2017-27027. Guidance for Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Generic Clearance for the Collection of Pilot and Test Data

AGENCY:

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

ACTION:

Guidance for CNCS Notices, with request for comments.

SUMMARY:

CNCS is submitting the below information for future CNCS Federal Register Notices in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, OMB is coordinating the development of the following proposed Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Pilot and Test Data” for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This notice announces that CNCS intends to submit collections to OMB for approval and solicit comments on specific aspects for the proposed information collection.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted January 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the information collection activity, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for CNCS, by any of the following two methods within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register:

(1) By fax to: 202-395-6974, Attention: Ms. Sharon Mar, OMB Desk Officer for CNCS; and

(2) Electronically by email to: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information, please contact Amy Borgstrom, Associate Director of Policy, at 202-606-6930 or email to [e-mail]. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call 1-800-833-3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Pilot and Test Data.

Abstract: This is a new information collection. The information collection activity will enable pilot testing of survey instruments in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the Administration's commitment to improving service delivery. By pilot testing we mean information that provides useful insights on how respondents interact with the instrument, but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of study. This feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences and expectations regarding prospective studies. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of research program management.

The Agency will only submit a collection for approval under this generic clearance if it meets the following conditions:

• The collections are voluntary;
• The collections are low-burden for respondents (based on considerations of total burden hours, total number of respondents, or burden-hours per respondent) and are low-cost for both the respondents and the Federal Government;
• The collections are non-controversial and do not raise issues of concern to other Federal agencies;
• Any collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the near future;
• Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected only to the extent necessary and is not retained;
• Information gathered will be used only internally for general service improvement and program management purposes and is not intended for release outside of the agency;
• Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions; and
• Information gathered will yield qualitative information; the collections will not be designed or expected to yield statistically reliable results or used as though the results are generalizable to the population of study.

Feedback collected under this generic clearance provides useful information, but it does not yield data that can be generalized to the overall population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative information will not be used for quantitative information collections that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as monitoring trends over time or documenting program performance. Such data uses require more rigorous designs that address the target population to which generalizations will be made, the sampling frame, the sample design (including stratification and clustering), the precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing potential non-response bias, the protocols for data collection, and any testing procedures that were or will be undertaken prior to fielding the study. Depending on the degree of influence the results are likely to have, such collections may still be eligible for submission for other generic mechanisms that are designed to yield quantitative results.

As a general matter, information collections will not result in any new system of records containing privacy information and will not ask questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

No comments were received in response to the 60-day notice published in the Federal Register of March 5, 2014 (79 FR 12495).

Current Actions: New collection of information.

Type of Review: New Collection.

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

Average Expected Annual Number of Activities: 10.

Respondents: 350.

Annual responses: 350.

Frequency of Response: Once per request.

Average minutes per response: 30.

Burden hours: 10,500.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget Control Number.

Dated: December 11, 2017.

Mary Hyde,

Director, Research and Evaluation.