View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1660-0107	ICR Reference No: 201703-1660-002
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201409-1660-010
Agency/Subagency: DHS/FEMA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 09/26/2017
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 05/08/2017
Terms of Clearance: Agency clarified its use of the information collected. Agency also updated the burden tables.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	09/30/2020	36 Months From Approved	06/30/2018
Responses	7,604	0	12,749
Time Burden (Hours)	2,093	0	4,342
Cost Burden (Dollars)	11,664	0	0

Abstract: This collection of information enables the Agency to garner customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with our commitment to improving service delivery. The information collected from customers and stakeholders will help ensure that users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with the Agency's programs. 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.

Authorizing Statute(s): EO: EO 12862 Name/Subject of EO: Setting Customer Service Standards

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	81 FR 88696	12/08/2016
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	82 FR 12823	03/07/2017
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Annual Number of Responses	7,604	12,749	-200	-4,945
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	2,093	4,342	-198	-2,051
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	11,664	0	0	11,664

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: The previously approved collection was composed of one Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey that was administered a variety of methods (telephone, internet, fillable forms, mail, or fax). We were not able to administer the survey via a web link due to technical limitations. The software upgrade that enabled online administration outside the firewall was delayed. The survey software will be operational before the revised collection is approved, so the internet forms are included in the updated collection. The revised collection has the same purpose and assesses the same subject matter, but we have streamlined the process to reduce response burden and improve data validity. The updated collection is split into two short surveys with fewer overall questions. Instead of treating each disaster as a universe, we will survey on a monthly basis. The new sampling method will allow for easier respondent recall. Total Program Decrease to Burden Hours = 2,293 (current) – 4,341 (previous) = (-2,048 hours) The overall burden change for the Public Assistance Surveys is a program decrease. Previous universe estimations were based on years with extremely high disaster activity, whereas the current estimations are based on more variable data (years with high and low activity). Additionally, the current collection assumes a 70% response rate based on the current response rate and calculates burden hours accordingly, whereas the previous collection calculated burden hours for the entire universe. The number and length of questions have also decreased, even with the current collection having an additional survey. The universe of respondents was 12,740 in the previous collection. The current collection has a universe of 5,626 respondents, with some of those respondents being surveyed at two different time points. 15a) Change in Annual Hour Burden by Instrument: • PA Initial (Phone) is a new survey measure the previous collection did not have, with an increase in annual burden hours of: o 316 hours currently - 0 hours previously = (+316 hours). o Program increase due to new form. • PA Initial (Internet) is a new survey measure the previous collection did not have, with an increase in annual burden hours of: o 53 hours currently - 0 hours previously = (+53 hours). o Program increase due to new form. • PA Assessment (Phone) replaces Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey (Phone), with a change in annual burden hours of: o 372 hours currently - 2,600 hours previously = (- 2,228 hours). o Program decrease due to smaller samples, fewer and shorter questions, and less frequent sampling. • PA Assessment (Internet) replaces Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey (Web), with a change in annual burden hours of: o 72 hours currently - 413 hours previously = (-341 hours). o Program decrease due to smaller samples, fewer and shorter questions, and less frequent sampling. • The following methods will be discontinued in the new collection (Program decrease due to rarely used; online and telephone methods should be adequate): o Online Fillable: (-206 burden hours) o Fax: (-21 burden hours) o Mail: (-21 burden hours) • For qualitative interviews, annual burden hours are: o 1480 hours currently - 1080 hours previously = (+ 400 hours) o Program increase due to increases in types of information to be gathered. Public Assistance is currently revamping their program. The Public Assistance process is constantly evolving, and qualitative interviews add much needed flexibility when it comes to gaining insights into customer satisfaction with specific changes that aren’t captured in the surveys. Interviews are useful because it is sometimes difficult to gather enough respondents in a concentrated area to conduct Public Assistance Focus Groups. o Breakdown: Focus Groups: 1,080 currently - 1080 previously = (same). Interviews: 400 currently - 0 previously = (+400 hours).

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $697,526

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Sherina Greene 202 646-4343 sherina.greene@associates.dhs.gov

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion