[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3030-3031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1353]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting
comments concerning the proposed three-year extension of existing form
DOE-887, ``Department of Energy Customer Surveys.''
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 24, 1997.
If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it
difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice,
you should advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so
as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Herbert T. Miller, Office of Statistical
Standards, EI-73, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy,
Washington, D.C. 20585, (Phone 202-426-1103, FAX 202- 426-1081, or e-
mail hmiller@eia.doe.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information should be
directed to Herbert Miller at the address listed above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments
I. Background
In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275) and the Department of
Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), the Energy Information
Administration is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, and
unified energy data and information program. As part of this program,
EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates data and
information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand,
and technology, and related economic and statistical information
relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the
near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.
The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey
consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal
agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing
reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can
be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized,
reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Also, EIA will
later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, Title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).
On September 11, 1993, the President signed Executive Order No.
12862 aimed at ``* * * ensuring the Federal government provides the
highest quality service possible to the American people.'' The Order
discusses surveys as a means for determining the kinds and qualities of
service desired by Federal Government customers and for determining
satisfaction levels for existing services. These voluntary customer
surveys will be used to ascertain customer satisfaction with the
Department of Energy in terms of services and products. Respondents
will be individuals and organizations that are the recipients of the
Department's services and products. Previous customer surveys have
provided useful information to the Department for assessing how well
the Department is delivering its services and products and for making
improvements. The results are used internally and summaries are
provided to the Office of Management and Budget on an annual basis, and
are used to satisfy the requirements and the spirit of Executive Order
No. 12862.
II. Current Actions
The request to OMB will be for a three-year extension of the
expiration date of approval for DOE to conduct customer surveys. During
the past clearance cycle, over 20 customer surveys have been conducted
by telephone and mail. (Examples of previously conducted customer
surveys are available upon request.) Our planned activities in the next
3 fiscal years reflect our increased emphasis on and expansion of these
activities, including an increased use of electronic means for
obtaining customer input (CD-ROM and World Wide Web).
III. Request for Comments
Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are
provided to assist in the preparation of responses.
General Issues
A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary, taking into
account its accuracy, adequacy, and reliability, and the agency's
ability to process the information it collects in a useful and timely
fashion?
B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected?
As a Potential Respondent
A. Average public reporting burden for a customer survey is
estimated to be .25 hours per response (8,333 respondents per year x 15
minutes per response = 2,083 hours annually). Burden includes the total
time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain,
retain, or disclose or provide the information including: (1) reviewing
instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating,
verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing
information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training
personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) searching data
sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of information;
and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information.
Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the
agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information,
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
B. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection.
What is the estimated (1) total dollar amount annualized for capital
and start-up costs and (2) recurring annual dollar amount of operation
and maintenance and purchase of services costs associated with this
data collection? The estimates should take into account the costs
associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing
the information.
[[Page 3031]]
C. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that
collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data
element(s), and the methods of collection.
As a Potential User
A. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so,
what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also
will become a matter of public record.
Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).
Issued in Washington, DC on January 13, 1997.
Yvonne M. Bishop,
Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 97-1353 Filed 1-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
