Notice2026-11527
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
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
June 9, 2026
Issuing agencies
National Science Foundation
Abstract
The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection request to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 87 FR 65611 and no comments were received. NCSES is forwarding the proposed Data Security Requirements for Accessing Confidential Data information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. The full submission may be found at: http:// www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34840-34842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-11527]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics Within
the National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
(NCSES) within the National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the
following information collection request to OMB for review and
clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second
notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal
Register at 87 FR 65611 and no comments were received. NCSES is
forwarding the proposed Data Security Requirements for Accessing
Confidential Data information collection to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of
this second notice. The full submission may be found at: <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>.
DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by July 9, 2026
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent practicable. Send comments to the address
below.
[[Page 34841]]
Comments: Comments are invited on (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
NCSES, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of NCSES estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, use, and
clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology; 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance
Officer, National Science Foundation, Randolph Building, 401 Dulany
Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone (703) 292-7556; or send email
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#681b18040105181c0728061b0e460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ee9d9e8287839e9a81ae809d88c0898198">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals who use a telecommunications device
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year (including Federal holidays).
NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless
the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control
number, and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such persons are not required to
respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Foundations for Evidence-Based
Policymaking Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-435, 3583) mandates that the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) establish a Standard Application
Process (SAP) for requesting access to certain confidential data
assets. While the adoption of the SAP is required for statistical
agencies and units designated under the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-435, 132
Stat. 5529), it is recognized that other agencies and organizational
units within the Executive branch may benefit from the adoption of the
SAP to accept applications for access to confidential data assets. The
SAP is a process through which agencies, the Congressional Budget
Office, State, local, and Tribal governments, researchers, and other
individuals, as appropriate, may apply to access confidential data
assets held by a federal statistical agency or unit for the purpose of
developing evidence. With the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
(ICSP) as advisors, the entities upon whom this requirement is levied
worked with the SAP Project Management Office (PMO) and with OMB to
implement the SAP. The SAP Portal is a single web-based common
application for requesting access to confidential data assets from
federal statistical agencies and units. The information collected
through the SAP Portal is an approved information collection under OMB
control number 3145-0271.
Once an application for confidential data is approved through the
SAP Portal, NCSES collects information to meet its data security
requirements. This collection occurs outside of the SAP Portal.
Title of collection: Data Security Requirements for Accessing
Confidential Data.
OMB Control Number: 3145-0278.
Type of Request: Intent to seek approval for a renewal to collect
information to fulfill NCSES's security requirements allowing
individuals to access confidential data assets for the purposes of
building evidence.
Abstract: Title III of the Foundations for Evidence-Based
Policymaking Act of 2018 (hereafter referred to as the Evidence Act)
(Pub. L. 115-435, 132 Stat. 5529) mandates that OMB establish a
Standard Application Process (SAP) for requesting access to certain
confidential data assets. Specifically, the Evidence Act requires OMB
to establish a common application process through which agencies, the
Congressional Budget Office, State, local, and Tribal governments,
researchers, and other individuals, as appropriate, may apply for
access to confidential data assets collected, accessed, or acquired by
a statistical agency or unit. This process was implemented while
maintaining stringent controls to protect confidentiality and privacy,
as required by law.
Data collected, accessed, or acquired by statistical agencies and
units is vital for developing evidence on the characteristics and
behaviors of the public and on the operations and outcomes of public
programs and policies. This evidence can benefit the stakeholders in
the programs, the broader public, as well as policymakers and program
managers at the local, State, Tribal, and National levels. The many
benefits of access to data for evidence building notwithstanding, NCSES
is required by law to maintain careful controls that allow it to
minimize disclosure risk while protecting confidentiality and privacy.
The fulfillment of NCSES's data security requirements places a degree
of burden on individuals, which is outlined below.
The SAP Portal is a web-based application to allow individuals to
request access to confidential data assets from federal statistical
agencies and units. The objective of the SAP Portal is to broaden
access to confidential data for the purposes of evidence building and
reduce the burden of applying for confidential data. Once an
individual's application in the SAP Portal has received a positive
determination, the data-owning agency(ies) or unit(s) begin the process
of collecting information to fulfill their data security requirements.
The paragraphs below outline the SAP Policy, the steps to complete
an application through the SAP Portal, and the process NCSES uses to
collect information fulfilling its data security requirements.
