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NIH INTRAMURAL RESEARCH TRAINING AWARD
ICR 202608-0925-001 · OMB 0925-0299 · Object 171694400.
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| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
|---|---|
| File Title | NIH INTRAMURAL RESEARCH TRAINING AWARD |
| Author | Patty Wagner |
| Last Modified By | Writer |
| File Modified | 2026-08-11 |
| File Created | 2026-08-14 |
| Conversion State | complete |
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Supporting Statement A for OMB Clearance Number: 0925-0299, exp., date 31 March 2027 NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education - Application, Registration, and Alumni Systems Office of the Director August 2026 Check off which applies: □ New X Revision □ Reinstatement with Change □ Reinstatement without Change □ Extension □ Emergency □ Existing w/o OMB approval Federal Government Employee Information: Lori Conlan, Ph.D. Acting Director, Office of Intramural Training & Education National Institutes of Health 2 Center Drive: Building 2 / 2E06 Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0234 Phone: 301-496-2427 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.training.nih.gov Table of Contents A. Justification 4 A1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary 4 A2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection 5 A3. Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction 5 A4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information 6 A5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities 6 A6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently 6 A7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5 6 A8.1 Comments in Response to Federal Register Notice 6 A8.2 Efforts to Consult Outside Agency 6 A9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents 7 A10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents 7 A11. Justification for Sensitive Questions 7 A12. Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs 8 A13. Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers 9 A14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government 9 A15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments 10 A16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule 11 A17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date Is Inappropriate 11 A18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions 11 Attachments for Accessing Specific OITE Sponsored Training Program Descriptions, Applications, Directions, and Frequently Asked Questions Attachment-01. NIH-AC Account Attachment-02. NIH-AC Applications Attachment-03. NIH-AC Reference Letters Attachment-04. NIH-AC Reference Financial Need Attachment-05. UGSP Interview Experience Attachment-06. UGSP Contract Attachment-07. UGSP Scholar Payback Feedback Attachment-08. UGSP Deferment Form Attachment-09. GPP Interview Experience Survey Attachment-10. GPP Awards Certificate Attachment-11. FARE Application Attachment-12. FARE Judge Registration Attachment-13. Trainee Onboarding Survey Attachment-14. Trainee Offboarding Survey Attachment-15. Trainee Feedback Survey Attachment-16. OITE Website Accounts Attachment-17. Event Registration Attachment-18. Privacy Act Applicability Attachment-19. Privacy Impact Assessment: RTO and CMS Attachment-20. System Generated Emails Acronym List for Attachment Titles • FARE = Fellows Award for Research Excellence • GPP = Graduate Partnerships Program • NIH-AC = NIH Application Center • OITE = Office of Intramural Training & Education • UGSP = Undergraduate Scholarship Program A. Justification This information collection request is submitted as a revision of the currently approved OMB information collection (OMB Control No. 0925-0299). Continued approval of these collection forms is necessary to support the Office of Intramural Training & Education (OITE) in administering programs that recruit, select, and develop individuals across a broad educational spectrum—from pre-college through postdoctoral levels—within the NIH Intramural Research Program (NIH-IRP). These collections enable OITE to evaluate applicants, ensure fair and informed selection processes, and maintain accurate records of trainee participation and outcomes, including post-program career placement. The use of online collection forms—available year-round or during defined application cycles and promoted through the OITE website—ensures accessibility, efficiency, and compliance with federal requirements for electronic data collection. The current revision also supports the implementation of updated application software, improving data quality and user experience. Additionally, the information collected supports program evaluation and oversight. Surveys assessing the composition of the NIH trainee community provide insights into demographics and participation trends, informing strategic planning, program management, and resource allocation. Collectively, these efforts ensure that OITE can fulfill its mission of developing future biomedical scientists while maintaining accountability, transparency, and continuous program improvement. A1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary OITE administers NIH Intramural Research Program (NIH-IRP) training programs designed to prepare individuals at various educational stages for careers in biomedical research. Collecting information from applicants and trainees is necessary to evaluate eligibility, manage admissions, appointment paperwork, support program operations, and assess training outcomes. NIH’s authority to conduct and support research training is established under multiple statutory provisions. Title 42 U.S.C. Sections 241 and 282(b)(13) authorize the NIH Director to conduct and support research training not provided