Eia-882t Ssa 1.18.2022_final

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Supporting Statement for Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing and Research

1. Part A: Justification

EIA-882T

OMB No. 1905-0186

U.S. Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

Independent Statistics & Analysis

www.eia.gov

January, 2022

Table of Contents

Part A: Justification i

Introduction 2

A.1. Legal Justification 2

A.2. Needs and Uses of Data 4

A.3. Use of Technology 13

A.4. Efforts to Identify Duplication 14

A.5. Provisions for Reducing Burden on Small Businesses 14

A.6. Consequences of Less-Frequent Reporting 14

A.7. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.5 15

A.8. Summary of Consultations Outside of the Agency 15

A.9. Payments or Gifts to Respondents 15

A.10. Provisions for Protection of Information 15

A.11. Justification for Sensitive Questions 16

A.12. Estimate of Respondent Burden Hours and Cost 16

A.13. Annual Cost to the Federal Government 17

A.14. Changes in Burden 17

A.16. Collection, Tabulation, and Publication Plans 18

A.17. OMB Number and Expiration Date 18

A.18. Certification Statement 18

EIA-882T, Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing and Research

Introduction

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. EIA is required to publish, and otherwise make available independent, high-quality statistical data to federal government agencies, state and local governments, the energy industry, researchers, and the general public.

EIA requests a three-year extension with changes for EIA-882T, “Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing and Research.” The EIA-882T allows EIA to conduct field testing of pilot surveys, cognitive interviews, respondent debriefings, usability interviews, field tests, focus groups, pretesting of questionnaires, and the validation of quality data that is collected on EIA survey forms. Through the use of these methodologies, EIA will improve the quality of data being collected, reduce or minimize respondent burden, increase agency efficiency, and improve responsiveness to the public’s need for relevant energy data.

Changes made:

1. EIA will add several other methodologies or techniques to improve survey design, pretest questionnaires and validate the quality of the data that are collected on EIA and DOE survey forms. The following are the new methodologies or techniques:

   1. Field Techniques

   2. Behavior Coding

   3. Split Panel Test (or A/B testing)

2. Research reports, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers

   1. From the collected data, EIA will have the ability to write research papers, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers. Summarized results may be released or discussed as experimental research in the types of publications. However, the information collected from these methodologies will not be released as official statistics and will explicitly note the experimental nature of the information.

3. Professional conferences

   1. EIA may present data collected from this research at various professional conferences. Professional conferences provide great opportunities to communicate EIA’s research to the broader energy, statistical and survey methodology communities and get feedback on completed research. This will help innovate not only EIA’s research and survey practices, but also that of these broader communities.

4. Audio and Video Recordings

   1. For qualitative interviews, EIA will ask potential respondents if they would be willing to be audio or video recorded. If potential respondents agree, EIA will provide them with an informed consent form, which respondents will sign to signify compliance. A copy of the signed consent will be given to the potential respondents and kept on file at EIA. Audio or video recording will only be used for data analysis, and only those researchers at EIA that are involved in the research will have access to these recordings. If potential respondents are not willing to be audio/video recorded, interviewer will bypass recording and take notes.

A.1. Legal Justification

The authority for this information collection is provided by the following general provisions:

1. Title 15 U.S. Code §772, which established the mandatory requirement of owners and operators of businesses in the U.S. to report energy supply and consumption data to the EIA Administrator.

2. Title 15 U.S. Code §764, which established the EIA Administrator’s powers to plan, direct, and conduct mandatory and voluntary energy programs that are designed and implemented in a fair and efficient manner. These powers include duties to collect, evaluate, assemble, and analyze energy information on U.S. reserves, production, demand, and related economic data, while obtaining the cooperation of business, labor, consumer, and other interests.

3. Title 15 U.S. Code §790a, which established the National Energy Information System (NEIS) that is the enclave containing the energy data collected by EIA, which allows EIA to describe and analyze energy supply and consumption in the U.S. NEIS allows EIA to perform statistical and forecasting activities to meet the needs of the U.S. Department of Energy and Congress, as well as the needs of the States to the extent required by the Natural Gas Act [Title 15 U.S. Code §717 et seq.] and the Federal Power Act [Title 16 U.S. Code §791a et seq.].

A.2. Needs and Uses of Data

EIA-882T, Generic Clearance for Questionnaire Testing and Research, allows EIA to adopt, and use state-of-the-art and multi-disciplinary research methods and software tools to improve and enhance the quality of EIA and DOE data collections. This clearance will also be used to aid in the development of new surveys. In addition, it will help ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. This authority would also allow EIA to improve data collection in order to meet the needs of EIA’s customers while also staying current in the evolving nature of the energy industry.

EIA will use a variety of survey improvement techniques as appropriate to the individual project being researched. These include pilot surveys, pretests/field tests, usability testing, cognitive interviews and focus groups.

