82 FR 11891 - Notice of Request for a Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection: Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 37 (February 27, 2017)

Page Range		11891-11892
FR Document		2017-03812

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for a revision to and an extension of approval of an information collection associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on service delivery by the AMS.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11891-11892]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03812]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 37 / Monday, February 27, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 11891]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No.: AMS-SC-17-0010]


Notice of Request for a Revision to and Extension of Approval of 
an Information Collection: Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service 
Delivery

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision to and extension of approval of an information 
collection; comment request.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention 
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for 
a revision to and an extension of approval of an information collection 
associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on 
service delivery by the AMS.

DATES: All comments received by April 28, 2017 will be considered.

ADDRESSES: Comments are welcome and should referenced OMB No. 0581-0269 
and AMS' Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery, and the date 
and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. Comments may be 
submitted by mail to the Docket Clerk, Legislative & Regulatory Review 
Staff, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0202, Room 3943-S, 
Washington, DC 20250; Fax: (202) 690-3767; or submitted online at 
www.regulations.gov. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection in the Office of the Docket Clerk during regular USDA 
business hours or they can be viewed at www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Marylin Pish, Legislative & 
Regulatory Review Staff, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0202, 
Room 3943-S, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 580-9971. Fax: (202) 
690-3767. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback 
on Agency Service Delivery-AMS.
    OMB Number: 0581-0269.
    Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2017.
    Type of Request: Revision to and extension of approval of an 
information collection.
    Abstract: The proposed information collection activity provides a 
means for AMS to garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback 
in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the Agency's 
commitment to improving service delivery.
    By qualitative feedback we mean information that provides useful 
insights on perceptions and opinions, but 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. This collection 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.
    AMS will only submit a collection for approval under this generic 
clearance if it meets the following conditions:
     The collection is voluntary;
     The collection is low-burden for respondents (based on 
considerations of total burden hours, total number of respondents, or 
burden-hours per respondent) and is low-cost for both the respondents 
and the Federal Government;
     The collection is non-controversial and does not raise 
issues of concern to other Federal agencies;
     The 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 AMS (if released, 
AMS 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 collection 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 nonresponse bias, the protocols for data collection, and any 
testing procedures that were or will be undertaken prior to fielding 
this 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, this information collection will not result in 
any new

[[Page 11892]]

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.
    AMS currently has approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for this information collection. This approval is for 60,000 
burden hours, based on our initial request to OMB in April 2011. We are 
asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of 
these information collection activities for 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .50 hours per response.
    Respondents: Individuals and households; businesses and 
organizations; State, local, or Tribal government.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 110,000.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 110,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 60,000/(Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    Comments may be sent to [name and address of AMS representative]. 
All comments received will be available for public inspection during 
regular business hours at the same address.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: February 22, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-03812 Filed 2-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P

