Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey: Expenditures Incurred by Recipients of Biomedical Research and Development Awards From the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
| Published date | 20 April 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 21824 |
| Record Number | 2020-08239 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Commerce Department,Economic Analysis Bureau |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 76 (Monday, April 20, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 76 (Monday, April 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21824-21825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-08239]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey:
Expenditures Incurred by Recipients of Biomedical Research and
Development Awards From the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, invites the general public and other Federal
agencies to comment on continuing information collections related to
the Expenditures Incurred by Recipients of Biomedical Research and
Development Awards survey from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 19, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer A. Bennett, Chief,
Training and Staff Development Section, Expenditure and Income
Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, 4600 Silver Hill Road, BE-57,
Washington, DC 20233, or via email at [email protected]. All comments
received are part of the public record. Comments will generally be
posted without change. All Personally Identifiable Information (for
example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may
be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information
or otherwise sensitive or protected information. You may submit
attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe
PDF file formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Jennifer A. Bennett, Chief, Training and Staff
Development Section, Expenditure and Income Division (BE-57), Bureau of
Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd.
Washington, DC 20233; or via email at [email protected]ov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The survey obtains the distribution of expenditures incurred by
recipients of biomedical research awards from the National Institutes
of Health (NIH) and 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 Development Price Index
(BRDPI). The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) develops this index for
NIH under a 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 recipients is
currently the only means for updating the expenditure category weights
that are used to prepare the BRDPI.
II. Authority
This survey will be voluntary. The authority for NIH to collect
information for the BRDPI is provided in 45 CFR subpart C, Post-Award
Requirements, section 74.21. This 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 the Department of
Commerce (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 DOC, including preparing from its records
special compilations, lists, bulletins, or reports, and (b) furnishing
transcripts or copies of its studies, compilations and other records.
NIH'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 or
agents of NIH, without prior written permission of the person filing
the report. 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 for
disclosing to the public any identifiable information that is reported
about a business or institution.
Section 515 of the Information Quality Guidelines applies to this
survey. The collection and use of this information comply 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 with a cover letter that includes a brief description of,
and rationale for, the survey will be sent by email to potential
respondents by the first week of August 2020, 2021, and 2022. A report
of the respondent's expenditures of the NIH award amounts, including
NIH awards received as a sub-recipient from another institution,
following the proposed format for expenditure categories included with
the survey form, will be requested to be completed and submitted online
no later than December 8, which in most years will be approximately 120
days
[[Page 21825]]
after mailing. Survey respondents will be selected based on 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 77 percent of total awards; (2) 40 additional organizations
that are not primarily in the ``Research and Development (R&D)
contracts'' category; and (3) 10 additional organizations that are
primarily in the ``R&D contracts'' category.
IV. Data
OMB Control Number: 0608-0069.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Universities or other organizations that are NIH
award recipients.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 150.
Estimated Time per Response: 16 hours but may vary among
respondents because of differences in institution structure, size, and
complexity.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,400 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
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: April 14, 2020.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-08239 Filed 4-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-EA-P