The SAP Policy
At the recommendation of the ICSP, the SAP Policy established the
SAP to be implemented by statistical agencies and units and incorporate
directives from the Evidence Act. The Policy is intended to provide
guidance as to the application and review processes using the SAP
Portal, setting forth clear standards that enable statistical agencies
and units to implement a common application form and a uniform review
process. The SAP Policy was issued in December of 2022 as OMB
memorandum M-23-04.
The SAP Portal
The SAP Portal is an application interface connecting applicants
seeking data with a catalog of metadata for data assets owned by the
federal statistical agencies and units. The SAP Portal is not a new
data repository or warehouse; confidential data assets continue to be
stored in secure data access facilities owned and hosted by the federal
statistical agencies and units. The Portal provides a streamlined
application process across agencies, reducing redundancies in the
application process.
Submission for Review
In accordance with the Evidence Act and the SAP Policy (OMB M-23-
04), agencies will approve or reject an application within a prompt
timeframe. In some cases, agencies may determine that additional
clarity, information, or modification is needed and request the
applicant to ``revise and resubmit'' their application.
[[Page 34842]]
Access to Restricted Use Data
In the event of a positive determination, the applicant is notified
that their proposal has been accepted. The positive or final adverse
determination concludes the SAP Portal process. In the instance of a
positive determination, the data-owning agency (or agencies) contacts
the applicant to provide instructions on the agency's security
requirements that must be completed by the applicant to gain access to
the confidential data. The completion and submission of the agency's
security requirements take place outside of the SAP Portal.
Collection of Information for Data Security Requirements
In the instance of a positive determination for an application
requesting access to an NCSES-owned confidential data asset, NCSES
contacts the applicant(s) to initiate the process of collecting
information to fulfill its data security requirements. This process
allows NCSES to place the applicant(s) in a trusted access category and
includes the collection of the following information from applicant(s):
<bullet> Restricted-use licensing agreement--This document is an
agreement between NCSES and the applicant's organization provisioning
NCSES's confidential data assets exclusively for statistical purposes
in accordance with the terms and conditions stated in the agreement and
all prevailing laws and regulations. The agreement requires signatures
from the applicant(s) and a senior official at the applicant's
organization who has the authority to enter the organization into a
legal agreement with NCSES.
<bullet> Security plan form--This document requests information
from the applicant(s) to ensure the confidential data assets are
protected from unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification. The
information collected in the security plan form includes the following:
[cir] planned work location address(es),
[cir] workstation specifications (make, model, serial number, type,
and operating system),
[cir] workstation authorized users,
[cir] workstation monitor position (to prevent unauthorized
viewing), and
[cir] workstation antivirus brand and version.
<bullet> Affidavit of nondisclosure form--This document describes
the confidentiality protections the applicant(s) must uphold and the
penalties for unauthorized access or disclosure. The form requires
signatures from the applicant(s) and the principal researcher for the
project as well as the imprint of a notary public.
<bullet> Rules of behavior agreement--The intent of this document
is for each licensed individuals to expressly acknowledge receipt and
understanding of physical security requirements and user
responsibilities for devices used to access NCSES's virtual secure data
access facility on an annual basis. This serves as an annual reminder
and administrative safeguard in deterring improper disclosure and use
of NCSES's restricted-use data.
<bullet> Individual data use agreement--The intent of this document
is for each licensed individuals to expressly acknowledge receipt and
understanding that NCSES restricted-use data may only be used for the
following purposes under CIPSEA: data processing, statistical analysis,
and statistical reporting on an annual basis. This serves as an annual
reminder and administrative safeguard in deterring improper disclosure
and use of NCSES's restricted-use data.
Estimate of Burden
The amount of time to complete the agreements and other paperwork
that comprise NCSES's security requirements will vary based on the
confidential data assets requested. The 60-day FRN specified 30 minutes
of burden per applicant to complete security paperwork. This estimate
has been updated to reflect an additional 30 minutes of required CIPSEA
training, for a total of 60 minutes of burden per new applicant. This
estimate does not include the time needed to complete and submit an
application within the SAP Portal. All efforts related to SAP Portal
applications occur prior to and separate from NCSES's effort to collect
information related to data security requirements.
The expected number of applications in the SAP Portal that receive
a positive determination from NCSES in a given year may vary. Overall,
per year, NCSES estimates it will collect data security information for
20 application submissions that received a positive determination
within the SAP Portal as well as 90 data users who are required to
complete CIPSEA training and other paperwork to continue their data
access. NCSES estimates that the total burden for the collection of
information for data security requirements over the course of the
three-year OMB clearance will be about 219 hours and, as a result, an
average annual burden of 73 hours.
Dated: June 5, 2026.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2026-11527 Filed 6-8-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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