Proposed Collections; Comment Request: National Institutes of Health Construction Grants

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Proposed Collections; Comment Request: National Institutes of

Health Construction Grants

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 Office of the Director (OD),

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: National Institutes of Health Construction

Grants (42 CFR Part 52b). Type of Information Collection Request:

Extension of OMB No. 0925-0424, expiration date 09/30/98. Need and Use

of Information Collection: This is a request for OMB approval for the

information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in the

final rule 42 CFR Part 52b. The purpose of the regulations is to govern

the awarding and administration of grants awarded by NIH and its

components for construction of new buildings and the alteration,

renovation, remodeling, improvement, expansion, and repair of existing

buildings, including the provision of equipment necessary to make the

building (or applicable part of the building) suitable for the purpose

for which it was constructed. In terms of reporting requirements:

Section 52b.9(b) of the proposed regulations requires the

transferor of a facility which is sold or transferred, or the owner of

a facility, the use of which has changed, to provide written notice of

the sale, transfer or change within 30 days. Section 52b.10(f) requires

a grantee to submit an approved copy of the construction schedule prior

to the start of construction. Section 52b.10(g) requires a grantee to

provide daily construction logs and monthly status reports upon request

at the job site. Section 52b.11(b) requires applicants for a project

involving the acquisition of existing facilities to provide the

estimated costs of the project, cost of the acquisition of existing

facilities, and cost of remodeling, renovating, or altering facilities

to serve the purposes for which they are acquired.

In terms of recordkeeping requirements: Section 52b.10(g) requires

grantees to maintain daily construction logs and monthly status reports

at the job site. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Affected Public:

Non-profit organizations and Federal agencies. Type of Respondents:

Grantees. The estimated respondent burden is as follows:

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Estimated annual reporting and recordkeeping burden

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Annual

number of Annual Average Annual

respondents frequency burden per burden hours

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Reporting:

Sec. 52b.9(b)........................................ 1 1 .50 .50

[[Page 30006]]

Sec. 52b.10(f)....................................... 15 1 1 15

Sec. 52b.10(g)....................................... 30 12 1 360

Sec. 52b.11(b)....................................... 100 1 1 100

Recordkeeping:

Sec. 52b.10(g)....................................... 30 260 1 7,800

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Total............................................... 176 ........... ............ 8,275.50

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The annualized cost to the public, based on an average of 30 active

grants in the construction phase, is estimated at: $273,000.

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

public and affected agencies should address one or more of the

following points: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of

information and recordkeeping are necessary for the proper performance

of the function of the agency, including whether the information will

have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's

estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information and

recordkeeping, including the validity of the methodology and

assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected and the recordkeeping information to be

maintained; and (4) 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 and recordkeeping techniques or other forms of information

technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information contact Jerry Moore, NIH Regulations

Officer, Office of Management Assessment, National Institutes of

Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Room 601, MSC 7669, Rockville, MD

20852, or call 301-496-4607 (this is not a toll-free number), or E-mail

your request to

Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection

and recordkeeping are best assured to having their full effect if

received on or before August 3, 1998.

Dated: May 27, 1998.

Jerry Moore,

Regulations Officer, National Institutes of Health.

[FR Doc. 98-14498 Filed 6-1-98; 8:45 am]

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