81 FR 68401 - Notice of Request for an Information Collection; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 192 (October 4, 2016)

Page Range		68401-68402
FR Document		2016-23956

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on the ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This collection was developed to create a vehicle for obtaining stakeholder feedback. This notice announces our intent to submit this collection to Office of Management and Budget for approval and solicits comments on specific aspects for the proposed information collection.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 192 (Tuesday, October 4, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68401-68402]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23956]



[[Page 68401]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Institute of Food and Agriculture


Notice of Request for an Information Collection; Generic 
Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery

AGENCY: National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public to take this opportunity to comment on the ``Generic 
Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery'' for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This 
collection was developed to create a vehicle for obtaining stakeholder 
feedback. This notice announces our intent to submit this collection to 
Office of Management and Budget for approval and solicits comments on 
specific aspects for the proposed information collection.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by December 
5, 2016. Comments received after that date will be considered to the 
extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by any of the following 
methods: Email: [email protected]; Fax: 202-720-0857; Mail: Office 
of Information Technology (OIT), NIFA, USDA, STOP 2216, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-2216.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Martin, Records Officer; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback 
on Agency Service Delivery.
    Abstract: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, oversees roughly $1.5 billion to fund 
research, education, and extension efforts in a wide range of 
scientific fields related to agricultural and behavioral sciences. NIFA 
achieves its mission through partnerships with Land-Grant Universities 
(LGU), non-profit organizations, private sector firms, and other 
government agencies. These partners, through research, education, and 
extension activities, help NIFA and USDA address highly complex and 
multidimensional challenges in food and agriculture. To ensure that our 
programs address the Nation's food and agricultural priorities and our 
processes minimize burden without jeopardizing accountability, NIFA 
seeks OMB approval of a generic clearance to collect qualitative 
feedback on our service delivery. By qualitative feedback, we mean 
information that provides insights on perceptions and opinions, but are 
not statistical surveys or quantitative results that can be generalized 
to the population of study.
    This collection of information is necessary to enable NIFA, herein 
``the Agency,'' to garner feedback from customers, stakeholders, and 
partners (herein ``stakeholders'') in an efficient and timely manner, 
and in accordance with our commitment to providing the highest quality 
service delivery. The information collected from our stakeholders will 
help NIFA identify emerging and significant priorities in food and 
agriculture; refine NIFA's business processes; and promote 
inclusiveness and diversity to ensure that NIFA drives outcomes that 
meets the needs of all Americans.
    Improving agency programs requires ongoing assessment of NIFA's 
programs and processes, by which we mean systematic review of the 
operation of a program compared to a set of explicit or implicit 
standards. NIFA will collect, analyze, and interpret information 
gathered through this generic clearance to identify strengths and 
weaknesses of current services and make improvements based on 
stakeholder feedback. If this information is not collected, NIFA's 
ability to respond to stakeholders' needs and continuously improve 
programs and services will be greatly diminished.
    The solicitation of feedback will target areas in: Strategic, 
portfolio, and programmatic planning; competitive and non-competitive 
awards processes; post-award management; information technology systems 
and Web sites; and, grants management training. Responses will inform 
efforts to improve or maintain the quality of service offered to the 
public.
    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 non-controversial 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;
     Information gathered will be used only internally for 
general service improvement and program management purposes and is not 
intended for release outside of the agency;
     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 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 non-response 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.
    Current Actions: Request for approval for a new collection of 
information.
    Type of Review: New.
    Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Businesses and 
Organizations, State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,250.

[[Page 68402]]

    Below we provide projected average estimates for the next three 
years:
    Average Expected Annual Number of activities: 15.
    Average number of Respondents per Activity: 750.
    Annual responses: 11,250.
    Frequency of Response: Once per request.
    Average minutes per response: 30.
    Burden hours: 5,625.
    Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 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 agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of 
information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; (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; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of 
operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide 
information. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose 
or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the 
time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install and 
utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, 
validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining 
information, and disclosing and providing information; train personnel 
and to be able to respond to a collection of information, to search 
data sources, to complete and review the collection of information; and 
to transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    All written comments will be available for public inspection on 
Regulations.gov.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 23rd day of September, 2016.
Catherine E. Woteki,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. 2016-23956 Filed 10-3-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 4, 2016 / Notices 68401

