60-day Federal Register Notice

mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

43476

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices

30 days from the date of this publication
in the Federal Register. In order to
ensure the appropriate consideration,
comments should reference the OMB
Control Number (see below).
The OMB is particularly interested in
comments which:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate 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;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses.
Agency: Employment and Training
Administration.
Type of Review: New collection
(Request for a new OMB Control
Number).
Title: Workforce Innovation in
Regional Economic Development
(WIRED) Initiative Evaluation.
OMB Control Number: 1205–0NEW.
Form Number: None.
Affected Public: State, Local, and
Tribal Governments and Private Sector.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
1,600.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1,200.
Estimated Total Annual Costs Burden:
$0.
Description: This data collection
covers qualitative information to be
obtained through on-site, unstructured
interviews with representatives in each
of the 13 regions awarded WIRED
funding. Data to be collected includes
information regarding the regional
context, goals, planning, structure,
partnerships, collaboration, activities,
funding, challenges, innovations,
approaches for measuring success, and
sustainability. For additional
information, see related notice
published at 73 FR 16912 on March 31,
2008.
Darrin A. King,
Acting Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E8–17006 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FN–P

VerDate Aug<31>2005

17:15 Jul 24, 2008

Jkt 214001

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Administration and Management;
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Applicant
Background Questionnaire
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Administration and
Management (OASAM), Department of
Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork and respondent burden
conducts a preclearance consultation
program to provide the general public
and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed
and/or continuing collections of
information in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This
program helps to ensure that requested
data can be provided in the desired
format, reporting burden (time and
financial resources) is minimized,
collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed. Currently, the
Department of Labor is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed
extension of the Applicant Background
Questionnaire.
A copy of the proposed information
collection request (ICR) can be obtained
by contacting the office listed below in
the addressee section of this notice.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted to the office listed in the
addressee section below on or before
September 23, 2008.
ADDRESSEE: William Glasgow, U.S.
Department of Labor, Human Resources
Center, 200 Constitution Ave. NW.,
Room N–5464, Washington, DC 20210;
Phone: (202)693–7738; Written
comments limited to 10 pages or fewer
may also be transmitted by facsimile to:
(202)693–7814; Internet:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background: The Department of
Labor, as part of its obligation to provide
equal employment opportunities, is
charged with ensuring that qualified
individuals in groups that are underrepresented in various occupations are
included in applicant pools for the
Department’s positions. See 5 U.S.C.
7201(c); 29 U.S.C. 791; 29 U.S.C. 2000e–
16; 5 CFR 720.204; 29 CFR 1614.101(a).
To achieve this goal, DOL employment
offices have conducted targeted

PO 00000

Frm 00079

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

outreach to a variety of sources,
including educational institutions,
professional organizations, newspapers,
and magazines. DOL has also
participated in career fairs and
conferences that reach high
concentrations of Hispanics, African
Americans, Native Americans, Asians,
and persons with disabilities.
Without the data provided by this
collection, DOL does not have the
ability to evaluate the effectiveness of
any of these targeted recruiting
strategies because collection of racial
and national origin information only
occurs at the point of hiring. DOL needs
to collect data on the pools of applicants
which result from the various targeted
recruitment strategies listed above. After
the certification and selection process
has been completed, it is necessary to
cross-reference the data collected with
the outcome of the qualifications review
in order to evaluate the quality of
applicants from various recruitment
sources. With the information from this
collection, DOL can adjust and redirect
its targeted recruitment to achieve the
best result. DOL will also be able to
respond to requests for information
received from the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) in the course of
OPM evaluation and oversight activities.
II. Desired Focus of Comments: The
Department of Labor is particularly
interested in comments which:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate 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;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, for example, through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submissions
of responses.
III. Current Actions: This notice
requests an extension of the current
Office of Management and Budget
approval of the Applicant Background
Questionnaire. Extension is necessary to
continue to evaluate the effectiveness of
agency recruitment programs in
attracting applicants from underrepresented sectors of the population.

E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM

25JYN1

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 144 / Friday, July 25, 2008 / Notices
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Agency: U.S. Department of Labor.
Title: Applicant Background
Questionnaire.
OMB Number: 1225–0072.
Affected Public: Applicants for
positions recruited in the Department of
Labor. Other Federal agencies have
requested to use the DOL form. We are
including the Department of
Agriculture, ARS as an agency that
wishes to use the form for their
recruitment program. Their burden
numbers are also included below.
Total Respondents:
Department of Labor—3,000
USDA, ARS—17,800
Total—20,800
Frequency: One time per respondent.
Total Responses: 20,800.
Average Time per Response: 3
minutes for on-line applicants (DOL). 5
minutes for paper applications (USDA).
Estimated Total Burden Hours:
DOL—150 hours
USDA—1,458 hours, 20 min
Total—1,608 hours, 20 min
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0
Total Burden Cost (operating/
maintaining):
DOL—$87.46
USDA—$1,049.52
Total—$1,136.98
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval of the
information collection request; they will
also become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 18, 2008.
Suzy Barker,
Director of Human Resources.
[FR Doc. E8–17078 Filed 7–24–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–23–P