under Part 487 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (National Research Service Awards) and not constituting residency training for physicians or other health professionals. Additional authority is granted to Institute and Center Directors under PHS Act Sections 405(b)(1)(C) and 42 U.S.C. Sections 284(b)(1)(C) and 285–287. Visiting Fellow appointments are authorized under PHS Act Section 307 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. § 242l) and implemented through 42 CFR Part 61, Subpart A. Participants in the NIH-IRP are identified and selected through applications and related forms submitted via the OITE website. Appointment mechanisms vary depending on program and eligibility requirements. • Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) and Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA): U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and lawful permanent residents. The CRTA is used exclusively by the National Cancer Institute. • Visiting Fellow: Foreign citizens enrolled in or have been awarded a PhD or equivalent advanced degree. • Research Fellow: U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and lawful permanent residents that have received a doctorate or equivalent degree. • Clinical Fellow: U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and lawful permanent residents that have received a medical or equivalent degree. • Special Volunteer: For individuals that receive compatible financial support from non-NIH sources and provide direct services for NIH. • Guest Researcher: Used in limited cases where individuals receive financial support from non-NIH sources and provide no direct services for NIH. Training durations range from short-term (few months) to multi-year programs (up to five years). • Postbaccalaureate Program (PBP) - one to three years • Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) - one to five years • Postdoctorate Program - one to five years • Visiting Fellow Program - one to three years Financial support may come from NIH appropriated funds, NIH investigator budgets, OITE funds, universities, foundations, or other non-NIH sources. When NIH funding is not provided, the Special Volunteer mechanism is generally used; in limited circumstances, the Guest Researcher mechanism may apply. Collecting information is necessary to ensure appropriate authority, verify eligibility, administer financial support, maintain compliance with statutory requirements, and evaluate program effectiveness. A2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection The purpose of this information collection is to support the NIH Intramural Research Program (NIH-IRP) by providing application forms that prospective trainees may provide information about their strengths to become an NIH-IPR trainee. Since the previous approval, the OITE has implemented many changes to coincide with changes in the NIH administration interests and NIH investigator needs. • Restructuring of training programs to reflect emerging research areas • Termination of training programs based on evolving NIH-IRP priorities The type of information collected in each of the online forms is presented below: • NIH Application Center (NIH-AC): Account creation, profiles, and applications (Attachment-01, Attachment-02, Attachment-03, Attachment-04) • UGSP forms: Interview feedback, scholar management, and payback tracking (Attachment-05, Attachment-06, Attachment-07, Attachment-08) • GPP forms: Interview feedback and award certification (Attachment-09, Attachment-10) • FARE program form (NIH only): Attachment-11, Attachment-12 • OITE surveys: Community composition and training experience (Attachment-13, Attachment-14, Attachment-15) • CMS forms: Information dissemination and event registration (Attachment-16, Attachment-17) A3. Use of Information Technology and Burden Reduction All OITE forms are web-based and accessible via: https://www.training.nih.gov. Applicants can review detailed directions and frequently asked questions (FAQs) prior to submission, allowing sufficient time to prepare complete applications. Current trainees can use CMS account to register for events and access career development resources. These systems streamline the application process, improve efficiency and responsiveness, reduce applicant burden and costs (no application fees). Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) have been updated and submitted for the application database systems for the OITE training programs: Research & Training Opportunities (RTO; Attachment-19) and Content Management System (CMS; Attachment-19) A4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information Applicants must complete and submit the appropriate collection forms through the RTO (Research & Training Opportunities) or Content Management System (CMS) software programs, there are no duplicate sources available. Although Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP) applicants may submit similar information to partnering universities, that data is considered proprietary and not accessible to NIH. Therefore, separate collection is required. Event registration for trainees occurs through the CMS system, with no alternative mechanism available. A5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities No small business or other small entities are affected by this information collection. A6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently Without this collection, OITE would be unable to identify and select qualified trainees across educational levels. This would significantly impair NIH’s ability to sustain its training pipeline. All collected information is maintained and disposed in accordance with federal Records Management guidelines. A7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5 