The following methods are included in this clearance:

Pilot Surveys Pilot surveys conducted under this clearance will generally be methodological studies and will use statistically representative samples when appropriate. Pilot surveys will normally be utilized when EIA undertakes a complete redesign of a particular data collection methodology or when EIA undertakes data collection in new energy areas, such as Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids production, alternative fueled motor vehicles, battery storage for electric power production, and other emerging areas of the energy sector where data collection would provide utility to EIA. The pilot surveys may replicate all or some components of the methodological design, sampling procedures (where possible), and questionnaires of the full-scale survey. There may be circumstances when the full survey and all components of the methodological design are not needed for the pilot test and an abbreviated form may be substituted for conducting a pilot test. This occurs when EIA is testing the mode of reporting information such as a new online reporting system or utilizing new software. A pilot test may also be conducted before a large-scale collection in order to test and refine the implementation procedures for the full-scale survey. Another example is when EIA is conducting qualitative research and seeks to test a research protocol or the effectiveness of an approach for contacting potential volunteers and inviting them to participate.

Pretests/Field Tests EIA conducts pretests when developing new questions or new survey questionnaires to see how respondents answer questions, interpret terminology, and identify potential data quality problems. EIA may also conduct pretests to gather data to refine questionnaire items, response categories and scales, and assess reliability or validity of responses. In addition, EIA may use a field test or experiment (a study to compare the effects of two or more procedures or questionnaires) when planning a change in methodology, mode of data collection, or questions in an ongoing survey. This enables comparisons and often provides quantifiable data to decide among the different methods or questions to use. EIA may consider conducting a field test experiment on a representative sample to measure the effect of changing the sample design, the sampling frame, or any other change in methods or questions that impact the resulting estimates.

Qualitative Studies EIA uses qualitative studies for exploratory investigations in order to decide on the appropriate data collection mode, interview contact approach, or any other issue when little is known about a problem or the best approach to implement a data collection program. A qualitative study uses unstructured interviews, notes, or observations that are typically difficult to quantify. A variety of methods may be used in a qualitative study, including focus groups, unstructured interviews, or semi-structured interviews with “experts,” stakeholders, or other participants. Case studies may also be conducted. Typically, these methods attempt to obtain insights through the intensive study of a relatively small number of people, institutions, or establishments. Respondents are usually purposively chosen because of their knowledge, experience, or status. In a qualitative study different persons or entities may be chosen because they “represent” a particular kind of person, entity, or building establishment, but the sample is usually not representative—in a statistical sense—of any larger population. However, the obtained information may be very useful in generating hypotheses that can be tested more systematically with other methods such as quantitative surveys.

Cognitive Interviews Cognitive interviews are typically one-on-one interviews in which respondents are asked to "think aloud" or asked “retrospective questions” as they answer questions, read survey materials, define terminology, or complete other activities as part of a typical survey process. A number of different techniques may be involved including, asking respondents what specific words or phrases mean or asking respondents probing questions to determine how they estimate, calculate, or determine specific data elements on a survey. The objectives of these cognitive interviews are to identify problems of ambiguity or misunderstanding, explain their process for reporting information, or to identify other difficulties respondents have answering survey questions in order to reduce measurement error from estimates based on a survey. Respondent debriefings conducted under this clearance will generally be methodological or cognitive research studies. The debriefing form is administered after a respondent completes a questionnaire either in paper format, electronically, or through in-person interviews. The debriefings contain probing questions to determine how respondents interpret the survey questions, how much time and effort was spent completing the questionnaire, and whether they have problems in completing the survey/questionnaire. Respondent debriefings also are useful in determining potential issues with data quality and in estimating respondent burden.

Usability Testing Usability tests are similar to cognitive interviews in which a respondent is typically asked to “think aloud” or asked “retrospective questions” as he or she reviews an electronic questionnaire, website, visual aid, or hard copy survey form. The objective of usability testing is to check that respondents can easily and intuitively navigate electronic survey collection programs, websites, and other survey instruments/materials to submit their data to EIA.

Focus Groups Focus groups, involve group sessions guided by a moderator who follows a topic guide containing questions or subjects focused on a particular issue rather than adhering to a standardized protocol. Focus groups are useful for exploring issues with from a specific group of respondents, data users, or other stakeholders of EIA data.

Field Techniques Field techniques described in survey research and survey methodology literature will be employed as appropriate. These include follow-up probing, memory cue tasks, paraphrasing, confidence rating, response latency measurements, free and dimensional sort classification tasks, and vignette classifications. The objective of all of these techniques is to aid in the development of surveys that work with respondents’ thought processes, thus reducing response error and burden. These techniques have also proven useful for studying and revising pre-existing questionnaires.

