Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Management Information Reporting

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
SORN NIST-6.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-10-19
FY 2021 Single-Year Budget Workbook.xlsx Supplementary Document	2021-10-19
FY 2021 Award Budget Summary Table.xlsx Supplementary Document	2021-10-19
FY 2021 Multi-Year Renewal Guidance.docx Supplementary Document	2021-10-19
FY 2021 Oversight Board Standards.docx Supplementary Document	2021-10-19
Supporting Statement_FINAL 10-2021.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-10-26

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
232888	NIST MEP Center Panel Review Guidelines Other-Reporting Guidelines	Modified
232886	NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Annual) Other-Reporting Guidelines	Modified
232885	NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Semi Annual) Other-Reporting Guidelines	Modified
232884	NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Quarterly) Other-Reporting Guidelines	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0693-0032	ICR Reference No: 202110-0693-001
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 201808-0693-005
Agency/Subagency: DOC/NIST	Agency Tracking No: MO
Title: Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Management Information Reporting
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/26/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	10/31/2021
Responses	357	357
Time Burden (Hours)	7,480	6,868
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The MEP Centers’ primary mission is to strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S.-based manufacturing by providing information, decision support, and implementation assistance to smaller manufacturing firms in adopting new, more advanced manufacturing technologies, techniques, and business best practices. Almost 1,700 knowledgeable specialists provide technical and business assistance. NIST MEP provides funding to the Centers through Cooperative Agreements. To ensure that Cooperative Agreement recipients are effectively disseminating the most current technical and business solutions to small and medium-sized manufacturers in the United States, MEP will collect and analyze information from the MEP Centers. MEP is mandated to collect this information by the regulations governing the operation of the MEP program (15 CFR 290, 291, and 292) and the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA, 5 CFR 1320). The advent of H.R. 1274 – Section 2 (Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program Center Extension) effectively removes the “Sunset Provisions” on the original MEP regulations (15 CFR 290, 291, and 292), and has made MEP a permanent investor in the Centers with the need to collect evaluative and informative data.

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Authorizing Statute(s): None

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 35490	07/06/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 59148	10/26/2021
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
NIST MEP Center Panel Review Guidelines
NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Annual)
NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Quarterly)
NIST MEP Information Reporting Guidelines (Semi Annual)

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	357	357	0	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	7,480	6,868	0	612	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: Increased hours of burden are due to additional two hours quarterly and semiannually reporting for Special Funding awards.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $500,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 10/26/2021

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