SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to provide 60 days' notice to the public to allow comment on information collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities. See44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically, FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. See44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1).

FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, comments received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens; (2) organize information collection requirements in a “user-friendly” format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. See44 U.S.C. 3501.

The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB clearance as the PRA requires:

Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service.

OMB Control Number: 2130-0593.

Abstract: This collection of information is necessary to enable FRA to garner customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient and timely manner, consistent with its commitment to improving service delivery. The information collected from FRA's customers and stakeholders will help ensure users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with FRA's programs. This feedback will provide insights into customer and stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and expectations; provide an early indicator of issues with service; and focus attention on areas where communication, training, or changes in operations might improve delivery of products or services. This collection will allow ongoing, collaborative, and actionable communications between FRA and its customers and stakeholders. It also allows feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of program management. If this information is not collected, vital feedback from customers and stakeholders on FRA's services will be unavailable.

Improving FRA's programs requires ongoing assessment of service delivery. FRA will collect, analyze, and interpret information gathered through this generic clearance to identify strengths and weaknesses of current services and make improvements to service delivery ( printed page 21862) based on feedback. The solicitation of feedback will target areas such as timeliness, appropriateness, information accuracy, courtesy, service delivery efficiency, and issue resolution. FRA will assess responses to plan and inform efforts seeking to improve the quality of service offered to customers and stakeholders, including the public. FRA will only submit a collection for approval under this generic clearance under the following conditions:

• The information gathered is only used internally for general service improvement and program management purposes and is not intended for public release;
• The information gathered is not used to inform substantially significant policy decisions;
• The information gathered will yield qualitative information. FRA will not design the collection or expect it to yield statistically reliable results or use it as though the results are generalizable to the study population;
• Participation in 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 directed to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program soon after receiving the collection; and
• With the exception of information needed to provide remuneration for focus group participants and cognitive laboratory studies, personally identifiable information (PII) is collected only to the extent necessary and is not retained by FRA.

In this 60-day notice, FRA made no changes to the previously approved burden hours or responses.

Type of Request: Extension without change of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Businesses and Organizations; State, Local or Tribal Governments.

Form(s): N/A.

Respondent Universe: 5,750.

Frequency of Submission: Once per request.

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 5,750.

Total Estimated Annual Burden: 475 hours.

FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control number.

(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.)

91 FR 21861