[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 192 (Monday, October 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53400-53401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26592]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
RIN 1904-AA67
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub.
L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Office of Codes and Standards
(OCS) in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the
proposed information collection. OCS is soliciting
[[Page 53401]]
comments concerning the collecting of consumer data to determine the
value consumers place on clothes washer attributes, such as cycle
options, door placement, temperature options, etc. The information
collection request describes the nature of the information collection
and the expected burden and cost.
DATES: Consideration will be given to comments submitted by December 4,
1998.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to: Department of Energy,
Attn: Bryan Berringer, Office of Codes and Standards (EE-43), 1J-018/
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20585-
0121.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Berringer, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Forrestal
Building, Mail Station EE-431, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-0371, E-mail:
[email protected]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Collection title: Proposed Clothes Washer Consumer Impact Analysis.
OMB Number: None.
Form Number: N/A.
Abstract: OCS is collecting consumer data to determine the value
consumers place on clothes washer attributes, such as cycle options,
door placement, temperature options, etc. Legislation requires that
``the Secretary consider, among other factors, * * * if any lessening
of the utility or performance of the products is likely to result from
the imposition of the standard,'' (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(I)(IV)). OCS
will analyze the data to determine if the new efficiency standard
negatively impacts any of the attributes highly valued by consumers.
OCS will hire a marketing research firm that will collect clothes
washer consumer data in a two-phase process. In the first phase, the
research firm will interview 10 focus groups comprised of 8-10
individuals (sample of 100 respondents) to be held at five different
geographic sites in the United States (the exact sites for holding the
focus groups has yet to be determined). The focus groups will refine
the initial list of 32 clothes washer attributes that were developed by
OCS with input from manufacturers, trade groups, and other
stakeholders. The goal is to refine the initial list to 8-12 attributes
for use in a conjoint analysis survey that will be given to a
representative sample of 500 respondents at five sites in the United
States (sites-to-be-determined). Conjoint analysis is a method that
permits OCS to identify the value a respondent places on a particular
attribute of a clothes washer. This utility analysis is accomplished
through a trade-off procedure in which the respondents are asked to
give up various attribute levels to achieve other attribute levels. The
attributes data are collected through personal interviews with the
respondents interacting with a pre-programmed microcomputer. A company
that specializes in conjoint analysis will be hired to complete the
survey and provide a report to OCS summarizing the findings. Survey
respondents will be obtained through intercepts in shopping malls.
Current Actions: OCS is proposing a new information collection and
is requesting comment on the proposal.
Type of request: Approval of new collection.
Type of respondents: Individuals or households.
Estimated number of respondents: 600.
Estimated burden hours per respondent: 2 hours.
Frequency of response: 1.
Estimated total reporting burden: 1,200 hours.
Estimate cost burden to respondents: No monetary burden.
Request for comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice
will be summarized and/or included in the request for the Office of
Management and Budget's (OMB) approval. All comments will become a
matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (1) whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of OCS; (2) proposed method for
determining the value consumers place on clothes washer attributes; and
(3) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 1998.
Dan W. Reicher,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 98-26592 Filed 10-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
