0661 SS Part B 032116

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

EVALUATIONS OF COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT ACT PROGRAMS: STATE COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND NATIONAL

ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVES

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0661

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

This information collection does not employ statistical methods. However, two of the four information requests that are a part of this total information request package are in the form of surveys, so according to the OMB guidance for completion of this section, the following responses pertain to those two surveys only. The responses below do not pertain to the information requests for state coastal management program and reserve managers.

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.

One of the information requests to a manager whose CZMA program is being evaluated is to provide names and contact information for 20-30 stakeholders and partners with whom the program coordinated or collaborated on projects and activities. The manager should include at least one contact from each of 12 categories, if applicable. The OCM program specialist who works with the particular CZMA program will also provide names and contact information based on his/her knowledge of the program’s partners and stakeholders during the evaluation period. Each year, the respondent universe for the partner/stakeholder surveys will include 420 partners and stakeholders for 12 CZMA programs evaluated annually (an average of 35 partners and stakeholders per program, assuming some overlap between the program manager’s and OCM specialist’s submission of names). Because each of the partners and stakeholders chosen to respond to a survey coordinates or collaborates from a unique perspective with the program being evaluated, all will be asked to complete the survey, and OCM will send reminder e-mails to those not responding to achieve as close to a 100 percent response rate as possible. The overall response rate for stakeholders that have participated in a reserve or CMP survey is 53 percent.

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.

No statistical methodology has been applied to stratify either of the two surveys, there will be no sampling, and because the respondents are asked to provide opinions, the degree of accuracy is not relevant. Because each CZMA program will be evaluated approximately every five to six years, each partner/stakeholder survey will occur only once every five to six years for the partners and stakeholders of a single program.

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.

This information collection does not employ statistical methods. The survey has been designed to use the minimum number of questions necessary to solicit the respondent’s opinions. Since each of the partners and stakeholders chosen to respond to the survey coordinates or collaborates from a unique perspective with the program being evaluated, there will likely be one or more questions in the survey that do not apply to a particular respondent or which the respondent will not feel qualified to express an opinion. For example, a representative of a non-profit organization may have collaborated with a coastal management program on a particular project but has no involvement in the coastal permitting process. Therefore, the representative need not respond to permit questions.

The initial contact with both the reserve and coastal program partner/stakeholder survey participants will consist of an e-mail inviting participation, explaining the purpose of the survey, and providing a link to the survey instrument and instructions. The survey participants will have an approximately 15-day period during which to complete the web-based survey using survey software. Because of the unique perspective and collaboration of each partner/stakeholder, OCM will send up to two e-mail reminders to those not responding after 1 week and the day before the survey closes to achieve as close to a 100 percent response rate as possible.

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.

No additional tests of procedures or methods will be undertaken. Several questions have been refined and the number stakeholder questions narrowed, based on the experience of the OCM over the past three years.

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.

No statistical methods were used in the design of this information collection. At the time of this PRA submission, the people who will conduct evaluations are Carrie Hall, Ralph Cantral, Susie Holst, and Pam Kylstra who are OCM evaluators. Each evaluator assigned to conduct a particular program evaluation will administer the survey and use the information as one source to inform those particular program evaluation findings.

Agency contact information:

Carrie Hall, Program Analyst

Planning and Performance Management

NOAA Office for Coastal Management

1305 East-West Highway, N/OCM1

Silver Spring, MD 20910

240-533-0730

Carrie.Hall@noaa.gov