Supporting Statement A

Supporting Statement A

Customer Surveys Generic Clearance

for the

National Center for Health Statistics

Generic IC:

NCHS Website Users Customer Satisfaction Survey

OMB No. 0920-0729
(Expires May 31, 2017)

Contact Information

Kassi Webster

Office of Planning, Budget, and Legislation

National Center for Health Statistics

3311 Toledo Rd

Hyattsville MD 20782

301-458-4510

kwebster@cdc.gov

10/02/2014

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

On May 14, 2014, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) received OMB approval for Customer Surveys Generic Clearance (OMB No. 0920-0729, EXPIRES 5/31/2017) to conduct voluntary surveys to assess strengths in agency products and services and to obtain feedback on the development, implementation, and satisfaction regarding public health services, products, communication campaigns and information.

Under this approval, OMB has agreed to expedite generic IC review of proposals for data collections and OMB will generally review such requests within ten business days.

The specific generic IC project for this clearance is:

• Conduct a Customer Satisfaction Survey of NCHS website users

The Customer Satisfaction Survey of NCHS website users is an important component of the NCHS response to the OMB Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) initiative and efforts to evaluate our program’s effectiveness in achieving long-term performance goals.

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

NCHS places the highest priority on providing quality products and services to its customers. Results from this survey will be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in current products and services and to refine and improve them by implementing modifications that are practical and feasible. Information obtained will guide NCHS management in program planning.

Results from the web-based survey of customer satisfaction will be made available for the OMB Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) initiative and efforts to evaluate NCHS’ program effectiveness in achieving long-term performance goals.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

The NCHS website user survey will employ information technology to collect and analyze data. Respondents will submit their responses electronically; and these responses will be tallied electronically and put into a database by survey software. Electronic collection will minimize the burden on survey respondents and facilitate the most rapid processing of survey results. This, in turn, provides NCHS the quickest means for making improvements based on customer feedback.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

There are no current broad-based data available on customer satisfaction with NCHS products and services.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

In as much as a few small businesses may be included in the audience for some surveys, they should not be not adversely affected by the customer surveys. The number of questions will be held to the absolute minimum for the intended use of these data. Form design and the electronic data collection methodology will further minimize respondent burden.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

These surveys are appropriate vehicles to examine public perception of NCHS' ability to respond in a timely manner to the needs of its customers. Collection of information routinely and systematically enhances its utility in monitoring customer satisfaction and in identifying problems and needs so as to make changes and improve products and services. The planned survey is expected to be updated at selected intervals based upon any new information. There are no legal obstacles to reduce the burden.

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

There are no special circumstances.

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

1. Federal Register Notice

The 60-day notice for the ICR was published in the Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 227, October 25, 2013, pp. 7030270302. One public comment was received and the standard CDC response was sent.

2. Consultation

Only internal consultation will be involved in this project.

9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

This collection of information does not involve any payment or gift to respondents.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

An assurance of confidentiality is provided to all respondents according to section 308 (d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 242m) which states:

"No information, if an establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable, obtained in the course of activities undertaken or supported under section...306,...may be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which it was supplied unless such establishment or person has consented (as determined under regulations of the Secretary) to its use for such other purpose and (1) in the case of information obtained in the course of health statistical or epidemiological activities under section...306, such information may not be published or released in other form if the particular establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable unless such establishment or person has consented (as determined under regulations of the Secretary) to its publication or release in other form,..."

Privacy Impact Assessment

These data are covered under Privacy Act System of Records 09-20-0169, Users of Health Statistics. The NCHS IRB has determined that customer satisfaction surveys do not require their review and approval.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

There are no sensitive questions.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

Customer Satisfaction Survey of NCHS Website Users

For every 3 visitors to the NCHS website, one random person is selected. That person has to visit 3 pages that have the survey active consecutively within 10 minutes before they receive the survey popup request. The visitor will receive a pop-up window inviting him/her to participate in a NCHS Customer Satisfaction web survey (Attachment A). Those who agree will be provided with a link to the survey. The voluntary survey will run for a period of 3 to 6 months annually from 2014 to 2017. Based on previous information, there are an estimated 3,000,000 “hits” to the NCHS website over a 3 month period. However, given the participant selection criteria and that the vast majority selected do not participate in a web survey (based on past website user surveys). The expected percent to complete the survey is less than 1 percent. Because we anticipate being in the field for an unspecified time, we are asking for approval to collect 4,500 responses over the 3-year period. The average burden to complete the survey is 15 minutes for a total burden of 375 hours.

Table 1. Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours

Type of Respondent	Form Name	Number of Respondents	Number of responses/ respondent	Average Burden/ response (in hours)	Response Burden (in hours)
NCHS website-users	Web survey	1,500	1	15/60	375

The hourly wage rate of $22.33 per person is based on income from wages and salary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: http:// www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm. This wage rate for all persons was used since respondents do not fall into a single economic or occupational category.

Table 2. Cost Burden

Type of Respondent	Form Name	Number of Respondents	Total Annual Burden (in hours)	Avg. Hourly Wage	Total Respondent Cost
All web respondents	Web Survey	1,500	375	22.33	$8,374

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

There are no additional costs to the respondents. There are no costs other than their time to participate in the voluntary survey.

14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

The nominal cost for Survey Monkey is already included in an annual agency fee. It is expected that collecting and analyzing data from the survey will cost NCHS about $25,000. This includes software costs and staff time to create, monitor, and analyze the survey.

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is a generic IC. There are no program changes or adjustments.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Data collected will be analyzed to inform NCHS planning activities. The information is for internal use only. Summary data may be provided to OMB and DHHS; however no publications are planned. The NCHS Website Users survey will commence in Fall of each year (starting in 2014) and results will be available for the OMB Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) initiative (due in December of each year). This will inform efforts to evaluate NCHS’ program effectiveness in achieving long-term performance goals.

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

OMB Expiration Date will be displayed

18. Exemptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.

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