Request for Approval

Request for Approval under the “DOI Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery”

OMB Control Number: 1090-0011

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Pre- and Post-Assessment of Youth’s Experiences in SoCal Urban Wildlife Refuge Project Programs

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the feedback is to inform future efforts to engage youth and adults in outdoor activities that directly or indirectly help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accomplish its conservation mission. Participation in nature-based recreation is a gateway to caring about the resources the Service and others help manage and conserve. Engaging new audiences in recreation and conservation is a priority for the Service and we are interested in learning how individuals participating in SoCal Urban Wildlife Refuge programs are connecting with the natural environment. This information will help Service leadership monitor and adjust its funded programs to best engage different communities based on their experiences and interests. It also is to comply with the Service’s 110 FW 1 Urban Wildlife Conservation Program Policy that requires that we continually evaluate our achievement of its objectives and modify practices to ensure success.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

Youth through adults participating in various education and conservation events led by FWS project partners throughout Southern California.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [x] Other: Customer experience survey

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The 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 future.

Name: Chantel Jimenez

To assist review, please provide answers to the following questions:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [X] No (If yes, please explain.)

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondents	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Individuals or households	700	10 min	117

FEDERAL COST: The estimated cost to the Federal government is $312 (rounded) (GS-11/05 fully burdened rate of $51.99 x 6 hours).

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ ] Yes [X] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan). If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them.

The universe of potential respondents are youth and adults participating in various education and conservation events led by FWS project partners throughout Southern California. Program leaders will administer the pre-survey to all participants when their program begins, and then again at the conclusion of the program. We will not collect any PII. We will not publish any specific statistics. However, we may prepare a presentation to FWS staff and partners to share the general results and what was learned about the quality of the programs in terms of providing valuable education and conservation experiences.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[x] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [X] No

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