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE and agriculture. To ensure that our • The collections are non-
programs address the Nation’s food and controversial and do not raise issues of
National Institute of Food and agricultural priorities and our processes concern to other Federal agencies;
Agriculture minimize burden without jeopardizing • Any collection is targeted to the
accountability, NIFA seeks OMB solicitation of opinions from
Notice of Request for an Information approval of a generic clearance to respondents who have experience with
Collection; Generic Clearance for the collect qualitative feedback on our the program or may have experience
Collection of Qualitative Feedback on service delivery. By qualitative with the program in the near future;
Agency Service Delivery feedback, we mean information that • Information gathered will be used
AGENCY: National Institute of Food and provides insights on perceptions and only internally for general service
Agriculture. opinions, but are not statistical surveys improvement and program management
or quantitative results that can be purposes and is not intended for release
ACTION: Notice and request for
generalized to the population of study. outside of the agency;
comments. • Information gathered will not be
This collection of information is
SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food necessary to enable NIFA, herein ‘‘the used for the purpose of substantially
and Agriculture, as part of its Agency,’’ to garner feedback from informing influential policy decisions;
continuing effort to reduce paperwork customers, stakeholders, and partners and
• Information gathered will yield
and respondent burden, invites the (herein ‘‘stakeholders’’) in an efficient
qualitative information; the collections
general public to take this opportunity and timely manner, and in accordance
will not be designed or expected to
to comment on the ‘‘Generic Clearance with our commitment to providing the
yield statistically reliable results or used
for the Collection of Qualitative highest quality service delivery. The
as though the results are generalizable to
Feedback on Agency Service Delivery’’ information collected from our
the population of study.
for approval under the Paperwork stakeholders will help NIFA identify Feedback collected under this generic
Reduction Act (PRA). This collection emerging and significant priorities in clearance provides useful information,
was developed to create a vehicle for food and agriculture; refine NIFA’s but it does not yield data that can be
obtaining stakeholder feedback. This business processes; and promote generalized to the overall population.
notice announces our intent to submit inclusiveness and diversity to ensure This type of generic clearance for
this collection to Office of Management that NIFA drives outcomes that meets qualitative information will not be used
and Budget for approval and solicits the needs of all Americans. for quantitative information collections
comments on specific aspects for the Improving agency programs requires that are designed to yield reliably
proposed information collection. ongoing assessment of NIFA’s programs actionable results, such as monitoring
DATES: Consideration will be given to all and processes, by which we mean trends over time or documenting
comments received by December 5, systematic review of the operation of a program performance. Such data uses
2016. Comments received after that date program compared to a set of explicit or require more rigorous designs that
will be considered to the extent implicit standards. NIFA will collect, address: the target population to which
practicable. analyze, and interpret information generalizations will be made, the
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be gathered through this generic clearance sampling frame, the sample design
submitted by any of the following to identify strengths and weaknesses of (including stratification and clustering),
methods: Email: rmartin@nifa.usda.gov; current services and make the precision requirements or power
Fax: 202–720–0857; Mail: Office of improvements based on stakeholder calculations that justify the proposed
Information Technology (OIT), NIFA, feedback. If this information is not sample size, the expected response rate,
USDA, STOP 2216, 1400 Independence collected, NIFA’s ability to respond to methods for assessing potential non-
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250– stakeholders’ needs and continuously response bias, the protocols for data
2216. improve programs and services will be collection, and any testing procedures
greatly diminished. that were or will be undertaken prior to
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The solicitation of feedback will target fielding the study. Depending on the
Robert Martin, Records Officer; email:
areas in: Strategic, portfolio, and degree of influence the results are likely
rmartin@nifa.usda.gov.
programmatic planning; competitive to have, such collections may still be
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: and non-competitive awards processes; eligible for submission for other generic
Title: Generic Clearance for the post-award management; information mechanisms that are designed to yield
Collection of Qualitative Feedback on technology systems and Web sites; and, quantitative results.
Agency Service Delivery. grants management training. Responses As a general matter, information
Abstract: The National Institute of will inform efforts to improve or collections will not result in any new
Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. maintain the quality of service offered to system of records containing privacy
Department of Agriculture, oversees the public. information and will not ask questions
roughly $1.5 billion to fund research, of a sensitive nature, such as sexual
education, and extension efforts in a The Agency will only submit a
collection for approval under this behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs,
wide range of scientific fields related to and other matters that are commonly
agricultural and behavioral sciences. generic clearance if it meets the
following conditions: considered private.
NIFA achieves its mission through Current Actions: Request for approval
partnerships with Land-Grant • The collections are voluntary;
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

for a new collection of information.
Universities (LGU), non-profit • The collections are low-burden for Type of Review: New.
organizations, private sector firms, and respondents (based on considerations of Affected Public: Individuals and
other government agencies. These total burden hours, total number of Households, Businesses and
partners, through research, education, respondents, or burden-hours per Organizations, State, Local or Tribal
and extension activities, help NIFA and respondent) and are low-cost for both Government.
USDA address highly complex and the respondents and the Federal Estimated Number of Respondents:
multidimensional challenges in food Government; 11,250.

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Document Created: 2016-10-04 03:04:13
Document Modified: 2016-10-04 03:04:13

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		Consideration will be given to all comments received by December 5, 2016. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.
Contact		Robert Martin, Records Officer; email: [email protected]
FR Citation		81 FR 68401

81 FR 68401 - Notice of Request for an Information Collection; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURENational Institute of Food and Agriculture

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 192 (October 4, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Institute of Food and Agriculture