sub study for Survey to Inform NIMH Strategic Planning for the Division of Intramural Research Programs

Mini Supporting Statement A

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for NIH Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing Projects”

Survey to inform NIMH Strategic Planning for the

Division of Intramural Research Programs (IRP)

OMB# 0925-0766, exp., 04/2023

9/19/22

Contact Information

Jennifer E. Mehren, Ph.D.; NIMH

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Data Catalogue [ ] Repository of Tools and Best Practices

[ ] Recommendations of scientific reviewers [ ] Resources

[ ] Call for Nominations [X] Other: Program Evaluation_

Mini Supporting Statement A

A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

As the lead Federal agency for research on mental illnesses, the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) mission is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. Under 42 U.S.C. 285(p) and Section 401(a) of the Public Health Service Act, NIMH is charged with the conduct and support of biomedical and behavioral research, health services research, research training, and health information dissemination with respect to the cause, diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of mental illness. The Division of Intramural Research Programs (IRP) at the NIMH is the internal research division of the NIMH. The division plans and conducts basic, clinical, and translational research to advance understanding of the diagnosis, causes, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric disorders. The NIMH IRP conducts state-of-the-art research that utilizes the unique resources of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), provides an environment conducive to the training and development of clinical and basic scientists, and in part, complements extramural research activities. The NIMH IRP also periodically develops a strategic plan and vision for the Division to help set overall goals and develop a plan to achieve them.

A.2 Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

In 2022-2023, the NIMH IRP will be developing a strategic plan and vision for the next five years. In launching this process, the NIMH IRP would like to collect input from IRP staff, trainees, and contractors. With this anonymous survey, the NIMH IRP wishes to collect staff feedback about the NIMH IRP and its scientific research goals. If staff prefer, they may also send comments directly to the Office of the Scientific Director (Jennifer.Mehren@nih.gov), with the subject line, “IRP Strategic Planning Feedback.” A summary of all feedback as a group and by position type will be shared with NIMH Staff, the NIMH Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC), and others involved in the strategic planning process to help shape the strategic plan and vision.

An older version of this survey was previously approved on September 13, 2022 (ICR Reference Number 202109-0925-004), and we are submitting this application to obtain approvals for changes to the survey. These changes consist of edits to questions #3-5. For question #3, the survey is now requesting respondents indicate what they predict will be the major areas of progress in neuroscience (in addition to medicine and mental health as included in the older survey). For question #4 that requests respondents indicate what they perceive as the major strengths of the NIMH IRP, we added an additional response option of “research resources (e.g., core facilities).” For question #5 that requests respondents indicate what they see as the major barriers or obstacles to achieving the NIMH IRP’s scientific goals, we removed the response options of “insufficient budget,” “inability to carryover funds from year to year,” and “Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) Review,” and moved the response option of “insufficient lab or clinical space” to lower on the list of response options.

A.3 Use of Information Technology to Reduce Burden

All data will be collected via electronic submission using SurveyMonkey, thereby reducing both hours of effort and financial costs. The NIH Office of the Director has previously completed a Privacy Impact Assessment on SurveyMonkey.

A.4 Efforts to Identify Duplication

This data collection is unique in that no other agencies, organizations, or entities seek stakeholder feedback for the effectiveness of the intramural training program at NIMH. Hence, there will not be any duplication of efforts.

A.5 Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

N/A

A.6 Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

The NIMH IRP must have timely information to ensure it is successfully planning and conducting basic, clinical, and translational research to advance understanding of the diagnosis, causes, treatment, and prevention of psychiatric disorders. If this information is not collected or is collected less frequently, the NIMH IRP will not be able to develop a comprehensive strategic plan and vision.

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

This survey will be implemented in a manner that fully complies with 5 C.F.R. 1320.5.

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

N/A

A.9 Explanation of Any Payment of Gift to Respondents

No payment or gift will be given to respondents.

A.10 Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

Respondents’ participation is voluntary, and they retain the right to skip any question(s) they would prefer not to answer, and to quit the survey at any time. No personally identifiable information will be collected. We plan to collection position type and how long the respondent has worked in the NIMH IRP to help further understand and analyze the survey results. Information collected will be private to the extent permitted by law and will follow the Privacy Act guidelines as set out by the NIH Office of Management Assessment. As appropriate, the Privacy Act applies to these information collections per the NIH Privacy Act System of Records Notice (SORN) #09-25-0156, “Records of Participants in Programs and Respondents in Surveys Used to Evaluate Programs of the Public Health Service (PHS), HHS/PHS/NIH/OD,” which covers evaluation of the policies, programs, organization, methods, materials, activities or services used by PHS in fulfilling its legislated mandate for (1) conduct and support of biomedical research into the causes, prevention and cure of diseases; (2) support for training of research investigators; and (3) communication of biomedical information.

A.11 Justification for Sensitive Questions

There are no sensitive questions.

A.12.1 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

The estimated annual burden hours are 100 total hours. We are indicating one minute for the burden table below to account for the changes made to the survey. The overall burden for the survey is not changing.

Table 12-1 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Type of Collection	No. of Respondents	No. of Responses per Respondent	Time per Response (in hours)	Total Hours
Federal Government – Non-FTE Trainees	600	1	1/60	10
Totals		600		10

A.12-2 Annualized Cost to Respondents

No costs are anticipated except for the respondents’ time to participate in these activities. Estimates are based on projections of collections to be conducted on an annual basis.

Table A.12-2 Annualized Cost to the Respondents

Type of Respondents	Total Annual Burden Hours	Hourly Respondent Wage Rate*	Respondent Cost
Federal Government – Non-FTE Trainees	100	$23.87	$2,387
TOTAL	100		$2,387

* Federal Government – Non-FTE Trainees respondent wage rate data is from the Education, Training and Library Workers, All Other (25-9099) category at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes259099.htm.

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

There are no additional costs other than the respondents’ burden given in section A12. We do not anticipate any other costs for record keepers in terms of equipment or specialized analysis software, as existing NIH and NIMH headquarters equipment and software will be utilized to examine the information collected.

A.14 Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $2,684.

Staff	Grade/Step	Salary*	% of Effort	Fringe (if applicable)	Total Cost to Gov’t
Federal Oversight
Senior Scientific Advisor	GS-15/7	$ 176,300	1%		$1,763
Program Specialist	GS-12/4	$98,818	1%		$921
Contractor Cost
Travel
Other Cost
Total					$2,684

*The Salary in table above is cited from 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

N/A

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

N/A

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

We are not requesting an exemption to the display of the OMB Expiration date.

A.18 Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

This survey will comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.

Attachments

1. Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)