SSA Conference Meeting Workshop Registration and Challenges final

Supporting Statement A

Conference, Meeting, Workshop, Registration and Challenges

Generic Clearance (OD)

OMB#0925-0740 Expiration Date: 07/31/2022

Date: July 2022

Type of Request: Reinstatement with Change

Mikia P. Currie

Branch Chief, Project Clearance Officer

National Institutes of Health

OPERA/OER/OD

6705 Rockledge Drive Suite 350 Room 3505

Desk:301-435-0941

Email: curriem@od.nih.gov

Table of contents

A. JUSTIFICATION

A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

A.2. Purpose and Use of the Information COLLECTION

A.3 Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction

A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency

A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents

A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions

A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs

A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record keepers

A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

List of Attachments

Attachment 1 – Privacy Act Letter

Attachment 2 – Published 30-day Notice

Attachment 3 – Submission Template

Abstract

This is a reinstalment with change of a previously approved generic clearance to include challenges and competitions as a means of promoting innovative solutions. As a result of including challenges and competitions, the title of this generic has been revised. In additional to those changes, the reinstatement will allow NIH to request detailed information from an organization (universities, non-profits, etc.) when NIH staff is invited to speak or present in the same way we due currently using this generic. This generic will continue to provide a quick and efficient process to create registration forms for NIH sponsored conference, meetings, workshops, poster sessions, presentations, panels, and website content. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) directly sponsors, organizes, and conducts research-related activities such as conferences, workshops, meetings, poster sessions, and training courses. These activities are designed to be relevant to the current state of research in each field or to the current state of participant’s research projects or careers, and other resource limitations and determine the number of possible participants. For such activities to be timely and to optimally use available resources to address needs and opportunities within the research community, it is necessary for NIH to have a means to register and select the most appropriate participants, according to the type or purpose of a given activity.

A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

Section 413 (b) (3) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S. Code § 285 gives NIH the authority to collect this information. NIH directly sponsors, organizes, and conducts research-related activities such as conferences, workshops, meetings, poster sessions, and training courses. For such activities to be timely and to optimally use available resources to address needs and opportunities within the research community, it is necessary for NIH to have a means to select the most appropriate participants, according to the type or purpose of a given activity.

For example, registration allows the programs to plan for meetings, workshops etc. to allow organizers to target advertising and compile proper resources and tools for participants. In addition, creating a registration form for web content posted on an NIH website allows a program to minimize email conversations and would let a requestor know what is needed for posting content or information on said website. The use of poster sessions will efficiently communicate concepts and data to target audience using a combination of visuals and texts. Poster presentations often are the first opportunities for investigators to present their work at important scientific meetings.

In order to effectively reach our target audiences, attendees are asked to submit an application or abstract for prescreening to be selected for poster presentations, speaking panels, training courses or other limited capacity activities.

A.2 Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

The information collection encompassed by this generic clearance continues to allow NIH to select the most appropriate participants for non-grantee activities sponsored, organized, and run by NIH staff, according to the type and purpose of the activity. For example, NIH may develop an application process or information collection to select a limited number of researchers to participate in a poster session, identify speakers and panelists with desired expertise on a specific topic to be covered at a meeting, or determine which researchers would mostly likely benefit from a training course or other opportunity. For NIH to plan and conduct activities that are timely for participants in their field of research, it is often necessary for such information to be collected within a relatively short turnaround time. In general, submitted abstracts or other application materials will be reviewed by an internal NIH committee responsible for planning the activities. This committee will be responsible for selecting and notifying participants. This clearance also allows NIH to request detailed information from outside organizations about an event not mentioned in an invitation when they wish to have NIH staff speak or present.

The information collected for these activities generally include title, author(s), and institution/organization. An example of a Poster session or Speaker panel application form may ask for an abstract describing the research being presented, in addition to instructions regarding poster size and character limitations along with other requirements. This information is necessary to identify attendees eligible, present research, speak on panels, and discuss innovative approaches to science and technology for poster presentations among their peers. The registration form collects information from interested parties to register them and obtain the necessary qualifications for conferences, meetings, workshops, poster sessions, presentations, and panels.

In addition to the previous uses of this clearance, it will also allow NIH to register researchers and evidence-based research projects for dissemination, guidance, and program development by collecting general information (name, institution, and email address).  The various types of information may include educational resource details (name of the resource, web URL, resource description), and webpage feedback from members of the scientific community who volunteer this information. It allows us to identify individuals interested in promoting high quality research practices with a goal to potentially contact them via email in the future to get feedback on rigorous research practices, and to receive feedback on educational resources via website and request additional resources that may be useful to the scientific community for improving scientific practice that could be added to Institutions & Centers (ICs) websites.

While Challenge.gov provides a free central location for the posting of challenges and competitions to the public along with serving as a platform for solution providers to submit information about themselves, expertise, and creativity, we are expanding this generic to allow programs to collect information in a more structured format for their solicitations of challenges and competitions while following the same guidelines of the previous approved generic.

There have been 197 projects approved under this generic clearance since its approval three years ago, all contributing significantly to the mission of NIH.

A.3 Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction

If appropriate, programs will collect information electronically and/or use online collaboration tools to reduce burden. Screenshots will be provided for all online data collection instruments. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) will be completed for all online requests.