11891

Notices Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 37

Monday, February 27, 2017

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue respondents, or burden-hours per
contains documents other than rules or SW., Stop 0202, Room 3943–S, respondent) and is low-cost for both the
proposed rules that are applicable to the Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) respondents and the Federal
public. Notices of hearings and investigations, 580–9971. Fax: (202) 690–3767. Email: Government;
committee meetings, agency decisions and Marilyn.pish@ams.usda.gov. • The collection is non-controversial
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of and does not raise issues of concern to
petitions and applications and agency SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
statements of organization and functions are Title: Generic Clearance for the other Federal agencies;
examples of documents appearing in this Collection of Qualitative Feedback on • The collection is targeted to the
section. Agency Service Delivery-AMS. solicitation of opinions from
OMB Number: 0581–0269. respondents who have experience with
Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, the program or may have experience
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 2017. with the program in the near future;
Type of Request: Revision to and • Personally identifiable information
Agricultural Marketing Service extension of approval of an information (PII) is collected only to the extent
necessary and is not retained;
collection.
[Doc. No.: AMS–SC–17–0010] • Information gathered is intended to
Abstract: The proposed information
be used only internally for general
Notice of Request for a Revision to and collection activity provides a means for
service improvement and program
Extension of Approval of an AMS to garner qualitative customer and
management purposes and is not
Information Collection: Qualitative stakeholder feedback in an efficient, intended for release outside of AMS (if
Feedback on Agency Service Delivery timely manner, in accordance with the released, AMS must indicate the
Agency’s commitment to improving qualitative nature of the information);
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,
service delivery. • Information gathered will not be
USDA.
By qualitative feedback we mean used for the purpose of substantially
ACTION: Revision to and extension of information that provides useful
approval of an information collection; informing influential policy decisions;
insights on perceptions and opinions, and
comment request. but not statistical surveys that yield • Information gathered will yield
SUMMARY: In accordance with the quantitative results that can be qualitative information; the collection
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this generalized to the population of study. will not be designed or expected to
notice announces the Agricultural This feedback will provide insights into yield statistically reliable results or used
Marketing Service’s (AMS) intention to customer or stakeholder perceptions, as though the results are generalizable to
request approval from the Office of experiences, and expectations; provide the population of study.
Management and Budget (OMB), for a an early warning of issues with service; Feedback collected under this generic
revision to and an extension of approval or focus attention on areas where clearance provides useful information,
of an information collection associated communication, training, or changes in but it does not yield data that can be
with qualitative customer and operations might improve delivery of generalized to the overall population.
stakeholder feedback on service delivery products or services. This collection This type of generic clearance for
by the AMS. will allow for ongoing, collaborative and qualitative information will not be used
actionable communications between the for quantitative information collections
DATES: All comments received by April
Agency and its customers and that are designed to yield reliably
28, 2017 will be considered.
stakeholders. It will also allow feedback actionable results, such as monitoring
ADDRESSES: Comments are welcome and
to contribute directly to the trends over time or documenting
should referenced OMB No. 0581–0269 improvement of program management. program performance. Such data uses
and AMS’ Qualitative Feedback on The solicitation of feedback will target require more rigorous designs that
Agency Service Delivery, and the date areas such as: Timeliness, address: The target population to which
and page number of this issue of the appropriateness, accuracy of generalizations will be made, the
Federal Register. Comments may be information, courtesy, efficiency of sampling frame, the sample design
submitted by mail to the Docket Clerk, service delivery, and resolution of (including stratification and clustering),
Legislative & Regulatory Review Staff, issues with service delivery. Responses the precision requirements or power
AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence will be assessed to plan and inform calculations that justify the proposed
Avenue SW., Stop 0202, Room 3943–S, efforts to improve or maintain the sample size, the expected response rate,
Washington, DC 20250; Fax: (202) 690– quality of service offered to the public. methods for assessing potential
3767; or submitted online at If this information is not collected, vital nonresponse bias, the protocols for data
www.regulations.gov. All comments feedback from customers and collection, and any testing procedures
received will be available for public stakeholders on the Agency’s services that were or will be undertaken prior to
inspection in the Office of the Docket will be unavailable. fielding this study. Depending on the
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

Clerk during regular USDA business AMS will only submit a collection for degree of influence the results are likely
hours or they can be viewed at approval under this generic clearance if to have, such collections may still be
www.regulations.gov. it meets the following conditions: eligible for submission for other generic
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: • The collection is voluntary; mechanisms that are designed to yield
Contact Marylin Pish, Legislative & • The collection is low-burden for quantitative results.
Regulatory Review Staff, Agricultural respondents (based on considerations of As a general matter, this information
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of total burden hours, total number of collection will not result in any new

VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:23 Feb 24, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\27FEN1.SGM 27FEN1

Document Created: 2017-02-25 01:05:49
Document Modified: 2017-02-25 01:05:49

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		Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.
Dates		All comments received by April 28, 2017 will be considered.
Contact		Contact Marylin Pish, Legislative & Regulatory Review Staff, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0202, Room 3943-S, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 580-9971. Fax: (202) 690-3767. Email: [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 11891

82 FR 11891 - Notice of Request for a Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection: Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAgricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 37 (February 27, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service