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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 20 / Tuesday, February 2, 2021 / Notices also a need for consistent, documented requirements and procedures to be understood and used by NSF program managers and awardees for all such large projects.
Use of the Information: Facilities are an essential part of the science and engineering enterprise, and supporting them is one major responsibility of the National Science Foundation NSF.
NSF makes awards to external entities primarily universities, consortia of universities or non-profit organizationsto undertake construction, management, and operation of facilities. Such awards frequently take the form of cooperative agreements. NSF does not directly construct or operate the facilities it supports. However, NSF retains responsibility for overseeing their development, management, and successful performance. The Major Facilities Guide is intended to:
Provide guidance for NSF staff and awardees to carry out effective project planning, management and oversight of major facilities while considering the varying requirements of a diverse portfolio;
Clearly state the policies, processes, and procedures pertinent at each stage of a facilitys life cycle from development through design, construction, operations, and divestment; and Document and disseminate good practices identified over time so that NSF and awardees can carry out their responsibilities more effectively.
This version of the Major Facilities Guide adds sections for development of construction schedules and minimum competencies for project personnel;
updates sections related to legislation and NSF policy on research infrastructure, content of segregation funding plans, and earned value management; and clarifies requirements to transition through the design phases, construction monthly reporting, and property management terminology. The Guide does not replace existing formal procedures required for all NSF awards, which are described in the, Proposal &
Award Policies and Procedures Guide PAPPG. Instead, it draws upon and supplements it for the purpose of providing detailed guidance regarding NSF policy and procedures related to the planning, management, and oversight of Major Facilities. All facilities projects require merit and technical review, as well as approval of certain deliverables. The level of review and approval varies substantially from standard grants, as does the level of oversight needed to ensure appropriate and proper accountability for federal
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funds. The requirements, recommended procedures, and best practices presented in the Guide apply to any facility significant enough to require close and substantial interaction with the Foundation and the National Science Board.
This Guide will be updated periodically to reflect changes in requirements, policies and/or procedures. Award Recipients are expected to monitor and adopt the requirements and best practices included in the Guide which are aimed at improving management and oversight of major facilities projects and at enabling the most efficient and costeffective delivery of tools to the research and education communities.
The submission of proposals and subsequent project documentation to the Foundation related to the development, construction and operations of Major Facilities is part of the collection of information. This information is used to help NSF fulfill this responsibility in supporting meritbased research and education projects in all the scientific and engineering disciplines. The Foundation also has a continuing commitment to provide oversight on facilities development and construction which must be balanced against monitoring its information collection so as to identify and address any excessive reporting burdens.
NSF has approximately twenty-four 24 Major Facilities in various stages of development, design, construction, operations, and divestment. Facilities undergoing a major upgrade may be classified in both design or construction and operations at the same time. Two to four 2 to 4 new construction awards are made approximately every five 5
years based on science community infrastructure needs and availability of funding. Among the twenty-four major facilities, there are approximately seven 7 facilities annually that are either in design or construction. These stages require the highest level of reporting and management documentation per the Major Facilities Guide. NSF estimates there will be four 4 mid-scale projects in progress at a given time.
Burden to the Public: The Foundation estimates that approximately five 5
Full Time Equivalents FTEs are necessary for each major facility project in design or construction to respond to NSF performance and financial reporting and project management documentation requirements on an annual basis; or 10,400 hours per year.
The Foundation estimates approximately one and half 1.5 FTE
for a major facility in operations to respond to NSF performance and
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financial reporting on an annual basis;
or 3,120 hours per year. For mid-scale projects, the Foundation estimates approximately one 1 Full Time Equivalent FTEs is necessary for each mid-scale project to respond to NSF
project management documentation requirements on an annual basis; or 2,080 hours per year. With seven 7
major facilities in design or construction and twenty-one 21 in operations and four 4 mid-scale projects, this equates to roughly 150,000 public burden hours annually.
Comments: In addition to the type of comments identified above, comments are also 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 shall have practical utility; b the accuracy of the Agencys estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; c ways to enhance the quality, utility, 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 respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting OMB clearance of this collection for no longer than 3
years.
Dated: January 27, 2021.
Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
FR Doc. 202102140 Filed 2121; 8:45 am BILLING CODE 755501P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
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Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses and Combined Licenses Involving Proposed No Significant Hazards Considerations and Containing Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information and Order Imposing Procedures for Access to Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: License amendment request;
notice of opportunity to comment, request a hearing, and petition for leave AGENCY:

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