Behavior Coding Behavior coding is a quantitative technique in which a standard set of codes is systematically applied to respondent / interviewer interactions in interviewer-administered surveys or respondent / questionnaire interactions in self-administered surveys. The advantage of this technique is that it can identify and quantify problems with the wording or ordering of questions, but the disadvantage is that it does not necessarily illuminate the underlying causes.

Split Panel Tests (A/B Testing) Split panel tests, or A/B testing, refer to controlled experimental testing of alternative hypotheses. Thus, they allow one to choose from among competing questions, questionnaires, definitions, error messages or survey improvement methodologies with greater confidence than any of the other methods. Split panel tests conducted during the fielding of the survey are superior in that they can support both internal validity (controlled comparisons of the variable(s) under investigation) and external validity (represent the population under study). Most of the previously mentioned survey improvement methods can be strengthened when teamed with this method.

The information gathered will be used to modify and develop better questionnaires and data collection procedures. The end result will be improvements in the quality of data being collected by EIA, reduction or minimization of respondent burden, increased agency efficiency, and improved responsiveness to the public. Additionally, the information collected may be used to develop research reports, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers. The results of this research may also be prepared for presentation at professional conferences, internally at DOE and to other federal agencies.

During the past three years, EIA has used this clearance for a variety of studies including:

Coal Survey Program (Forms EIA-3, EIA-7A, and EIA-8A)

June 2019

The Office of Energy Production, Conversion and Delivery sought to determine if operators of surface coal mines were able to report the annual stripping ratio of a mine on Form EIA-7A Annual Survey of Coal Production and Preparation. The stripping ratio is one measure of the productivity of a mining operation. Furthermore, EIA was interested in validating the reporting burden per response for Form EIA-7A. EIA interviewed 16 participants that filed a total of 108 Form EIA-7A reports in 2018 from Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Wyoming, Montana, Maryland, Alaska, and New Mexico. The findings showed that participants were able to report the annual stripping ratio of a mine. Participants stated that they track the ratio of the amount of soil and rock removed to the amount of coal recovered. The term stripping ratio did not have a common meaning among participants when describing this productivity measure. Participants were familiar with the term stripping ratio but also used other terms such as, mining ratio, overburden ratio, and strip ratio in their regular course of business. Even though the cognitive study provided useful and insightful information, EIA is not proposing a change to Form EIA-7A at this time.

Natural Gas Data Collection Program (Forms EIA-176, EIA-191, EIA-191L, EIA-757, EIA-857, EIA-910, EIA-912)

November 2019

EIA conducted a cognitive research project during October through December 2019 involving eight participants to collect feedback on the proposed changes to Form EIA-191, Monthly Underground Gas Storage Survey. The participants of this cognitive research project included several LNG peak shaving facilities and marine terminals, and included several phone interviews and two in-person interviews. This research project confirmed the viability of monthly data collection of storage stocks from LNG facilities, as all facilities confirmed ability to reasonably report requested storage data, and with a burden estimate close to that of the current EIA-191.

Residential Energy Consumption Surveys (Forms EIA-457A, EIA-457D, EIA-457E, EIA-457F, EIA-457G)

March 2020

EIA’s survey contractor conducted cognitive interviews and online pretesting for the 2020 RECS Household Survey. This pretesting took place across two rounds during February and March 2020. In total, 30 in-person cognitive interviews and 720 online pretests were completed. The focus of this pretesting effort was on potential new and revised questions. A variety of topical areas were covered in the pretests, including square footage, cooking appliances, heating and cooling equipment, TVs and computers, and lighting. Several questions or series of questions were revised and/or reordered including square footage, air conditioning, and lighting. Questions and series of questions also added to instrument including EV charging, TV and peripheral viewing habits, and vacancy. Graphics were also tested and eventually added to the instruments to help respondents identify main heating equipment.

Uranium Data Program (Forms EIA-851A, EIA-851Q, EIA-858)

March 2020

The Survey Development and Administration Team (SDAT) conducted cognitive interviews to assess respondents’ understanding of the current data protection pledge and test their reactions to changing the confidentiality pledge. EIA sent email invitations to active respondents reporting on Form EIA-851A and requested their participation in a 15-minute telephone interview. The email invitations to participate in the cognitive interviews resulted in five interviews and one email response. The research objectives were:

• Assess respondents’ concerns regarding a change in the data protection policy from CIPSEA protection to FOIA exemptions for respondents reporting on Form EIA-851A and Form EIA-851Q.

• Assess whether respondents have concerns with no data protection and EIA publishing company level data.

• Provide an updated estimate of the burden for respondents that report on Form EIA-851A and Form EIA-851Q.

Results of the study showed that five participants did not have concerns for EIA changing the data protection policy from CIPSEA to FOIA exemptions. These participants report for publicly traded companies that also report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). One participant, who represents a privately-owned company, expressed concerns about changing the data protection policy. This participant was concerned that even though the industry is shrinking, there is competition in the market and therefore they did not want their information publicly disclosed.

