[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23013-23015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09418]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the National Science Foundation
(NSF) is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to
comment on this proposed continuing information collection. This is the
second notice for public comment; the first was published in the
Federal Register at 78 FR 68479, November 14, 2013, and no substantial
comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed submission to
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously
with the publication of this second notice. This collection adds five
new questions to the Medical History section of the forms. Three
questions are related to Tuberculosis and were added to give medical
examiners better information on which to base further testing,
including whether to expose participants to additional doses of
radiation. Two questions are related to diving. They were added to
inform the medical examiners and healthcare providers of any pre-
existing medical issues for those engaging in scientific diving in the
Polar Regions. The full submission may be found at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
DATES: 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.
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.
ADDRESSES: Written 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; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate
[[Page 23014]]
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 20403, and to Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 1265, Arlington, VA 22230 or send email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, NSF Reports
Clearance Officer at (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,
which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
(including federal holidays).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Title of Collection: Medical Clearance Process for Deployment to
the Polar Regions (specified regions in the Arctic and all locations in
the Antarctic under the auspices of the U.S. Antarctic Program).
OMB Control No.: 3145-0177.
2. Type of Request: Intent to seek approval to renew an information
collection for three years
3. Abstract:
(a) Proposed Project: All individuals who anticipate deploying to
Antarctica under the auspices of the U.S. Antarctic Program or to
certain regions of the Arctic under NSF/Geosciences Division of Polar
Programs Arctic Program (Arctic Program) are required to take and pass
a rigorous physical examination prior to deploying. The physical
examination includes a personal medical history, medical examination, a
dental examination and for those persons planning to winter over in
Antarctica a psychological examination is also required. The
requirement for this determination of physical status is found in 42
U.S.C. 1870 (Authority) and 62 FR 31522, June 10, 1997 (Source), unless
otherwise noted. This part sets forth the procedures for medical
screening to determine whether candidates for participation in the U.S.
Antarctic [[Page 216]] or Arctic Program are physically qualified and
psychologically adapted for assignment or travel to either of these
Polar Regions. Examinations are necessary to determine the presence of
any physical, dental or psychological (when applicable) conditions that
would threaten the health or safety of the candidate or other U.S.
Antarctic or Arctic Program participants or that could not be
effectively treated by the limited medical care capabilities in the
polar regions.
(b) Presidential Memorandum No. 6646 (February 5, 1982) (available
from the National Science Foundation, Division of Polar Programs, Room
755, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230) sets forth the National
Science Foundation's overall management responsibilities for the entire
U.S. national program in Antarctica.
4. Use of the Information: All of the information requested on the
forms in the proposed packet will be used to screen out individual
participant's whose physical qualifications for traveling to and
working in the harsh environments of the Polar Region(s) to which
assigned do not meet the requirements specified in NSF Polar Medical
Screening Guidelines. The information on the forms includes the
traveler's personal and emergency points of contact, deployment
information (location, dates, employer, job titles), personal medical
history, and social behavior (alcohol and tobacco use). This
information helps inform the medical providers of the participant's
current within 12 months and past physical, dental and in some cases,
psychological conditions to assist in determining their suitability for
deployment and work in the extreme environments of the Polar Regions.
Additionally, each person is given a personalized list of laboratory
testing requirements with instructions to the doctors and dentists
performing the examinations (including accompanying forms for them to
complete) that will inform the medical decision makers. The packet also
contains acknowledgement and consent documents that individuals need to
read and sign or initial. These include: Important notices regarding
potential penalties for engaging in illegal activities in countries
being transited en route to Antarctica, medical risks of traveling to
the Polar Regions, medical screening for blood-borne pathogens and a
medical treatment consent form for minors deploying to the Polar
Regions. The medical packet also includes a set of waiver documents for
those individuals who do not meet the requirements of the Polar Medical
Screening Guidelines but would like to be granted an administrative
waiver for the identified medically disqualifying condition. The
information collected in the waiver packet is used to ensure the
individual knows and understands the reason for the disqualification
and the employer is aware of the employee's disqualification and they
both believe the individual can still participate in the program
without unnecessarily risking his or her health and safety or that of
others. The information is used by the medical providers to make
recommendations to NSF regarding the feasibility of granting or denying
the waiver. The information is used by NSF to determine whether a
waiver is warranted.
