[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 19211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09296]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 2, 2018 /
Notices
[[Page 19211]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
[Docket No. NIFA-2018-002]
Notice of Intent To Revise a Currently Approved Information
Collection
AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice
announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA's)
intention to request approval for an extension of the currently
approved information collection for the NIFA proposal review process.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by July 2, 2018
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice and requests for
copies of the information collection may be submitted by any of the
following methods: Email: rmartin.usda.gov; Fax: 202-720-0857; Mail:
Office of Information Technology (OIT), NIFA, USDA, STOP 2216, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-2216.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Martin, eGovernment Program
Leader; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: NIFA Proposal Review Process.
OMB Control Number: 0524-0041.
Expiration Date of Current Approval: November 30, 2018.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information
collection for three years.
Abstract: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is
responsible for performing a review of proposals submitted to NIFA
competitive award programs in accordance with section 103(a) of the
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, 7
U.S.C. 7613(a). Reviews are undertaken to ensure that projects
supported by NIFA are of high quality, and are consistent with the
goals and requirements of the funding program. Proposals submitted to
NIFA undergo a programmatic evaluation to determine worthiness of
Federal support. The evaluations consist of a peer panel review and may
also entail an assessment by Federal employees and electronically
submitted (ad-hoc) reviews in the Peer Review System.
Need and Use of the Information: As part of our panel process NIFA
is required to ``maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with
regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age
distribution'', 7 CFR 3430.33. In addition, the information collected
from the form is necessary to show compliance with nondiscrimination
laws such as 7 CFR 15. Currently, we do not have a vehicle to collect
this information for panelists, as the approved Research & Related
Personal Data form, OMB number 4040-0001, is specific to applicants.
Thus, we are seeking a revision of the currently approved Research &
Related Personal Data form, OMB Number 4040-0001, tailoring it for
panelists.
Once collected, the information would be stored in a secure data
base and referenced when recruiting panelists to ensure panels meet
diversity requirements as stated in 7 CFR 3430.33. The information
would also be aggregated for use in an annual report on the
demographics of NIFA's applicants and panelists to ensure compliance
and referenced as needed in cases of a discrimination complaint. The
data would remain strictly confidential and would only be available to
NIFA staff.
Estimate of Burden: NIFA estimates that between one minute to ten
minutes may be required to fill out the form. It is estimated that
approximately five minutes are required to fill out the form on
average. NIFA estimates it has 2,000 panelists each year. The total
annual burden on panelists is 167 hours.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 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 the burden 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 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.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request to OMB for approval. All comments will become a matter of
public record.
Done at Washington, DC, this 25th day of April, 2018.
Sonny Ramaswamy,
Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2018-09296 Filed 5-1-18; 8:45 am]
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