A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) currently has “Generic: Challenge and Competition solicitations,” which we’ve used twice. While this is an option for us, the process isn’t as effective and ’t efficient. NIH isn’t creating a new generic to incorporate challenges and competitions, but merely adding it as a “type of request” under the existing generic clearance.

A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

Small business or other small entities may be involved in these efforts, but the agency will minimize the burden on them by sampling, asking for readily available information, and using short, easy-to-complete information collection instruments.

A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

Forms will be submitted on an as needed basis.

A.7 Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

There are no special circumstances. The information collected will be voluntary and will not be used for statistical purposes.

A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency

The 60-day notice was published May 5, 2022, (Vol. 87, No. 87 pages 26768 and 26769). No public comments were received.

A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents

For many challenges, prizes in the forms of cash or material goods are offered as a means for rewarding the best solution(s). Payments or gift will only be made upon competing and being selected as a winner in the challenge and will be specified with proper justification in each sub-study request. There will be no direct incentive to participate in a challenge. Only those who submit and win a challenge competition will receive the award. Monetary gifts or payments for other request in this generic will not be made to attendees for completing any of the data collection instruments. On occasions, attendees may receive informational materials, tokens, or souvenirs.

A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondent

Personal Identifiable Information (PII) will only be collected to the extent necessary. Respondents will be assured that neither their participation nor lack of participation will have any effect on their eligibility for receipt of services. In addition, respondents will be advised of the purpose of the information collection, the use of information collection, NIH sponsorship, that their participation is voluntary, and that they may choose to discontinue or have their name and/or related information withdrawn at any time. In instances where it is possible, information will be presented in an aggregate form without links to the identity of individual participants. The Privacy Act applies to the information collection per Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN) 09-25-0156, “Records of Participants in Programs and Respondents in Surveys Used to Evaluate Program of the Public Health Service, HHS/PHS/NIH/OD”.

It may be necessary for some information collections to retain name and contact information to be used to contact potential respondents. In these instances, the rationale for retention of PII will be fully explained. Most of the information collections to be conducted under this clearance is considered exempt from Institutional Review Board (IRB) review at NIH. However, if it is determined that the information collection involves non-exempt activities, the staff will be required to submit the information collection for review to the IRB for approval.

A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions

Most questions that will be asked are typically not considered sensitive. PII will be collected for some request initially, but all data will be fully and permanently de-identified upon event completion. For NIH to be more inclusive when it comes to selecting panelists/speakers to speak at NIH-supported meetings and conferences, and to ensure diversity and underrepresented communities are represented, sensitive questions (i.e., race, age, ethnicity, sex/gender etc.) may be asked. Each sub-study will provide justification which shall include the reasons why the questions are necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs

Challenges and Competitions have been added as a type of request to allow the public to display their expertise and creativity in a more structured format. Participants in these activities may include research in academia or industry, clinicians, patients and patient’s advocacy organizations, other non-governmental organizations, and members of the public. A variety of instruments and platforms will be used to collect information from respondents and each sub-study will vary by number of respondents and average time per response. However, the annual burden hours requested (10,375) is based on the number of collections we expect to conduct over the requested period for this clearance. The average time per response is one hour.

Estimated Annualized Burden Table

Type of Request	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Burden (in hours) per Response	Total Burden Hours
Conferences	2,500	1	1	2,500
Meetings	2,500	1	45/60	1,875
Workshops	2,500	1	30/60	1,250
Poster Session	1,000	1	1	1,000
Panels	1,500	1	30/60	750
Presentations	1,500	1	1	1,500
Challenges and Competitions	1,500	1	1	1,500
Total		13,000		10,375

A.12 - 2 Annualized Cost to Respondents

These estimates are based on the following data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: the General Public rate was obtained from the https://www.bls.gov/oes/2021/may/oes_nat.htm#00-0000

occupation title “All occupations” occupation code 00-0000. The Health Professionals wage rate was obtained from https://www.bls.gov/oes/2021/may/oes_nat.htm#29-0000occupation title “Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations”, occupation code 29-0000; and the Health Educators wage rate was obtained from http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211091.htm, occupation code 21-1091.

Type of Respondents	Number of Respondents	Hourly Respondent Wage Rate	Respondent Cost
General Public	1,000	$28.01	$28,010
Health Professionals	10,000	$43.80	$438,000
Health Educators	2,000	$31.22	$62,440
TOTAL	13000		$528,450

A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record

There are no additional costs of than a respondent’s time.

A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

The annualized cost to the Federal Government for the proposed data collection effort is $12,818.70.

Cost Descriptions	Grade/Step	*Salary	% of Effort	Fringe (if applicable)	Total Cost to Gov’t
Federal Oversight
Asst Project Officer	GS-13, Step 7	$128,187	10%		$ 12,818.70
Contractor Cost
Travel
Other Cost
Total					$12,818.70

Salary/Wage Source: Office of Personnel Management https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2022/DCB.pdf

A.15 Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is reinstatement of a previously approved submission to allow for additional burden hours to account for the addition of challenges and competitions as a type of request. The burden has been increased to 10,375 from 8,875 which is a difference of 1,500 hours.

A.16 Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

The information collected through this request is primarily for internal review and will not be published. However, for certain activities information submitted by accepted participants, such as research abstracts to be presented in a poster session, may be published on an NIH website or included in a printed or online program for the activity or subsequent publication describing the activity.

A.17 Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

We are not seeking a waiver of this requirement. There are no reasons to preclude display of the OMB expiration date on the questionnaires.

A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.