05-3599. Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Customer Satisfaction Surveys (Fast-Track Recall Survey, Ombudsman Survey, State Partner Survey, Hotline Survey, Web Site Survey, and Clearinghouse Survey)

AGENCY:

Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) (PRA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requests comments on a proposed request for an extension of its PRA approval to conduct surveys to determine customers' level of satisfaction with existing services. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES:

Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary not later than April 26, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be captioned “Customer Satisfaction Surveys” and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered to the attention of that office, room 419, North Tower, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Written comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile at [phone] or by e-mail at [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information about this proposed extension of approval of the collection of information, or to obtain a copy of the questions to be used for this collection of information, call or write Linda L. Glatz, Management and Program Analyst, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

OMB has approved CPSC information collection activity using customer satisfaction surveys, OMB Control No. 0341-0128. CPSC seeks extension of that approval, for six customer satisfaction surveys to determine the kind and quality of services CPSC customers want and customers' level of satisfaction with existing services. “Customers” of CPSC include any individual or entity interested in or affected by agency activities. These would include, but not be limited to: (1) Consumers that telephone the Hotline or access the CPSC web-site via the internet to report product-related incidents, or to obtain information; (2) consumers, industry members, or others that contact the National Injury Information Clearinghouse for information; (3) State representatives who work with CPSC on cooperative programs; (4) firms that use CPSC's Fast-Track Product Recall Program to report and simultaneously propose satisfactory product recall plans; and (5) small businesses that seek information or assistance from the CPSC's small business ombudsman.

These customer surveys are used by the CPSC Office of Planning and Evaluation to prepare sections of the agency's annual performance plan and accountability report in accordance with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. The information from the surveys will provide measures of the quality and effectiveness of agency efforts related to three goals in its strategic plan: informing the public, industry services, and customer satisfaction. If this information is not collected, the Commission would not have the means to measure its effectiveness in providing useful services to consumers and others, and lack information necessary to guide program development.

B. Estimated Burden

The surveys will be conducted by in-house staff through internet, telephone, or in writing. The CPSC staff may: (1) Conduct customer service follow-up queries with a sample of telephone Hotline callers; (2) survey a sample of firms that use Fast-Track Product Recall and Ombudsman Programs to assess their views and suggestions for improvements in the services aspects of the program; (3) conduct a sample survey of state partners and customers of the National Injury Information Clearinghouse; and (4) obtain Web-base survey information on customer satisfaction with the agency's web site. Fewer than 6 customer surveys or information collection activities a year would be conducted using this clearance.

The Commission staff estimates the number of annual respondents to be about 745. The anticipated sources and respondents for surveys conducted over a three-year period include:

Hotline	1,000
National Injury Information Clearinghouse	300
Small Businesses	200
State Partners	54
Web Site	500
Fast Track Product Recall Program	180
Total	2,234

The average time needed for each response is estimated at 4 minutes. Thus, the annual time burden would be about 2,980 (4 × 745) minutes or 50 hours. Using $23.41 an hour (the average hourly wage for all private industry workers, according to the June 2004 Department of Labor private industry employer compensation costs) times 50 hours, the cost would be negligible (a total of about $1,170 per year).

C. Requests for Comments

The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed extension. The Commission specifically seeks information relevant to the following topics:

—Whether the surveys described above are necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility;

—Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collections are accurate;

—Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and

—Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology.

Dated: February 18, 2005.

Todd Stevenson,

Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.