2017-24492. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Voluntary Partner Surveys To Implement Executive Order 12862 in the Health Resources and Services Administration,...

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES:

Comments on this ICR must be received no later than January 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to [e-mail] or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, 14N39, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, email [e-mail] or call Lisa Wright-Solomon, the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the information request collection title for reference, in compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Information Collection Request Title: Voluntary Partner Surveys to Implement Executive Order 12862 in the Health Resources and Services Administration OMB No. 0915-0212—Extension.

Abstract: In response to Executive Order 12862, HRSA is proposing to conduct voluntary customer surveys of its partners to assess strengths and weaknesses in program services and processes. HRSA partners are typically state or local governments, health care facilities, health care consortia, health care providers, and researchers. HRSA is requesting continued approval for a generic clearance from OMB to conduct the partner surveys.

Partner surveys to be conducted by HRSA might include, for example, mail or telephone surveys of grantees to determine satisfaction with grant processes or technical assistance provided by a contractor, or in-class evaluation forms completed by providers who receive training from HRSA grantees to measure satisfaction with the training experience. HRSA will use the results of these surveys to plan and redirect resources and efforts as needed to improve services and processes.

HRSA may also use focus groups to gain partner input into the design of mail and telephone surveys. Focus groups, in-class evaluation forms, mail surveys, and telephone surveys are expected to be the preferred data collection methods.

A generic approval allows HRSA to conduct a limited number of partner surveys without a full-scale OMB review of each survey. If this request receives continued approval, information on each individual partner survey will not be published in the Federal Register.

Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this ICR are summarized in the table below.

Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

Form name	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Total responses	Average burden per response (in hours)	Total burden hours
In-class evaluations	40,000	1	40,000	.05	2,000
Mail/Telephone surveys	12,000	1	12,000	.25	3,000
Focus groups	250	1	250	1.5	375
Total	52,250		52,250		5,375

HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

Amy McNulty,

Acting Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.