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Invitation To Submit White Papers To
Inform the Five-Year Strategic Plan for
the Federal Networking and
Information Technology Research &
Development Program
The National Coordination
Office (NCO) for Networking and
Information Technology Research and
Development (NITRD).
ACTION: Request for Input (RFI).
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

AGENCY:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Detrice M. Wallace at (703) 292–4873.
To be considered, submissions
must be received by August 25, 2008.
SUMMARY: This plan will focus on goals
and capabilities that can only be
achieved through interagency
DATES:

VerDate Aug<31>2005

17:15 Jul 24, 2008

Jkt 214001

cooperation and coordination, and will
complement and support the strategic
plans of the individual agencies. It will
encompass vision-driven themes in
multiple dimensions to show research &
development capabilities and challenges
by using scenarios that demonstrate
societal and economic impact.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Overview: The Subcommittee on
Networking and Information
Technology Research and Development
(NITRD) is soliciting input from
government, academia, and industry in
the U.S. and abroad to assist in the
development of a Five-Year Strategic
Plan for the NITRD Program.
The strategic plan will focus primarily
on R&D goals that require interagency
coordination, including multi-agency
investments and joint programs, and
respond to the priorities of the Federal
government as a whole. This plan will
complement and support each
participating agency’s strategic plan.
This Request for Input is not a
funding opportunity or a solicitation for
proposals. Anonymized versions of
some responses will be made publicly
available to promote further discussion.
2. Focus of the Strategic Plan: The
NITRD five-year strategic plan will
guide the coordinated R&D efforts of the
Federal agencies in the NITRD Program
(see http://www.nitrd.gov for a
description of the program and a listing
of participating agencies). The strategic
plan will:
• Define a vision for the NITRD
Program and identify desired, future
networking and information
technologies (NIT) capabilities.
• Provide a five-year framework for
prioritizing fundamental research to
attain major advances in the desired
capabilities within ten years.
• Ensure collaboration across
agencies, academia, industry, and other
domains to solve challenges that cannot
be met by any agency acting alone.
• Illustrate potential societal and
economic positive impact on nationallevel and multi-disciplinary challenges
(e.g., cybersecurity, healthcare,
renewable energy, and environment).
3. Description of Information Sought:
The NITRD Subcommittee seeks input
from a range of stakeholders with the
goal of developing an effective strategic
plan for R&D to yield high-payoff
scientific and engineering capabilities in
NIT. The submissions should seek to
answer the following questions:
• What do you imagine as the future
in terms of desired NIT capabilities?
• What roles do you imagine for the
NITRD Program and for the academic,
commercial, international, and other
domains in achieving that future?

PO 00000

Frm 00080

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

43477

In addressing these questions,
submitters are challenged to present
views and input on one or more of the
following subjects, in relation to NIT:
• Development and execution of
multi-agency and multi-disciplinary
programs.
• Determination of strategic goals, key
challenges, opportunities, and research
priorities.
• Examples that illustrate the impact
of realizing the vision, achieving the
proposed goals, and meeting the
identified challenges.
• Transition of R&D results into
practice.
• Role of the U.S. in the international
NIT arena.
• Interactions among government,
commercial, academic, and
international sectors.
4. Background: A unique
collaboration of 13 Federal agencies, the
NITRD Program’s mission is to
formulate Federal NIT R&D to meet the
following national goals:
• Assure continued U.S. leadership in
NIT to meet Federal goals and support
U.S. 21st century government,
academic, and industrial interests.
• Accelerate deployment of advanced
and experimental NIT to enhance
national and homeland security;
maintain world leadership in science,
engineering, and mathematics; improve
the quality of life; promote long-term
economic growth; increase lifelong
learning; and protect the environment.
• Advance U.S. productivity and
competitiveness through long-term
scientific and engineering research in
NIT.
Currently there are two documents
available for gathering background
information. The first is the August
2007 publication, Leadership Under
Challenge: Information Technology R&D
in a Competitive World, an assessment
of the NITRD Program by the President’s
Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology (PCAST). A central
recommendation in this assessment is
the development, implementation, and
maintenance of a cohesive strategic plan
for the NITRD Program. The second
document is the NITRD Program’s
previous internal Strategic Plan. The
documents are available at:
http://www.nitrd.gov/pubs/index.htm
5. Submission Information: To be
considered, submissions must be
received by August 25, 2008. Submitters
of the white papers should:
• Focus on interagency coordination
of major NIT research directions and the
proposed priorities of the Federal
government as a whole.

E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM

25JYN1