5. Format of the Forms: The renewal forms have been converted to
electronic format with a computer-generated unique control and tracking
number. This number will be sequentially assigned by a database called
Pipeline and will appear at the top of each page of the electronic
version, which will also pre-populate the participant's name and date
of birth on each page. Previous submissions of these forms included two
sets: one for the Antarctic and one for the Arctic participants, with
no distinguishable difference in actual medical information collected.
The differences were in specific locations of deployment and in the
number and titles assigned to the forms to make it easier for the
participants. Additionally, the previous medical packet included 11
different forms (mostly numbered consecutively) plus mandatory reading
materials and instructions to the participants and to their personal
physicians. The current submission has combined the previous 1400
series Antarctic and Arctic forms into one set with one form number to
be used by all non-uniformed participants regardless of the Polar
Region to which the individual will be deploying. The new form
consolidates all of the information (except the waiver packet) from the
previous forms into one continuous 14-page form (NSF Form 1700) with a
separate six-page mandatory reading packet. The forms will be available
on NSF U.S. Antarctic Program's Web site: http: //usap.gov; and on CH2M
Hill Polar Services', NSF prime support contractor for the Arctic
Program, Web site: http:// cpspolar.com/medical/medical-forms and by
written or telephonic request to the prime support contractors
subcontractor, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston--Polar
Medical Operations; or from NSF Geosciences Division of Polar Programs
(PLR). These forms are intended to be controlled and completed
electronically and individuals will be encouraged to do so; but,
participants may obtain and complete the forms by hand or typewriter,
if they prefer. No version of the completed forms may be submitted
[[Page 23015]]
electronically due to insecure email transmissions; but individuals may
complete the forms, save and retrieve the data on their personal
computers. The waiver packet consists of four pages (the employee's
application and release of liability statement and the employer's
endorsement and release of liability statement). It is in paper form
and is only sent to those individuals who are found not physical
qualified and who specifically request to be considered for a waiver
(less than 2%). It is not made available for download from any of the
Web sites previously cited.
6. Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection
of information varies according to the amount of time the participant
takes to read the instructions and mandatory reading material, the
overall health of the individual, the amount of research required to
complete the forms, the time it takes to make an appointment, take the
examination and schedule and complete any follow-up medical, dental or
psychological requirements and the time involved in providing
additional information, when it is needed. The estimated processing
time is up to six weeks from the time the individual receives the forms
until he or she is notified by the contractor of his or her final
clearance status. An additional period of up to eight weeks may be
required for the individual, who was disqualified, to be notified of
the disqualification, to request and receive the waiver packet, to
obtain employer support and complete the waiver request, to do any
follow-up testing, to return the waiver request plus any follow-up
information to the contractor, for the contractor to forward the
completed packet to NSF, and for NSF to make and promulgate a decision.
In addition to NSF Forms, the contractor prepares and sends a
tailored transmittal email to each participant, based on the
participant's employing organization. This email transmits (1) the
medical forms; (2) mandatory reading materials and provides specific
instructions for the participants and their personal physicians to
follow; and (3) an unnumbered personalized checklist of all laboratory,
shots and specialized exam requirements specific to that individual.
7. Respondents: All individuals deploying to the Antarctic and
certain Arctic areas under the auspices of the U.S. Antarctic Program
or the Arctic Program must complete these forms. There are
approximately 3,300 submissions per year.
Estimated Number of Responses per Form: There is only one form with
several parts. Responses range from 2 to approximately 238 responses
per Part.
8. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total annual
burden in hours, broken down by form varies according to the
individual's ready access to the required information. However, a
minimum of 6,600 hours annually is required if all requested
information is available at the time the individuals fill out the forms
and if all individuals use the electronic version of the form to
provide the data. The form is programmed not to print until all data
fields have been answered. An additional 27,000 hours is required to
gather the data; read all the mandatory and instructional materials;
make and keep examination appointments; and travel to and from those
appointments.
9. Frequency of Responses: Individuals must complete the forms
annually to be current within 12 months of their anticipated
redeployment dates. Depending on an individual's medical status some
persons may require additional laboratory results to be current within
two to six-weeks of anticipated deployment.
Dated: April 22, 2014.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-09418 Filed 4-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P