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NIST Requests Public Comment on Program Evaluation Data Collection

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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a part of the Department of Commerce, has published a notice about collecting information to evaluate its programs. This process follows the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NIST wants to hear from the public and other federal agencies about its plan to collect data. The goal is to study how well its programs work from the viewpoint of its customers. NIST plans to use surveys, focus groups, reply cards, and online surveys. All opinions will be collected voluntarily. No information will be required or regulated.

People can share their opinions in several ways. Information can be collected by email, mail, phone, electronic methods, or face-to-face interviews.

NIST expects about 40,000 people to respond each year. These might include members of the public, businesses, non-profit groups, and all levels of government. The time needed per response will vary. Some may be as short as two minutes for a reply card. Focus group visits could take up to two hours. The average time per response is expected to be 30 minutes.

There will be no cost to the public for responding. The total estimated annual time for all responses is about 20,000 hours.

NIST asks for comments to help it:

  • Decide if the information collection is necessary and will be useful.
  • Make sure its estimate of time and cost is correct.
  • Find ways to make the collected information better.
  • Lower the reporting burden, including using online or automatic tools.

All comments are part of the public record. Any personal information you include in your comment, like name, address, or phone number, might become public.

To send comments, mail or email Maureen O’Reilly at NIST by August 18, 2025. Reference OMB Control Number 0693-0033.

For more information, contact Maureen O’Reilly at NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, MS 1710, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. Phone: 301-975-3189.

This notice was signed by Sheleen Dumas, Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.

Federal Register Document Number: 2025-11162.


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