Justification

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

NIST Summer Institute for Middle School Science Teachers (NIST Summer Institute)

and the NIST Research Experience for Teachers (NIST RET)

OMB Control No. 0693-0059

Expiration Date: 09/30/2014

Justification for a No Material/Nonsubstantive Change Request

(1) NIST is requesting a No Material/Nonsubstantive Change to add the word ‘continuous’ to Question #12 of the NIST-1103, Teacher Application for the NIST Summer Institute for Middle School Science Teachers (NIST Summer Institute) or the NIST Research Experience for Teachers (NIST RET). By adding this word to the question will eliminate any confusion for the time commitment required by the Program.

Question 12 will now read:

12. If nominated for the NIST Summer Institute, will you be able to commit two (2) full weeks to attend the NIST Summer Institute, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday on the dates specifies in the Announcement of the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) or if nominated for the NIST RET, will you be able to commit six (6) full continuous weeks to participate in the NIST RET, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday during the summer?

(2) NIST is also requesting the removal of three (3) line items from the list of options for Question #19 of the NIST-1103 which describes the ‘Subject Areas Covered in Your Classes in the Current School Year.’ The three deleted line items are Metrology (Measurement Services); Separating Science; and Forensic Topics. The reason for the deletion of these three items is to keep the subject areas more general, and more in agreement with the nomenclature of the subject areas that the teachers present in their classrooms. In addition, the deleted areas were too specific, and found not to be useful.

The changes requested will not change the time required to complete the application or to the annual burden hours associated with this collection.