The International Trade Administration
provides a multitude of international trade related programs to
help U.S. businesses. These programs include information products,
services, and trade events. To accomplish its mission effectively,
ITA needs ongoing feedback on its programs. This information
collection item allows ITA to solicit clients' opinions about the
use of ITA products, services, and trade events. To promote optimal
use and provide focused and effective improvements to ITA programs,
we are requesting approval for this clearance package; including:
use of Comment Cards (i.e. transactional-based surveys) to collect
feedback immediately after ITA assistance is provided to clients;
use of annual surveys (i.e. relationship-based surveys) to gauge
overall satisfaction, impact and needs for clients with ITA
assistance provided over a period time; use of multiple data
collection methods (i.e. web-enabled surveys sent via email,
telephone interviews, automated telephone surveys, and in-person
surveys via mobile devices/laptops/tablets at trade events/shows)
to enable clients to conveniently respond to requests for feedback;
and a forecast of burden hours. Without this information, ITA is
unable to systematically determine the actual and relative levels
of performance for its programs and products/services and to
provide clear, actionable insights for managerial intervention.
This information will be used for program evaluation and
improvement, strategic planning, allocation of resources and
stakeholder reporting.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.