81 FR 35440 - Agency Requests for Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection(s): Generic Clearance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 106 (June 2, 2016)

Executive Order 12862 directs Federal agencies to provide service to the public that matches or exceeds the best service available in the private sector. In order to work continuously to ensure that our programs are effective and meet our customers' needs, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) seeks to obtain OMB approval of previously approved generic clearance to collect feedback on our service delivery. By feedback we mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions, but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of study.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35440-35441]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12973]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-MARAD-2016-0055]


Agency Requests for Renewal of a Previously Approved Information 
Collection(s): Generic Clearance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Executive Order 12862 directs Federal agencies to provide 
service to the public that matches or exceeds the best service 
available in the private sector. In order to work continuously to 
ensure that our programs are effective and meet our customers' needs, 
the Maritime Administration (MARAD) seeks to obtain OMB approval of 
previously approved generic clearance to collect feedback on our 
service delivery. By feedback we mean information that provides useful 
insights on perceptions and opinions, but are not statistical surveys 
that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the 
population of study.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by August 1, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-MARAD-
2016-0055] through one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Jackson, 202-366-0615, Office 
of Management and Administrative Services, Maritime Administration, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 2133-0546.
    Title: Generic Clearance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
    Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.
    Background: Executive Order 12862 ``Setting Customer Service 
Standards,'' direct Federal agencies to provide service to the public 
that matches or exceeds the best service available in the private 
sector (58 FR 48257, Sept. 11, 1993). In order to work continuously to 
ensure that our programs are effective and meet our customers' needs, 
MARAD seeks to obtain OMB approval of a previously approved generic 
clearance to collect qualitative feedback from our customers on our 
service delivery. By qualitative feedback we mean information that 
provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions, but are not 
statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be 
generalized to the population of study. This feedback will provide 
insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences and 
expectations, provide an early warning of issues with service, or focus 
attention on areas where communication, training or changes in 
operations might improve delivery of products or services. These 
collections will allow for ongoing, collaborative and actionable 
communications between the Agency and its customers and stakeholders. 
It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the improvement 
of program management.
    The solicitation of feedback will target areas such as: Timeliness, 
appropriateness, accuracy of information, courtesy, efficiency of 
service delivery, and resolution of issues with service delivery. 
Responses will be assessed to plan and inform efforts to improve or 
maintain the quality of service offered to the public. If this 
information is not collected, vital feedback from customers and 
stakeholders on the Agency's services will be unavailable.
    The Agency will only submit a collection for approval under this 
generic clearance if it meets the following conditions:
     The collections are voluntary;
     The collections are low-burden for respondents (based on 
considerations of total burden hours, total number of respondents, or 
burden-hours per respondent) and are low-cost for both the respondents 
and the Federal Government;
     The collections are noncontroversial and do not raise 
issues of concern to other Federal agencies;
     Any collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions 
from respondents who have experience with the program or may have 
experience with the program in the near future;
     Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected 
only to the extent necessary and is not retained;
     Information gathered is intended to be used only 
internally for general service improvement and program management 
purposes and is not intended for release outside of the agency (if 
released, the agency must indicate the qualitative nature of the 
information);
     Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of 
substantially informing influential policy decisions; and
     Information gathered will yield qualitative information; 
the collections will not be designed or expected to yield statistically 
reliable results or used as though the results are generalizable to the 
population of study.
    Feedback collected under this generic clearance provides useful 
information, but it does not yield data that can be generalized to the 
overall population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative 
information will not be used for quantitative information collections 
that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as 
monitoring trends over time or documenting program performance. Such 
data uses require more rigorous designs that

[[Page 35441]]

address: The target population to which generalizations will be made, 
the sampling frame, the sample design (including stratification and 
clustering), the precision requirements or power calculations that 
justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods 
for assessing potential nonresponse bias, the protocols for data 
collection, and any testing procedures that were or will be undertaken 
prior to fielding the study. Depending on the degree of influence the 
results are likely to have, such collections may still be eligible for 
submission for other generic mechanisms that are designed to yield 
quantitative results. As a general matter, information collections will 
not result in any new system of records containing privacy information 
and will not ask questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual 
behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are 
commonly considered private.
    Respondents: Individuals and Households, Businesses and 
Organizations, State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Expected Annual Number of Activities: 15.
    Estimated Annual Responses: 5,900.
    Frequency of Response: Once per Request.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 1,758.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the Department's 
performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for the 
Department to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized 
without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency 
will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:93.

    Dated: May 24, 2016.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-12973 Filed 6-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-81-P