Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
| Citation | 85 FR 27223 |
| Record Number | 2020-09725 |
| Published date | 07 May 2020 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Agency For Healthcare Research And Quality,Health And Human Services Department |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 89 (Thursday, May 7, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 89 (Thursday, May 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27223-27225]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09725]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection
project: ``AHRQ Research Reporting System (ARRS).'' This proposed
information collection was previously published in the Federal Register
on Page 12562, March 3, 2020, and allowed 60 days for public comment.
AHRQ did not received comments from the public during this period. The
purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public
comment.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by 30 days after date
of publication of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain . Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477, or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 27224]]
Proposed Project
AHRQ Research Reporting System (ARRS)
AHRQ has developed a systematic method for its grantees to report
project progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded
by the Agency. This system, the AHRQ Research Reporting System (ARRS),
previously known as the Grants Reporting System (GRS), was last
approved by OMB on May 22, 2017. The system addressed the shortfalls in
the previous reporting process and established a consistent and
comprehensive grants reporting solution for AHRQ. The ARRS provides a
centralized repository of grants research progress and additional
information that can be used to support initiatives within the Agency.
This includes future research planning and support to administration
activities such as performance monitoring, budgeting, knowledge
transfer as well as strategic planning.
This Project has the following goals:
(1) To promote the transfer of critical information more frequently
and efficiently and enhance the Agency's ability to support research
designed to improve the outcomes and quality of health care, reduce its
costs, and broaden access to effective services.
(2) To increase the efficiency of the Agency in responding to ad-
hoc information requests.
(3) To support Executive Branch requirements for increased
transparency and public reporting.
(4) To establish a consistent approach throughout the Agency for
information collection regarding grant progress and a systematic basis
for oversight and for facilitating potential collaborations among
grantees.
(5) To decrease the inconvenience and burden on grantees of
unanticipated ad-hoc requests for information by the Agency in response
to particular (one-time) internal and external requests for
information.
This study is being conducted by AHRQ pursuant to AHRQ's statutory
authority to conduct and support research on healthcare and on systems
for the delivery of such care, including activities with respect to the
quality, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness and value of
healthcare services and with respect to quality measurement and
improvement. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1) and (2).
Method of Collection
To achieve the goals of this project the following data collections
will be implemented:
AHRQ Research Reporting System (ARRS)--Grantees and vendors use the
ARRS system to report project progress and important preliminary
findings for grants and contracts funded by the Agency. Grantees and
vendors submit progress reports on a monthly or quarterly basis which
are reviewed by AHRQ personnel. All users access the ARRS system
through a secure online interface which requires a user I.D. and
password entered through the ARRS login screen. When status reports are
due AHRQ notifies principal investigators and vendors via email.
The ARRS is an automated user-friendly resource that is utilized by
AHRQ staff for preparing, distributing, and reviewing reporting
requests to grantees and vendors for the purpose of information
sharing. AHRQ personnel are able to systematically search on the
information collected and stored in the ARRS database. Personnel will
also use the information to address internal and/or external requests
for information regarding grant progress, preliminary findings, and
other requests, such as Freedom of Information Act requests, and
producing responses related to federally mandated programs and
regulations.
Estimated Annual Respondent Burden
Exhibit 1 shows the estimated annualized burden hours for the
respondents. It will take grantees an estimated 15 minutes to enter the
necessary data into the ARRS System and reporting will occur four times
annually. The total annualized burden hours are estimated to be 500
hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden for the
respondents. The total estimated cost burden for respondents is
$19,710.
Exhibit 1--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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Number of
Form name Number of responses per Hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
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Data entry into ARRS............................ 500 4 15/60 500
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Total....................................... 500 N/A N/A 500
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Exhibit 2--Estimated Annualized Cost Burden
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Number of Total burden Average hourly Total cost
Form name respondents hours wage rate * burden
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Data entry into ARRS............................ 500 500 $39.42 $19,710
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Total....................................... 500 500 N/A 19,710
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* Based upon the average wages for Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations (29-0000), ``National
Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2015,'' U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#29-0000.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, comments on AHRQ's
information collection are requested with regard to any of the
following: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of AHRQ's health care research and
health care information dissemination functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of AHRQ's
estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed
collection(s) 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
[[Page 27225]]
collection of information upon the respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the
proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of
public record.
Dated: May 1, 2020.
Virginia L. Mackay-Smith,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 2020-09725 Filed 5-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-90-P
