73 FR 65 pgs. 18289-18290 - Division of Loan Repayment; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs

Type: NOTICEVolume: 73Number: 65Pages: 18289 - 18290
FR document: [FR Doc. E8-6857 Filed 4-2-08; 8:45 am]
Agency: Health and Human Services Department
Sub Agency: National Institutes of Health
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

Division of Loan Repayment; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs

Summary: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Division of Loan Repayment, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on December 26, 2007, and allowed 60 days for public comment. No responses to the notice were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Proposed Collection

Title: National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs. Type of Information Collection Request: Revision of a currently approved collection (OMB No. 0925-0361, expiration date 06/30/08). Form Numbers: NIH 2674-1, NIH 2674-2, NIH 2674-3, NIH 2674-4, NIH 2674-5, NIH 2674-6, NIH 2674-7, NIH 2674-8, NIH 2674-9, NIH 2674-10, NIH 2674-11, NIH 2674-12, NIH 2674-13, NIH 2674-14, NIH 2674-15, NIH 2674-16, NIH 2674-17, NIH 2674-18, and NIH 2674-19. Need and Use of Information Collection: The NIH makes available financial assistance, in the form of educational loan repayment, to M.D., PhD., Pharm.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., D.C., and N.D. degree holders, or the equivalent, who perform biomedical or biobehavioral research in NIH intramural laboratories or as extramural grantees for a minimum of 2 years (3 years for the General Research LRP) in research areas supporting the mission and priorities of the NIH.

The AIDS Research Loan Repayment Program (AIDS-LRP) is authorized by Section 487A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-1); the Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (CR-LRP) is authorized by Section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); the General Research Loan Repayment Program (GR-LRP) is authorized by Section 487C of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-3); the Loan Repayment Program Regarding Clinical Researchers (LRP-CR) is authorized by Section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-5a); the Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (PR-LRP) is authorized by Section 487F (42 U.S.C. 288-6); the Extramural Clinical Research LRP for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (ECR-LRP) is authorized by an amendment to Section 487E (42 U.S.C. 288-5); the Contraception and Infertility Research LRP (CIR-LRP) is authorized by Section 487B (42 U.S.C. 288-2); and the Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program (HD-LRP) is authorized by Section 485G (42 U.S.C. 287c-33).

The Loan Repayment Programs can repay up to $35,000 per year toward a participant's extant eligible educational loans, directly to lenders, in addition to salary and benefits. The information proposed for collection will be used by the Division of Loan Repayment to determine an applicant's eligibility for participation in the program. Frequency of Response: Initial application and annual renewal application. Affected Public: Applicants, research supervisors, recommenders, organizational contacts and financial institutions. Type of Respondents: Physicians, other scientific or medical personnel, and institutional representatives. The annual reporting burden is as follows:

Type of respondents Number of respondents Estimated number of responses per respondent Average burden hours per response Annual burden hours requested
Intramural LRPs:
Initial Applicants 30 1 10.11 303.30
Advisors/Supervisors 30 1 .5 15.00
Recommenders 90 1 .33 29.70
Financial Institutions 10 1 1.25 12.50
Subtotal 160 360.50
Extramural LRPs:
Initial Applicants 1900 1 10.35 19,665.00
Advisors/Supervisors 1750 1 .5 875.00
Recommenders 5700 1 .33 1881.00
Financial Institutions 300 1 1.25 375.00
Subtotal 9650 22,796.00
Intramural LRPs:
Renewal Applicants 60 1 7.42 445.20
Advisors/Supervisors 60 1 1.33 79.80
Subtotal 120 525.00
Extramural LRPs:
Renewal Applicants 1225 1 8.58 10,510.50
Advisors/Supervisors 925 1 1.00 925.00
Recommenders 3675 1 .33 1212.75
Subtotal 5825 12,648.25
Total 15,755 36,329.75

The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at $1,298,341. The annualized cost to the Federal Government for administering the Loan Repayment Programs is expected to be $1,794,667.48. This cost includes administrative support by the Division of Loan Repayment and $440,039 for the continuing development and maintenance of the LRP Management Information System/Online Application System (MIS/OAS).

Request For Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Direct Comments to OMB: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to the: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Regulatory Affairs, OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov or by fax to 202-395-6974, Attention: Desk Officer for NIH. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact: Suman King, PhD., Director, Division of Loan Repayment, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Blvd., Room 206 (MSC 7650), Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7650. Dr. King may be contacted via e-mail at SKing1@od.nih.gov or by calling 301-594-3234.

Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of the date of this publication.

Dated: March 27, 2008.

Raynard S. Kington,

Deputy Director, NIH.

[FR Doc. E8-6857 Filed 4-2-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140-01-P