Bio-Knowledge Center Expert Database
(OMB No. 1640-NEW)
A. Justification
1. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate is coordinating the collection of Life Sciences Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) information with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), which operates under the authority of the National Security act of 1947, as amended by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. These authorities charge the ODNI with responsibility to coordinate and rationalize the activities of the Intelligence Community components. The SME information is necessary to understand who can provide scientific expertise for peer review of life science programs. In addition, the directory will make it easier to identify scientific specialty areas for which there is a shortage of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with appropriate security clearances.
2. SME contact information, scientific expertise, and level of education will be collected electronically through a web portal currently being developed by DHS S&T and to be hosted at https://bkms.llnl.gov/sme. The SME information will be shared with U.S. Government program managers and other members of the biodefense community who have a legitimate need to identify life sciences SMEs. Cleared SMEs are necessary to accomplish scientific reviews and attend topical meetings. This is a new information collection.
3. The SME Directory will use electronic (web-based) technology to collect, maintain, and transmit SME information. The SMEs will have access to their own data and will be able to edit and update the information electronically.
4. The National Counterproliferation Center has identified the need for a comprehensive and readily available list of life sciences SMEs that includes security clearance status. In particular, there is no database that contains security clearance information, biological domain expertise, and contact information. Therefore, the SME Directory is being coordinated at the national level to address this need. If a similar database is identified in the future, we will work with the identified collection agent to ensure a cooperative partnership is developed.
5. This collection of information does not impact small businesses.
6. This database is necessary to identify SMEs who can assist with peer review of individual assessments and scientific programs and who can provide scientific expertise during a perceived biothreat event. In addition, the directory will make it easier to identify scientific specialty areas for which there is a shortage of SMEs with appropriate security clearances. Rapid access to this information is essential for rapid and effective response in the event of a perceived biothreat and to enable efficient and accurate assessment of classified scientific research.
This collection does collect information in any special circumstances.
By notice in the Federal Register on March 14, 2008 (73 FR 13914), DHS S&T notified the public that it was requesting comments on this information collection. The notice allowed for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received. DHS S&T then by notice in the Federal Register on June 27, 2008 (73 FR 36540), notified the public during a 30-day public comment period. No comments were received. Comments from government and contractor personnel both internal to DHS (National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center and Office of Intelligence and Analysis) and external to DHS (ODNI National Counterproliferation Center) have been solicited on database format and accessibility.
9. DHS S&T does not provide payments or gifts to respondents in exchange for a benefit sought.
10. SMEs will provide information voluntarily by entering it onto a secure website. Although they have the expectation of privacy, through their participation in the SME Database project SMEs have chosen to make explicit certain information about themselves, including contact information, professional information, and clearance information. However, because information will be maintained on secure systems (at For Official Use Only (FOUO) level when collected on an FOUO website, and at TS/SCI when collected on the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System network, respondents can be assured of levels of confidentiality at least equal to that provided by these systems.
11. There are no questions of a sensitive nature in this information collection.
12.
DHS Form 10043 |
SME Registration Form |
No. of Respondents |
4,000 |
No. of Responses per Respondent |
1 |
Avg. Burden per Response (in hours) |
0.25 |
Total Annual Burden (in hours) |
1000 |
Average Hourly Wage Rate |
$50 |
Total Annual Respondent Cost |
$50,000 |
Annual Reporting Burden and Respondent Cost: The total estimated ICR Public Burden in hours is 1000. This figure was derived by summing the total annual burden hours from the form. The total annual number of respondents is 4,000. This figure was derived by summing the number of respondents for this form.
The estimated annual public cost is $50,000. This figure was derived by summing the estimated annual respondent costs for all forms.
13. There are no capital or start-up costs associated with this information collection.
14. The estimated annual cost to the federal government in relation to this information collection is $125,000. This includes the cost of equipment maintenance and the labor to maintain the web-portal.
15. This is a new information collection.
16. DHS S&T does not intend to employ the use of statistics or the publication thereof for this information collection.
17. DHS S&T will display the expiration date of OMB approval for this information collection.
18. DHS S&T does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection.
B. Collection of Information Employment Statistical Methods
Not applicable.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR |
| Author | TSA Standard PC User |
| Last Modified By | MICHAEL.BOWERBANK |
| File Modified | 2008-07-16 |
| File Created | 2008-01-31 |