RSEI Justification

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 2010-0042)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:

Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) tool User Analysis

PURPOSE:

The RSEI tool is available to users as a publicly available downloadable software and database that supports environmental risk screening by providing estimates of relative risk for chemicals and facilities. The data is also available as RSEI-generated data, also called Geographic Microdata, for advanced users. OEI is interested in an analysis of user perspectives on the model to understand user needs and experience with the model.

This customer satisfaction survey will focus on the extent to which users are satisfied with the current performance of the tool in terms of understandability, user friendliness, transparency of model results, timeliness of model updates, and usefulness of supporting materials (e.g., user guide). The survey will also explore specific user needs such as the user’s preferred time frame for RSEI updates, barriers to use of the tool, and other information gaps. Finally, the survey will provide an opportunity for respondents to make specific suggestions for improvement. The survey will be web-based (using the survey software Vovici¹) and potential respondents will be provided with a link to the survey.

The results of the survey will be used to inform EPA about the user community perceptions of the usefulness and value of the current model, and desired future updates and improvements.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The respondents will be users of the RSEI tool and RSEI-generated data. The user community is concentrated in government agencies but also includes community groups, private industry, academia and non-profit organizations.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

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

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

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

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: Wayne Davis, Office of Environmental Information

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

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 [X] No

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

Gifts or Payments:

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

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
State/Local/Tribal Government	30	15 minutes	450
Private Industry	60	15 minutes	900
Academia	60	15 minutes	900
Community Groups	15	15 minutes	225
Non-profit organizations	5	15 minutes	75
Totals	170	15 minutes2	2,550 minutes (42.5hours)

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is __$7,500______

This is an estimated federal contractor cost for preparation and administration of the survey.

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?

EPA will use an initial customer list of current users of the model and plans to provide the survey to the entire universe of potential respondents; no sampling will be used. To supplement the initial list of customers EPA will provide a link to the survey on their website. The survey will be open to all users of the RSEI model who wish to participate.

Administration of the Instrument

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

[X] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

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

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

1 Vovici is the survey software provided as part of the Verint EFM Feedback product. More information may be found here: http://www.verint.com/solutions/enterprise-workforce-optimization/products/enterprise-feedback-management/index

2The participation time was estimated using a method developed by Versta Research. Available here: http://www.verstaresearch.com/newsletters/how-to-estimate-the-length-of-a-survey.html

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