Mini Supporting Statement A:
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
Summer Student Applications (NCI)
Sub study under,
“Generic Clearance for Application Information for
Fellowship, Internships, Training Programs, and Specialty Positions
(National Cancer Institute)”
OMB# 0925-0761,
Expiration Date: 7/31/2022
Date: October 8, 2020
Name: Jackie Lavigne, Ph.D., M.P.H. Chief, Office of Education
Address:
9609 Medical Center Drive
Rockville,
Maryland 20892-9776
Telephone: 240-376-7237
E-mail: [email protected]
List of Attachments
Attachment 1: Summer Program Application
Attachment 2: Privacy Impact Assessment
Attachment 3: Privacy Act Memo
Mini Supporting Statement A
A1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
The DCEG Office of Education (OE) administers a variety of programs and initiatives to recruit pre-college through post-doctoral educational level individuals into the Intramural Research Program to facilitate their development into future biomedical scientists. In particular, in addition to the full-time trainee program and in support of the DCEG training mission, the division maintains a robust Summer Internship Program, which serves as an excellent means of expanding its research portfolio, growing the full-time fellow population long term, and a means to allow senior trainees and investigators to mentor junior trainees in the research areas of the division.
The principal appointment authorities for Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) training programs are the: Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA); NIH Visiting Fellow program; and the Research and Clinical Fellowship appointments. These mechanisms were established in response to studies showing declining numbers of U.S. college graduates pursuing careers in biomedical research. These programs were designed to facilitate and enhance the systematic development of future U.S. biomedical scientists by making available unique research training opportunities in NCI intramural research programs during the formative stages of their academic training or research careers. For the Summer Internship Program, the CRTA is the mechanism by which interns are hired.
The proposed information collection involves a brief online form completed by applicants to the DCEG training programs: 1) Summer Intern Application (Attachment 1). This application is essential to the administration of the summer training programs as it enables the OE to determine the eligibility and quality of potential awardees for internships.
A2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
The purpose of the proposed information collection activity is to assure that prospective trainees to the DCEG Summer Internship Program meet basic eligibility requirements; to assess their potential as future scientists; to determine where mutual research interests exist; and to make decisions regarding which applicants will be proposed and approved for internship awards. In each case, completing the application is voluntary, but in order to receive due consideration, the prospective trainee is encouraged to complete all relevant fields. The information is for internal use to make decisions about prospective interns that could benefit from the DCEG program.
Participation in the DCEG Summer Internship is open to current students who are U.S. citizens, starting at the high school level through doctoral level, including medical and dental students.
In the last three years we have received a total 1290 summer intern applications. These applications came directly to DCEG and allowed us the ability to circulate all the collected summary applications to all our division researchers. Also, having the application system within DCEG allows us to contact each interested applicant with information about the division and guidance about identifying researchers and programs of interest to them. This is especially important for applicants in public health fields, specifically cancer epidemiology, biostatistics and population genetics/genomics, since these are very specialized fields at NIH, unique to DCEG.
A3. Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction
Prospective trainees for admission must apply directly to DCEG. The applications are web based and accessible through the DCEG web site: www.dceg.cancer.gov, under the tab labeled “Fellowships & Training.”
The NCI Privacy Act Coordinator was consulted, and it was determined that a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is needed. A PIA is pending approval (Attachment 2).
A4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information
It is estimated that there are less than 30 epidemiology summer interns across the other 27 NIH institutes and centers, therefore DCEG must make targeted intern recruitment efforts in order to attract epidemiology trainees. Though the NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education, which is part of the NIH Office of the Director, Office of Intramural Research, (NIH/OD/OIR/OITE) (OMB No. 0925-0299 Expiration Date 06/30/2022) has an internship application and review process, it is difficult for OITE to target epidemiology trainees. The OITE application is used by all NIH fellowship programs but does not include questions designed to describe the applicant’s interests in the areas of cancer epidemiology and genetics that would help to determine their proper placement within DCEG. Also, OITE applications are directed at a slightly different trainee population, primarily lab-based trainees, which is not what DCEG is offering. The OITE application system does not have a straight-forward way to filter potential epidemiology fellows.
The DCEG-specific internship applications described in this submission will create a short information summary for applicants interested in cancer epidemiology that will allow us to communicate with these potential fellows expeditiously and provide information specific to their interests.
A5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities
A6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently
Without approval to collect applications specific to the program’s needs, the DCEG Summer Intern Program would be compromised in its ability to identify highly qualified trainees of various educational levels for the NCI intramural research program.
