--This form is used in all grant
application packages, and collects the program name and program code to
which the applicant is applying, additional applicant type information,
Department of Health and Human Services Payment Management System
account information, key words, and the conflict of interest
information as an attached file.
Application Type Form--This form is used principally by the
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program to
collect the specific type of application being submitted. This form is
being revised to change the applicant type names and some business
rules on the form.
Application Modification Form--This form is used to indicate the
forms or narrative portions of an application that an applicant has
changed or corrected from a previously submitted application.
Form CSREES-2008, Assurance Statement(s)--This form is used in
formula grant programs and provides required assurances of compliance
with regulations involving the protection of human subjects, animal
welfare, and recombinant DNA research.
Form CSREES-2010, Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Annual Update/Exit
Form--This form will apply only to CSREES award recipients to document
fellowships and scholarships, pertinent demographic data on the
fellows/scholars, the progress of the fellows/scholars under the
program, and performance outcomes of the student beneficiaries.
Respondents: Non-profit institutions, State, local, or Tribal
governments, and a limited number of for-profit institutions and
individuals.
Estimated Number of Respondents by form:
Supplemental Information: 5,050.
Application Type: 2,150.
Application Modification: 0.
Form CSREES-2008, Assurance Statement(s): 1,850.
CSREES-2010, Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Exit: 150.
Summary of USDA/1890 Cooperation: 170.
The individual form burden is as follows (calculated based on a
survey of grant applicants conducted by CSREES):
Supplemental Information: 2 hours.
Application Type: 15 minutes.
Application Modification: 5 minutes.
Form CSREES-2008, Assurance Statement(s): 30 minutes CSREES-2010,
Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Annual.
Update/Exit: 3 hours.
Summary of USDA/1890 Cooperation: 50 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual total
burden on the public for all forms is estimated to be 12,160 hours.
Frequency of Responses: Annually.
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 will
have practical utility; (b) 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; (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. Comments should be
sent to the address stated in the preamble.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of
public record.
Done at Washington, DC, this 29th day of Oct, 2008.
Gale Buchanan,
Undersecretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. E8-26354 Filed 11-4-08; 8:45 am]
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