Notice of Intent to Renew a Current Information Collection
| Citation | 85 FR 62331 |
| Record Number | 2020-21808 |
| Published date | 02 October 2020 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | National Science Foundation |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 192 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62331-62332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21808]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Notice of Intent to Renew a Current Information Collection
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing
plans to request an amendment to the Higher Education Research and
Development (HERD) Survey (OMB Number 3145-0100). In accordance with
the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are
providing opportunity for public comment on this action. After
obtaining and considering public comment, NCSES will prepare the
submission requesting that OMB amend the clearance of this collection.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by October 26,
2020 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower
Avenue, W18253, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556;
or send email 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 8:00 a.m.
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Higher Education Research and Development
Survey
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0100.
Expiration Date of Current Approval: August 31, 2022.
Type of Request: Intent to Amend a Current Information Collection.
Abstract: Established within NSF by the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 Sec. 505, codified in the NSF Act of 1950,
as amended, NCSES--one of 13 principal federal statistical agencies--
serves as a central Federal clearinghouse for the collection,
interpretation, analysis, and dissemination of objective data on
science, engineering, technology, and research and development for use
by practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public.
The Higher Education Research and Development (R&D) Survey
(formerly known as the Survey of R&D Expenditures at Universities and
Colleges) originated in fiscal year (FY)
[[Page 62332]]
1954 and has been conducted annually since FY 1972. The survey
represents one facet of the research and development component of
NCSES's statistical program, which includes R&D surveys on the
business, federal government, higher education, state government, and
nonprofit sectors. NCSES proposes amending the survey to collect new
information on R&D personnel. Details are below.
Description of New Information: The Higher Education R&D Survey is
one of several surveys at NCSES that collect comparable information on
R&D from different sectors of the economy (e.g., businesses,
nonprofits, government). However, it does not currently collect as much
information about the personnel carrying out R&D activities as some of
the other NCSES R&D sector surveys, making it less useful for
measurements of the R&D workforce in the United States. NCSES intends
to address this shortcoming by collecting data on the number
(headcounts) of R&D personnel by function, and the number of full-time
equivalents (FTEs) by R&D function. These specific data are not
available through other NCSES or federal surveys.
NCSES intends to revise the current question on R&D personnel
headcounts and add a question on the number of full-time equivalents
for those personnel to the HERD questionnaire. The revised question
will collect headcounts on three categories of R&D personnel
(researchers, R&D technicians, R&D support staff) by sex and
citizenship. Headcounts of researchers will also be collected by
highest level of education completed. The previous version of the
question collected headcounts for two categories: principal
investigators and all other personnel, without demographics. NCSES
decided to make the revised personnel headcount question confidential
and only publish these data in the aggregate because some institutions
expressed reluctance to publish detailed demographics on employees and
students. The subsequent new question will collect the full-time
equivalents of the R&D personnel accounted for in the revised R&D
personnel headcount question.
Use of the New Information: The United States is the only
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member
country that does not report higher education sector FTEs as published
in the OECD's Main Science and Technology Indicators report. These new
R&D personnel variables will allow NCSES to provide internationally
comparable information not available elsewhere to data users interested
in science policy, the nature of the science and engineering workforce,
and U.S. R&D competitiveness.
Expected respondents: The R&D personnel questions will only appear
on the HERD standard form that is administered to approximately 650
institutions reporting at least $1 million in R&D in the previous year.
Neither the HERD short form respondents (those reporting at least $150
thousand but less than $1 million), nor the Federally Funded Research
and Development Centers (FFRDCs), will receive these questions.
Estimate of burden: Since many institutions will need to create new
internal reports to assemble these data and calculate the full-time
equivalents, the average burden is estimated to increase by 10 hours
(to a total of 64 hours per institution) for the approximately 650
institutions reporting at least $1 million in R&D expenditures. This
estimate is based on 32 interviews with 16 respondents conducted over
two rounds between April and July 2020.
Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed addition
to the 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 of the proposed collection of
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology; 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.
Dated: September 25, 2020.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2020-21808 Filed 10-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
