[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 72638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33510]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 248 / Tuesday, December 28, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 72638]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
National Food and Agriculture Council (Service Center
Initiative); Notice of Request for Approval of Information Collection
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Service Center Initiative's (SCI) intention to
request approval for information collection. This information
collection consists of a limited customer survey in support of project
pilot development prior to national deployment. This support is part of
the Service Center reorganization authorized by the Federal Crop
Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of
1994 (Pub. L. 103-354)--the 1994 Act.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February
28, 2000 to be assured consideration.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Dave McSween, Senior
Financial Analyst, Business Case Team, Service Center Initiative, USDA,
5602 Sunnyside Avenue; Beltsville, MD 20505-5000; telephone (301) 504-
7554; e-mail: dave__mcsween@soza.com; or facsimile (301) 504-4103.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Customer Feedback from USDA Service Center Initiative Pilot
Sites.
OMB Control Number: Not assigned--this is a new request.
Expiration Date of Approval: Not assigned--this is a new request.
Abstract: This request is to conduct customer interviews as to the
quality, effectiveness, and utility of piloted projects. The 1994 Act
authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to reorganize the Department.
Within the goals and priorities of the National Partnership for
Reinventing Government, a business process reengineering initiative was
begun. USDA Service Centers nationwide are the backbone for providing
USDA programs to rural America. The Service Center agencies are: Farm
Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),
and Rural Development. Internal Department studies identified business
processes and information technology at the Service Centers as having
major deficiencies that impeded customer service. This Service Center
Initiative (SCI) was formed to spearhead changes in service delivery.
Nine national pilot sites were selected to be the test sites for
new processes. Criteria for selection of the pilot sites included
diversity of geographic, production, program and customer factors to
ensure the full range of USDA's customers, partners and programs were
represented. The nine pilot sites are: Snow Hill, MD; Okeechobee, FL;
Scottsburg, IN; Paola, KS; Abilene, TX; Sacramento, CA; The Dalles, OR;
Rolla, ND and Los Lunas, NM. As a result of business area analysis,
specific projects were chartered to test new ideas at the pilot sites
prior to nationwide deployment. The evaluation of the projects is
scheduled to include internal USDA process savings and customer
benefits. The Service Centers exist to provide customer service. There
is no substitute for the opportunity to speak with customers and
receive their candid thoughts on how well a specific project did or did
not meet their needs. Without this information, projects may be
deployed to 2500 Service Centers nationwide that do not meet basic
customer requirements.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
Respondents: Service Center customers and partners.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.0.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 400 hours.
Proposed topics for comment include: (a) whether the information to
be collected is necessary for the proper performance of the agency's
functions, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to
enhance the clarity, quality, and usefulness of the information to be
collected; or (d) ways to minimize further the burden of information
collection for those who respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments must be sent to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC and to Dave McSween, Senior Financial Analyst, Business
Case Team, Service Center Initiative, USDA, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue;
Beltsville, MD 20705-5000; telephone (301) 504-7445; e-mail:
dave__mcsween@soza.com; or facsimile (301) 504-4103.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Signed at Washington, DC on December 16, 1999.
Greg Carnill,
Executive Officer, National Food and Agriculture Council.
[FR Doc. 99-33510 Filed 12-27-99 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-VS-M