This collection is consistent with 5 CRF 1320.5 guidelines. Participation is voluntarily. A8.1 Comments in Response to Federal Register Notice Notification of this information collection was published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2026, in Volume 91, Number 83, Pages 23290-23291. Zero public comments were received during the 60-day notice period. A8.2 Efforts to Consult Outside Agency OITE regularly consults with the NIH Office of Human Resources, NIH Institutes and Centers, and academic partners. These consultations address: • Recruitment strategies • Application and interview process • Degree requirements • NIH-University partnerships • Trainee support and stipends • Community development • Program monitoring and feedback A9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents No payments or gifts are provided for completing applications. However, trainees may receive stipends, benefits, or tuition support depending on eligibility and program participation. Students matriculating into the NIH-IRP may receive a stipend, health benefits, and tuition based on eligibility regulations and outside support. For select OITE programs, financial support is renewable annually up to 5-years based on factors such as citizenship, research progress, etc. All trainees are supported by NIH investigators’ budgets, Institute-Center budgets, university contributions, and/or other sources. First-year graduate students enrolled in institutional partnerships are supported by the GPP through pooled funds collected from Institute-Center donations; the NIH mentor for dissertation research supports subsequent years. The UGSP provides scholarship funding up to $20,000.00 for reasonable educational expenses, while selected UGSP Scholars are at their respective universities. When scholars return for their payback, the UGSP provides the salary and benefits for students returning without a terminal degree. For those returning with a terminal degree to conduct their payback, the UGSP provides half of the salary and benefits. Winners of the FARE competition for NIH trainees receive a travel award in addition to their current financial support. A10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents Access to collected information is restricted to authorized NIH personnel involved in program administration, financial processing, and approvals. Systems use secure authentication methods, including Single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for applicants, references, and NIH personnel. Data is protected under the Privacy Act and maintained in accordance with the following records system numbers: • OPM/GOVT-1 – General Personnel Records • OPM/GOVT-5 – Recruiting, Examining, and Placement Records • 09-25-0014 – Clinical Research: Student Records • 09-90-0020 – Suitability for Employment Records • 09-25-0108 – Personnel: Guest Researchers, Special Volunteers, and Scientists Emeriti • 09-25-0140 – International Scientific Researchers in Intramural Laboratories • 09-25-0158 – Administration Records of Applicants and Awardees of the Intramural Research Training Awards Program • 09-25-0165 – Office of Loan Repayment and Scholarship (OLRS) Research & Training Opportunities (RTO) and Content Management System (CMS) are managed using secure infrastructure within the NIH firewall or approved cloud environments, with appropriate safeguards for data storage and access. A11. Justification for Sensitive Questions OITE applications do not contain sensitive questions as described in the Points to Consider in A.11. These applications do collect Personally Identifiable Information (PII), including name, contact information, education, financial aid, employment history, etc. Information about whether an applicant has a relative at the NIH is collected to ensure compliance with the NIH Nepotism Chapter 2300-310-1 (see https://policymanual.nih.gov/2300-310-1). Current NIH trainees completing the onboarding, offboarding, and exit surveys are asked to respond to sensitive questions, such as age, assistance programs, sex, marital status, race, etc. NIH trainees may select ‘prefer not to answer’ to acknowledge the question but provide no details. A12. Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs The estimated time to complete a collection form is based on the number and configuration of questions. The burden times for the collection forms range from 1-minute to 45-minutes (see Table 12A-1) for each response. Table A12-1. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours ## TYPE Number of Respondents Number of Responses Annually Per Respondent Average Time / Response (hours) Total Annual Burden Hours 1 NIH-AC Account 2,250 1 1 / 60 38 2 NIH-AC Applications 10,000 1 45 / 60 7,500 3 NIH-AC Reference Letters 25,000 1 10 / 60 4,167 4 NIH-AC Financial Need 150 1 10 / 60 25 5 UGSP Interview Experience Survey 30 1 10 / 60 5 6 UGSP Contract 25 1 10 / 60 4 7 UGSP Payback Evaluation 40 1 10 / 60 7 8 UGSP Deferment Form 50 1 10 / 60 8 9 GPP Interview Experience Survey 90 1 10 / 60 15 10 GPP Awards Certificate 75 1 3 / 60 4 11 FARE Application 950 1 10 / 60 158 12 FARE Judge Registration 375 1 3 / 60 19 13 Trainee Onboarding Survey 1,300 1 10 / 60 217 14 Trainee Offboarding Survey 1,300 1 10 / 60 217 15 Trainee Feedback Survey 2,000 1 20 / 60 667 16 OITE Website Accounts 5,200 1 3 / 60 260 17 Event Registrations 20,000 1 3 / 60 1,000 Totals 68,835 14,311 Table A12-2. Annualized Cost to Respondents: The following table indicates the annualized cost to respondents. ## TYPE Total Annual Burden Hours Hourly Wage Burden Cost 1 NIH-AC Account 38 25.36 964 2 NIH-AC Applications 7,500 25.36 190,190 3 NIH-AC Reference Letters 4,167 70.15 292,311 4 NIH-AC Financial Need 25 24.27 607 5 UGSP Interview Experience Survey 5 20.05 100 6 UGSP Contract 