A7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5
There are no special circumstances.
A8. Comments in Response to Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency
N/A
A9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents
Neither payments nor gifts will be provided to respondents who complete the applications.
A10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents
Applicants submit their information to the DCEG website via HTML form data transmitted with SSL encryption over the secure HTTPS protocol. Information collected is made available only to DCEG scientific and program officials who recommend or approve internship awards and to administrative, human resources, and financial officials who prepare the necessary documentation to arrange for stipend payments and to activate, approved awards. These authorized individuals are assigned login credentials, including “strong” passwords to conform to standards used by the NIH Center for Information Technology. The online tools these individuals use to access applicant data are also secured with SSL and HRRPS. The online tools these individuals use to access applicant data are restricted to DCEG-approved users.
Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected and the Privacy Act applies to this information collection. The System of Records Notice (SORN) is #09–25–0014, “Clinical Research; Student Records, HHS/PHS/NIH/OD/OIR/OE.”
The DCEG website, the applicant data, and the online access tools are stored and hosted in the Information Management Services, Inc. (IMS) data center. The IMS data center and network are protected at all entry points by firewalls and intrusion detection devices. Physical controls such as user/group authorization, encryption of data at rest, and weekly security/virus scans are employed in the data center to ensure continued data security while at IMS. All IMS employees are required to sign a confidentiality agreement at the time of employment. They must also complete yearly security trainings. Information will be kept private, to the extent provided by law.
This is not considered research, nor will there be publications, thus Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects do not apply to this activity. The Privacy Act will apply as stated in the Privacy Act memorandum from the Privacy Act Coordinator. (Attachment 3).
A11. Justification for Sensitive Questions
The DCEG summer internship application does not contain sensitive questions. These applications do collect personally identifiable information (PII), including name, contact information, education, research interests, and publication history, if applicable. This information will be used solely to contact the applicant and to determine their suitability for the program.
A12. Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs
The annual estimate of burden is expected to be 175 hours for a total of 450 applicants (Table A.12-1) .
Form Name |
Category of Respondent |
Number of Respondents |
Number of Responses Per Respondent |
Average Time Per Response (in hours) |
Total Burden Hours |
Summer Program Application |
Individuals |
300 |
1 |
20/60 |
100 |
Totals |
|
|
300 |
|
100 |
Table A.12-1 Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
Table A.12-2 Annualized Cost to the Respondents
Category of Respondent |
Total Burden Hours |
Hourly Wage Rate * |
Respondent Cost |
Individuals |
100 |
$16.65 |
$1,665.00 |
Total |
|
|
$1,665.00 |
*Hourly wage rates for trainees are based on the NCI Cancer Research Training (CRTA) stipend charts (https://www.training.nih.gov/student_irta_stipend_levels ) to establish costs of burden.
A13. Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers
There are no capital costs, operating costs, or maintenance costs to report.
14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government is expected to be $8,701.70 (Table 14-1). DCEG works with the IMS contractor on setting up and managing the application system for summer internship programs. The IMS contractor is responsible for setting up and managing the web-based system. The DCEG staff person manages the review and distribution of the applications. The annual contractor cost to the Federal government is estimated at $4,500.00 (Table A.14-1).
Table A14-1. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government
Staff |
Grade/Step |
Salary** |
% of Effort |
Fringe (if applicable) |
Total Cost to Gov’t |
Federal Oversight |
|
|
|
|
|
Program Lead |
11/06 |
$84,034 |
5% |
|
$4,201.70 |
Contractor Cost |
|
|
|
|
$4,500.00 |
Travel |
|
|
|
|
$0 |
Other Cost |
|
|
|
|
$0 |
Total |
|
|
|
|
$8,701.70 |
**The salary in the table above is cited from https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/20Tables/html/DCB.aspx
A15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments
This is a mini Supporting Statement for a generic information collection.
A16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule
There are no plans for tabulation since this is an application. Additionally, the application information will not be published. The applications will be used for annual program assessments and reviews, as well as to assess the appropriateness of an applicant for the DCEG Summer Intern program.
Table A16-1. Project Time Schedule: Application Opening and Closing Dates
Training Program |
Application Opening Date |
Application Closing Date |
DCEG Summer Intern Program |
November |
March |
A17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date Is Inappropriate
There is no request for exemption from displaying the expiration date for OMB approval.
A18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
There are no exceptions to the Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
File Title | NIH INTRAMURAL RESEARCH TRAINING AWARD |
Author | Patty Wagner |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-13 |