Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Manufacturing Extension Partnership Management Information Reporting

AGENCY:

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of information collection, request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES:

To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed information collection must be received on or before September 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by mail to Maureen O'Reilly, Management Analyst, NIST, by email to PRAcomments@doc.gov). Please reference OMB Control Number 0693-0032 in the subject line of your comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or specific questions related to collection activities should be directed to Melissa Davis, NIST, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, MS4800, 240-277-0269, melissa.davis@nist.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a national network of locally based manufacturing extension centers that assists small- and medium-sized manufacturers to improve their productivity, improve profitability, and enhance their economic competitiveness. The information collected will provide the MEP with information regarding MEP Center performance regarding the delivery of technology, and business solutions to U.S.-based manufacturers. The collected information will assist in determining the performance of the MEP Centers at both local and national levels, provide information critical to monitoring and reporting on MEP programmatic performance and assist management in policy decisions. Responses to the collection of information are mandatory per the regulations governing the operation of the MEP Program (15 CFR parts 290, 291, 292, and H.R. 1274—section 2). The information collected will include center inputs and activities including services delivered, clients served, center staff, quarterly expenses and revenues, partners, strategic plan, operation plans, and client success stories. No confidentiality for information submitted is promised or provided. In order to reflect new initiatives and new data needs, NIST MEP has identified a need to revise its existing reporting processes by modifying existing reporting elements that will enable NIST MEP to better monitor and assess the extent to which the Centers are meeting program goals and milestones.

II. Method of Collection

The information will be collected from the MEP Centers through the MEP Enterprise Information System (MEIS), https://meis.nist.gov.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0693-0032.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (revision of a current information collection).

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 51.

Estimated Time Per Response: 20 Hours for Quarterly Review, 4 Hours for Semi-Annual Review, 30 hours for the Annual Review; 80 hours for Panel Review. Recipients of Special Funding awards should anticipate an additional burden of 2 hours quarterly/semiannually (per award) based on the requirements of the cooperative agreement.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,508 hours for Quarterly, Semi-annual, and Annual Review; and 1,360 hours for Panel Review.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority:

IV. Request for Comments

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.