[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 49 (Monday, March 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13674-13675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5801]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the
following information collection requirement to OMB for review and
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.
This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published
in the Federal Register at 75 FR 8818. 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.
The full submission may be found at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Comments: 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; or (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, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H.
Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201
Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail
to [email protected]. 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 703-292-7556.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton at 703-292-7556 or
send e-mail to [email protected]. Individuals who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the
Industry University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC).
OMB Number: 3145-0088.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to reinstate an
information collection.
Abstract
Proposed Project
The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC)
Program was initiated in 1973 to develop long-term partnerships among
industry, academe and government. The National Science Foundation
invests in these partnerships to promote research programs of mutual
interest, contribute to the Nation's research infrastructure base and
enhance the intellectual capacity of the engineering or science
workforce through the integration of research and education. As
appropriate, NSF encourages international collaborations that advance
these goals within the global context.
The I/UCRC program seeks to achieve this by:
1. Contributing to the nation's research enterprise by developing
long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government;
2. Leveraging NSF funds with industry to support graduate students
performing industrially relevant research; and
3. Expanding the innovation capacity of our nation's competitive
workforce through partnerships between industries and universities.
4. Encouraging the nation's research enterprise to remain
competitive through active engagement with academic and industrial
leaders throughout the world.
The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from NSF and they
are primarily supported by other private and public sector center
members, with NSF taking a supporting role in the development and
evolution of the I/UCRC. The I/UCRC program initially offers five-year
(Phase I) continuing awards. This five-year period of support allows
for the development of a strong partnership between the academic
researchers and their industrial and government members. After five
years, centers that continue to meet the I/UCRC program requirements
may request support for a second five-year (Phase II) period. These
awards allow centers to continue to grow and diversify their non-NSF
memberships during their Phase II period. After ten years, a Phase III
award provides a third five-year award for centers that
[[Page 13675]]
demonstrate their viability, sustainability, and which have had a
significant impact on industry research as measured through annual
reports, site visits, and adherence to I/UCRC requirements. Centers are
expected to be fully supported by industry, other Federal agencies, and
State and local government partners after fifteen years as an I/UCRC.
Centers will be required to provide data to NSF and its authorized
representatives (contractors or grantees). These data will be used for
NSF internal reports, historical data, assessing program impact and
recommending changes to strengthen the program, as well as for
strengthening the program and to ensure the program remains responsive
to a changing environment in order to secure future funding for
continued I/UCRC program maintenance and growth. Updates to the I/UCRC
database of performance indicators will be required annually. Centers
will be responsible for submitting the following information after the
award expires for their fiscal year of activity. The indicators are
both quantitative and descriptive.
Quantitative information from the most recently completed
fiscal year such as:
[cir] Number and diversity of students, faculty, and industrial
numbers involved in the center
[cir] Degrees granted to students involved in center activities
[cir] Amounts and sources of income to the center, and
[cir] Lists of patents, licenses, and publications created
Operating budget and total funding:
[cir] Total funding
[cir] NSF I/UCRC funding received
[cir] Other NSF funding received
[cir] Additional support broken down by Industry, State,
University, Other Federal, Non-Federal and other support
Capital and in-kind support:
[cir] Equipment
[cir] Facilities
[cir] Personnel
[cir] Software
[cir] Other support
Human resources:
[cir] Researchers (number of faculty scientists and engineers,
number of non-faculty scientists and engineers)
[cir] Students (number of graduates, number of undergraduates)
[cir] Administration, number of full and part time professional and
clerical staff
[cir] Information about broadening participation on the above with
plans to increase broadening participation, if necessary
Center director descriptors:
[cir] Position and rank of director
[cir] Status of tenure
[cir] Name and position of the person to whom the center director
reports
[cir] Estimate of the percent of time the director devotes to
center administration, other administration, research, teaching, other
Center outcomes:
[cir] Students receiving degrees and type degree earned
[cir] Students hired by industry by type of degree
[cir] Publications
Number with center research
Number with Industrial Advisory
Board Members
Number of presentations
Intellectual property events:
[cir] Invention disclosures
[cir] Patent applications
[cir] Software copyrights
[cir] Patents granted and derived or both
[cir] Licensing agreements
[cir] Royalties realized
I/UCRCs will also include evaluation conducted by independent
evaluators who cannot be from the department(s) with the institution(s)
receiving funding for the I/UCRC award. The center evaluator will be
responsible for:
[cir] Preparing an annual report of center activities with respect to
industrial collaboration
[cir] Conducting a survey of all center participants to probe the
participant satisfaction with center activities
[cir] Compiling a set of quantitative indicators determined by NSF to
analyze the management and operation of the center
[cir] Participating in I/UCRC center and informational meetings
[cir] Reporting to NSF on the center's status using a checklist
provided by NSF to help determine if the center is adhering to the
IUCRC policy and guidelines
[cir] Bi-annual reporting to NSF
[cir] Reporting to NSF within a month of each Industrial Advisory Board
meeting on the top research highlights, technology transfer, patents,
and major discoveries that demonstrate successful investments
[cir] Performing exit interviews to determine why members chose to
withdraw from the center
[cir] Participating in continuous quality process improvement by
providing information to the NSF I/UCRC program
Use of the Information: The data collected will be used for NSF
internal reports, historical data, and for securing future funding for
continued I/UCRC program maintenance and growth.
Estimate of Burden: 150 hours per center (160 sites) for fifty-six
centers for a total of 8400 hours.
Respondents: Industry, academic institutions; non-profit
institutions; government.
Estimated Number of Responses per Report: One from each of the 160
sites.
Dated: March 3, 2011.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2011-5801 Filed 3-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P