[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9211-9212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03487]
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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 Grants Reporting System (GRS).'' In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, AHRQ invites the public
to comment on this proposed information collection.
This proposed information collection was previously published in
the Federal Register on December 6th, 2013 and allowed 60 days for
public comment. One comment was received. The purpose of this notice is
to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 20, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz,
Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by email at
[email protected].
Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection
instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be
obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports
Clearance Officer, (301) 427-1477, or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Project
AHRQ Grants Reporting System (GRS)
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 Grants Reporting System (GRS), was
first approved by OMB on November 10, 2004. The system addressed the
shortfalls in the previous reporting process and established a
consistent and comprehensive grants reporting solution for AHRQ. The
GRS 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; and
(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; and,
(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.
Method of Collection
Grants Reporting System--Grantees use the GRS to report project
progress and important preliminary findings for grants funded by the
Agency. Grantees submit a progress report on a quarterly basis which is
reviewed by AHRQ personnel. All users access the GRS system through a
secure online interface which requires a user id and password entered
through the GRS Login screen. When status reports are due, AHRQ
notifies Principle Investigators (PI) and Vendors via email.
The GRS is an automated user-friendly resource that is utilized by
AHRQ staff for preparing, distributing, and reviewing reporting
requests to grantees for the purpose of information sharing. AHRQ
personnel are able to systematically search on the information
collected and stored in the GRS 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 10 minutes to enter the
necessary data into the Grant Reporting System (GRS) and reporting will
occur four times annually. The total annualized burden hours are
estimated to be 333 hours.
Exhibit 2 shows the estimated annualized cost burden for the
respondents. The total estimated cost burden for respondents is
$11,772.
[[Page 9212]]
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 GRS........................... 500 4 10/60 333
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Total..................................... 500 na na 333
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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 GRS............................ 500 333 $35.35 $11,772
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Total...................................... 500 333 na $11,772
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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 2012,'' U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
Request for Comments
In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act
legislation, 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 healthcare research and healthcare 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 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: February 6, 2014.
Richard Kronick,
AHRQ Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-03487 Filed 2-14-14; 8:45 am]
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