Supporting_Statementrev

Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS)

Registration Module

Request for Approval of a New Data Collection

July 2010

Contact:

Paulette Ford-Knights

Office of Policy and Planning

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road, N.E., MS C-12

Atlanta, Georgia 30333

Phone: (404) 639-4895

Fax: (404) 248-4146

Email: pbf7@cdc.gov

Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS)

Registration Module

CDC is requesting a three year OMB approval for a new data collection. This request is an effort to improve the Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS) by adding a new registration module component to the current EARS application.

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

The EARS registration module is a much-needed improvement to the current EARS application and download website. This registration will allow CDC to track their current users and organizations to assist in future needs assessments. In addition, requiring the users to register will provide CDC with contact information (email addresses) to use for broadcast emails regarding future releases and/or user surveys.

The Early Aberration Reporting System is a web-enabled tool that analyzes public health surveillance data using methods that detect abnormal trends that could possibly indicate an outbreak of infectious disease. EARS was the first software platform to support local syndromic surveillance systems. EARS has been designed and used to monitor syndromic data from emergency departments, 911 calls, physician office data, school and business absenteeism, over-the-counter drug sales, laboratory testing and results data and reportable disease surveillance systems. In the past several years, EARS systems have been integral in the local public health surveillance arsenal. Today, EARS is a highly successful and sustainable system and has over 200 users at the Federal, State, local, and international levels.

This study is authorized under the Public Health Service Act, (42 USC 241) Section 301. A copy is included in the attachments (Attachment A)

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

To support two of CDC’s main priority areas: (1) Improving CDC’s support for state and local health departments, and (2) strengthening surveillance and epidemiology, CDC is requesting approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to improve the Early Aberration Reporting System (EARS) by collecting data from individuals who

request a download of EARS from the CDC website.

In an effort to continue to improve and enhance EARS, the collection of registration information is needed to track users and organizations to assist in future needs assessments. Requiring the users to register will provide CDC with contact information (i.e., e-mail addresses) to use for broadcast e-mails regarding new releases for upgrades and enhancements; track the number of users, the download frequency, and the type of data that users will monitor with EARS; and solicit users for feedback for future upgrades and enhancements.

The registration will only be required one time, at the time the user downloads the application. The registration information is only to be used for tracking purposes as well as any broadcast messages to be sent regarding future releases and receive feedback from users for future upgrades and enhancement.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

The registration module will be a new component to the current EARS application. The electronic registration form will be required for all users before the EARS application is downloaded. The data collected during the electronic registration form submission will be stored in a SQL database. This database is stored on CDC servers and will only be used for user tracking and/or broadcast messages regarding future application releases and/or user surveys.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

EARS has never requested any information in the project’s history. There is no duplication of efforts or work.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

This is a one- time registration collected before the application download. The questions have been held to the absolute minimum required for the intended use of the data.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

This request is a one registration submission, so there are no legal obstacles to reduce the burden.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

The information collection activity fully complies with the Guidelines 5 CFR 1320.5. There are no special circumstances related to the Electronic Registration.

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency

The 60-day Federal Register notice was published on May 5, 2010.

A. A 60-day Federal Register notice was published in the Federal Register on May 5, 2010, Volume 75, No. 86, pages 24705-24706 (Attachment B) No public comments were received.

B. CDC did not solicit the advice and help of internal CDC experts or persons outside the agency. The form will automatically launch when requesting a download. The incorporation of the registration form to the EARs website would be performed by outside contractors.

9. Explanations of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

There will be no gifts or payments to any respondents throughout this process.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

This data collection pertains to organizational or institutional information and business contact information in order to facilitate the registration process.

Privacy Impact Assessment Information

A. This collection is not subject to the privacy act as determined by the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) determination.

B. The registration information collected will be stored in database on a secure server within the MidTier Data Center (MTDC). The MDTC is secure server environment within the CDC firewall and is supported 24/7 (including file backups on a scheduled basis).

C. The respondent is informed on the EARS website that completion of the registration form is necessary to download the EARS application. The registration form will inform the respondent that their information will not be shared or distributed without their prior consent; however, in an effort to continue to improve and enhance EARS, the collection of registration information is needed to track users and organizations to assist in future needs assessments. Requiring the users to register will provide CDC with contact information (i.e., e-mail addresses) to use for broadcast e-mails regarding new releases for upgrades and enhancements; track the number of users, the download frequency, and the type of data that users will monitor with EARS; and solicit users for feedback for future upgrades and enhancements. (See Attachment E)

D. The respondent is informed on the EARS website that completion of the registration form is necessary to download the EARS application. Data will be treated in a secure manner and will not be disclosed, unless otherwise compelled by law.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

This registration and request to respondents contains no sensitive questions or information.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

A. Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours

The registration form consists of 5 sections of questions, which includes filling out the user’s name/organization, etc. CDC estimates that respondents will need 10 minutes to complete the registration form.

Respondents	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Burden per Respondent (in hours)	Total Burden (in hours)
Users	150	1	10/60	25
Total				25

B. The actual cost to the respondent’s organization will depend on the hourly wage of individual respondents. Although, the EARS application is used by a variety entities (i.e., organizations, groups, facilities, institutions, and businesses—both domestic and international), most of the users are within the United States and its territories (or- “domestic”). The majority of the users/respondents for EARS are epidemiologists. To estimate annualized burden costs, we have taken the average wage or median income of an epidemiologist, which is $31.00 per hour (according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics).

Respondents	Number of Respondents	Average Burden per Respondent	Total Burden (in hours)	Hourly Wage	Total Cost
Users (epidemiologists)	150	10/60	25	$31.00	$775

13. Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers

None.

14. Annualized Cost to the Government

The estimated cost to the Government is shown in the following table below. This table represents the support staff utilized to report, design, and develop the registration module.

	Quantification of Hours	Operational Cost
Developer	48	$3624
Project Manager	40	$2813
Epidemiologist	30	$1500
Total	118	$7937

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is new data collection.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

There are no plans to publish the results of registration. There may be new users starting to use this system throughout the year. Thus, it will be an ongoing process.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

The display of OMB expiration date would not be considered inappropriate.

18. Exceptions for Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to certification.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

This section is omitted because statistical methods are not used to select respondents. The registration module is a new component to the current EARS application. The electronic registration form will be required before the EARS download. The data collected during the electronic registration form submission will be stored in a SQL database. This database is stored on CDC servers and will only be used for user tracking and/or broadcast messages regarding future application releases and/or user surveys.

List of Attachments

A. Authorizing legislation

B. 60 day Federal Register Notice

C. 30 day Federal Register Notice

D. EARS Registration Form

E. Privacy Act Checklist

F. IRB Determination

G. Part I worksheet

H. Part II worksheet

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