Jones and NOAA awards ss 091409 Part B

SUPPORTING STATEMENT
Jones and NOAA Awards Nominations
OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-xxxx

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any
sampling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities
(e.g. establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the
universe and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation
must also include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has
been conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.
The Call for Nominations will be sent to a mailing list of approximately 750 NOAA constituents,
including NOAA leadership, state partner coastal zone and research reserve program agencies,
National Marine Sanctuary managers, Sea Grant College Directors, National Estuary Program
directors, Members of Congress, Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee members,
and other interested individuals. In previous Call for Nomination solicitations, generally fewer
than 25 nominations are received in total.
2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for
stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy
needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring
specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data
collection cycles to reduce burden.
The target list of respondents is a census of NOAA leadership and constituents at a certain level
of each program listed in Question 1. Awards are made based on review of the content of the
received nominations, all of which contain the same types of information, following the format
of the call.
3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse.
The accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for
the intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be
provided if they will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe
studied.
Following the Call for Nominations mailing, follow-up emails are sent to group lists. In
addition, Call for Nomination notices are placed in such locations as the NOAA website and in
weekly/monthly publications of key stakeholders, including Coastal States Organization,
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, The Coastal Society, and Consortium on Ocean
Leadership. All nominations are reviewed on the bases of their merits; there is no attempt made
to claim that the nominators are representative of the complete list of those receiving the notices,
or that nominations are representative of all possible candidates.

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4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as
effective means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB
must give prior approval.
Not applicable.
5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical
aspects of the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other
person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.
Patmarie S. Nedelka, NOAA, NOS, OCRM, NPED, 301-563-1127 will collect all responses and
analyze reviewers’ comments in order to make winner selections.

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