Proposed collection; comment request; the NIH Consultant Information File System

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Proposed collection; comment request; the NIH Consultant

Information File System

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment

on proposed data collection projects, the Division of Research Grants

(DRG), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic

summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

PROPOSED COLLECTION: Title: The NIH Consultant Information File System.

Type of Information Collection Request: REVISION Form Number: OMB 0925-

0358 (approved through 9/30/96) NIH 2668-1; 2663-3. Need and Use of

Information Collection: Directly support the recruitment and

appointment of experts that provide scientific merit and program

relevance evaluations of the research grant applications and research

contract proposals submitted to the NIH. The primary objective of this

system is to support the NIH Peer Review system, but other PHS review

administrative staff use the system to identify experts to support

their advisory committees. Frequency of Response: Intake established

record on file, candidate can initiate the updating of their

information at any time, formal information update requested every 24

months. Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other

for-profit; Federal Government. Type of Respondents: Adult scientific

professionals. The annual reporting burden is as follows: Estimated

Number of Respondents: 8,118; Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours Per Response: 0.333; and Estimated

Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 2,703. The estimated annualized

cost to respondents is $148,665 (Using a $55 physician/professor hourly

wage rate.) There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no

Operating or Maintenance Costs to report.

REQUEST FOR COMMENTS: Written comments and/or suggestions from the

public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the

following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency,

including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The

accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, including the validity of the methodology

and assumptions used; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize

the burden of the collection of information on those who are to

respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,

mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms

of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, contact CAPT Edward C. Farley, USPHS Project Clearance

Officer, DRG, NIH, Rockledge II Building, Room 3032, 6701 Rockledge

Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-7762, or call non-toll-free number (301) 594-

0601 or E-mail your request, including your address to:

[email protected].

COMMENTS DUE DATE: Comments regarding this information collection are

best assured of having their full effect if received by August 12,

1996.

Dated: June 3, 1996.

John H. Jones,

Acting Executive Officer, DRG.

[FR Doc. 96-14753 Filed 6-10-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140-01-M