Notice2022-21558
Notice of Intent To Request a New Information Collection
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 5, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentNational Institute of Food and Agriculture
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations), this notice announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) intention to request approval for a new information collection titled Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Funding Agreement Certifications.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60368-60369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21558]
[[Page 60368]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Notice of Intent To Request a New Information Collection
AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations), this notice
announces the National Institute of Food and Agriculture's (NIFA)
intention to request approval for a new information collection titled
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Funding Agreement
Certifications.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by December 5,
2022 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date
will be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking
Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments.
Instructions: All comments received will be posted without change
to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information
provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Martin, 202-445-5388,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bbe9d4d9dec9cf95d6dac9cfd2d588fbcec8dfda95dcd4cd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdefd2dfd8cfc993d0dccfc9d4d38efdc8ced9dc93dad2cb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Funding Agreement Certifications.
Type of Request: Notice of intent to request a new information
collection.
NIFA is requesting approval for a new information collection
entitled ``Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Funding Agreement
Certifications.'' This information collection includes two forms: a
``Funding Agreement Certification'' and a ``Certification for SBIR
Applicants that are Majority-Owned by Multiple Venture Capital
Operating Companies, Hedge Fund or Private Equity Firms.'' NIFA asks
all recipients of SBIR grants to submit a Funding Agreement
Certification form after NIFA has provided the grantee notification of
the award, as well as any other time set forth in the funding
agreement. For example, the small business concern (SBC) may be
required to update the form to assure continued eligibility and
compliance, when changes in the SBC apply. NIFA also asks SBIR
applicants that are majority-owned by multiple venture capital
operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms to submit an
additional certification form prior to submitting an application. These
certification statements are for the purpose of determining the
eligibility of the small business concern for an SBIR award. NIFA is
proposing implementation of these forms to match the guidance provided
in the SBA SBIR/STTR Policy Directive effective October 1, 2020.
Abstract: The SBIR program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) makes competitively awarded grants to qualified small businesses
to support high quality, advanced concepts research related to
important scientific problems and opportunities in agriculture that
could lead to significant public benefit if successful.
The objectives of the SBIR Program are to: stimulate technological
innovations in the private sector; strengthen the role of small
businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs; increase
private sector commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-
supported research and development efforts; and foster and encourage
participation by women-owned and socially and economically
disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovations. The
USDA SBIR program is carried out in three separate phases:
1. Phase I awards to determine, insofar as possible, the scientific
and technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have
commercial potential.
2. Phase II awards to further develop work from Phase I that meets
particular program needs and exhibits potential for commercial
application.
3. Phase III awards where commercial applications of SBIR-funded
R(Research)/R&D (Research and Development) are funded by non-Federal
sources of capital; or where products, services or further research
intended for use by the Federal Government are funded by follow-on non-
SBIR Federal Funding Agreements. The USDA SBIR Program is administered
by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of the USDA.
NIFA exercises overall oversight for the policies and procedures
governing SBIR grants awarded to the U.S. small business community,
representing approximately 2.5% to 2.8% of the USDA extramural R/R&D
budget. This represents approximately $201M in Phase II grants awarded
to the U.S. small business community from 1994 to 2014. In 1982, the
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants Program (Pub. L. 97-
219, 96 stat. 217), 15 U.S.C. 638, was authorized, and in 2016, The
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-
328), enacted on December 23, 2016, reauthorized the SBIR and STTR
programs through September 30, 2022.
The Funding Agreement Certification form is used by USDA to ensure
Small Business Concerns meet specific eligibility requirements for a
Small Business Innovation and Research award. The form asks applicants
to certify a series of ten statements in order to ensure the grantee is
complying with specific program requirements during the life of the
funding agreement. If the SBC is majority-owned by venture capital
companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms they will be required
to fill out an eight-question form in addition to the Funding Agreement
Certification. The small business concern may be required to update the
Funding Agreement Certification form to assure continued eligibility
and compliance when changes in the SBC apply.
Estimate of Burden: The forms in this collection are required to be
completed for Phase I and Phase II awardees and updated when there is a
change in the business regarding the contents of the certification
form.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 110.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Burden per Response: 1 hour.
Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 110 hours.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to 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.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request to OMB for approval. All comments will become a matter of
public record.
Obtaining a Copy of the Information Collection: A copy of the
information collection and related instructions may be obtained free of
charge by contacting Robert Martin as directed above.
[[Page 60369]]
Done at Washington, DC, this day of August 09, 2022.
Dionne Toombs,
Acting Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2022-21558 Filed 10-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 5, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.