4 25.29 101 7 UGSP Payback Evaluation 7 70.15 491 8 UGSP Deferment Form 8 25.29 202 9 GPP Interview Experience Survey 15 22.16 332 10 GPP Awards Certificate 4 28.51 114 11 FARE Application 158 40.04 6,326 12 FARE Judge Registration 19 40.04 761 13 Trainee Onboarding Survey 217 26.57 5,765 14 Trainee Offboarding Survey 217 40.43 8,773 15 Trainee Feedback Survey 667 36.82 24,559 16 OITE Website Accounts 260 31.82 8,273 17 Event Registrations 1,000 31.82 31,820 Totals 14,311 n/a 571,689 Hourly wage rates for trainees, federal employees, and public: ~ NIH Trainee Stipends - https://www.training.nih.gov/stipends/ ~ Federal GS Schedule - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2026/DCB.pdf ~ Department of Labor - Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (19-0000) - https://data.bls.gov/oesprofile ~ Department of Labor - Credit Counselors (13-2071) - https://data.bls.gov/oesprofile 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. A14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government Over the last decade, the OITE has used online application systems to collect and process information from prospective trainees applying to NIH-IRP training programs and special events. Over time, these systems have been integrated and enhanced to reflect changes in the trainee landscape and evolving administration needs. Currently, OITE maintains two contracts supporting these efforts: Research & Training Opportunities (RTO) and Content Management System (CMS). A summary of contract costs, federal staffing, and contractor support is provided in the table below. The annual cost of the OITE systems is $847,611. Table A14-1. Cost to the Federal Government Cost Descriptions Grade / Step Salary* % of Effort Fringe (if applicable) Total Cost to Gov’t Federal Oversight Directors G15-S10 197,200 6 1,972 Program Analysts (primary) G13-S10 158,322 10 15,832 Program Analysts (secondary) G13-S10 158,322 12 18,999 Contractor Cost Contractors (primary) 158,322 30 ~ 47,497 Contractors (secondary) 158,322 24 ~ 37,997 Software - RTO Contract ~ ~ ~ 405,314 Software - CMS Contract ~ ~ ~ 300,000 Software - LMS Contract ~ ~ ~ 20,000 Travel 0 Other Cost 0 Total 847,611 Federal GS Schedule - https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2026/DCB.pdf Time working in IT software: Directors – 1%; Program Analysts (primary) – 10%; Program Analysts (secondary) – 4%; Contractors (primary) – 10%; Contractors (secondary) – 4%. Reported percent effort is the addition of all personnel in those categories. A15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments OITE currently uses OMB Number 0925-0299 to support the collection of information for NIH Intramural Research Program (NIH-IRP) training activities and special events. Over the past last three years, programmatic changes have led to updates in the estimated respondent burden hours, as summarized below. Modifications increasing respondent burden: • Increase in the number of applications submitted • Corresponding increase in required recommendation letters • Implementation of universal application template, increasing time estimates • Expansion of events for NIH trainees, NIH personnel, and the public • Addition of surveys assessing trainee experience, onboarding, and offboarding • Increased financial burden due to higher stipend values Modifications decreasing respondent burden: • Discontinuation of select specialty programs • Elimination of surveys no longer in use These additions have results in a net increase of 1,487 hours. Table A15-1. Change in Burden Hours OMB Clearance Year Burden Hours Current Submission 14,311 Previous Submission (Exp Date Mar 2027) 12,824 Difference (Current – Previous) 1,487 A16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule Information collected through these forms are used to support annual program assessments and more comprehensive feedback of OITE services. On occasion, OITE may publish aggregated data to promote program transparency. Federal regulations for the protection of human subjects do not apply to this activity. Table A16-1. Project Time Schedule: Application Opening and Closing Dates Form Type of Respondent Dates 1, 2, 3, 4 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Application Jan-May 11 Fellows Award for Research Excellence Feb-Mar 9 Graduate Partnerships Program - Interview Experience Apr-May 5 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Interview Experience May-Jun 1, 2, 3 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Renewal Application Jun-Aug 8 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Deferment Form Jun-Sep 6 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Scholar Contract Jul-Aug 1, 2, 3 Graduate Partnerships Program - Application Jun-Dec 1, 2, 3 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Payback Application Nov-Dec 1, 2, 3 Summer Internship Program - Main Programs Oct-Feb 1, 2, 3 Summer Internship Program - Specialty Programs Oct-Feb 1, 2, 3 Postbaccalaureate Program - Application All Year 1, 2, 3 Academic Internship Program - Application All Year 1, 2, 3 Graduate Partnerships Program - Registration All Year 7 Undergraduate Scholarship Program - Scholar Payback Feedback All Year 10 Graduate Partnerships Program - Awards Certificate All Year 12 Trainee Onboarding Survey All Year 13 Trainee Offboarding Survey All Year 14 Trainee Feedback Survey All Year 15 OITE Website Accounts All Year 16 Event Registrations All Year A17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date Is Inappropriate The OITE will display the OMB Clearance Number, Expiration Data, and Burden Disclosure Statements on the collection forms. A18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions There are no exceptions to the Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.