Regarding burden for respondents, participants on average took 88 minutes to complete Form EIA-851A and 66 minutes to complete Form EIA-851Q. Furthermore, the majority of participants indicated that the information reported to EIA is being monitored as part of their regular course of business.

Petroleum Marketing Information Collection (Forms EIA-182, EIA-856, EIA-782, EIA-821, EIA-877, EIA-878)

June 2020

The Survey Development and Administration Team (SDAT) contacted 2,400 organizations for cognitive interviews. The invitations to participate in the cognitive interviews resulted in 18 interviews, 3 co-ops were included in the 18 interviews. The purpose for the cognitive research study was to understand and assess the perceptions of retailers of on-highway diesel fuel and understand their criteria for defining a truck stop, identify attributes of a truck stop and the differences between a truck stop and a gas station. Another objective was to identify any unique marketing practices of retailers, farm cooperatives (co-op), or hyper-marketers that affect the retail price of the fuel. The research findings show that there is no consensus among retailers of on-highway diesel fuel for defining a truck stop. Some retailers based their perception on whether the outlet location provided services that met the special needs of truckers. The most common attributes and amenities that participants mentioned were large lot sizes and space for trucks to move, ability for trucks to enter and exit the outlet location with ease, provide a place for truckers to rest and relax, and other amenities or services such as showers, restaurant, fast fill pumps, saddle pumps, CAT scale, and large canopy areas for the trucks to drive under for filling their tanks. Some retailers had a different retail price depending on whether the customer paid by cash or credit. Sixty-seven percent of participants have pricing arrangements with corporate cards or fuel management cards. Eleven out of these 12 participants reported a price discount associated with these corporate cards which was approximately 10 cents per gallon less than the cash price. All participants stated that they are able to report annual retail sales volumes of on-highway diesel fuel. The average burden to report annual sales volumes was approximately 5 hours. This would add approximately 5.75 minutes to the reporting burden for Form EIA-888. Nine participants reported that they have separate bay areas for large trucks to purchase fuel. The average burden to report annual sales from these separate bay areas was approximately 3 hours. This would add approximately 3.5 minutes to the reporting burden for Form EIA-888 to report the annual sales from these separate areas.

Residential Energy Consumption Surveys (Forms EIA-457A, EIA-457D, EIA-457E, EIA-457F, EIA-457G)

April 2021

EIA conducted a RECS non-response follow-up (NRFU) qualitative study in April 2021. The goal of the research was to collect a subset of RECS Household Survey data on 2020 RECS non-respondents in support of a comprehensive nonresponse bias study and data quality analysis task. EIA contacted

30,100 respondents to participate in the non-response follow-up questionnaire. A total of 2,345 respondents participated in the questionnaire. Responses to NRFU were lower than anticipated. Based on a similar NRFU study conducted in 2015 we expected 15-20% response, but realized less than 10% response for 2021.

Multifamily Building Energy Use Pilot Survey

October 2021

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) implemented a new study of energy use in multifamily residential and mixed-use buildings, the Multifamily Building Energy Use Survey (MBS). This study focused on addressing data gaps in EIA’s energy demand data collection program. The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) only captures energy use characteristics and consumption within individual apartment units in multifamily buildings. EIA’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) captures data on a variety of commercial structures, but excludes multifamily buildings where 50% or more of the space is residential. The Multifamily Building Energy Use Pilot Survey focused on energy use at the building level, taking into account all energy consumed in the building, including within units, common areas, and commercial spaces. Building-level data for multifamily buildings has been frequently requested from the consumption program by key stakeholders, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), other government agencies, industry groups, and other non-governmental organizations. EIA contacted 750 respondents, which resulted in 270 respondents participating in the study.

A.3. Use of Technology

EIA utilizes different forms of technology when conducting its pretesting.

Internet data collection will continue to be a primary collection mode for EIA when conducting its research proposals approved under EIA-882T. EIA utilizes online surveys to answer research questions ranging from respondents’ cognitive understanding of terminology used on our surveys to EIA data users’ preferences on our data. In addition to online based surveys, EIA also uses internet-based video interviews with respondents and data users. This provides EIA with a cost-efficient system to collect information from respondents to improve EIA’s surveys. Additionally, EIA plans to hold online focus groups to gather respondents’ opinions and perceptions through an easy to use, online focus group platform. Similar to online surveys, online focus groups provide a more efficient mechanism to gather respondents’ preferences and opinion relative to traditional, in person focus groups.

EIA uses a scheduling software to schedule interviews with participants. Participants are able to follow the link sent in their invitation letter and choose which time works best with their schedule, it then adds the interview to their calendar so they are less likely to forget the interview. This has saved EIA staff time by eliminating scheduling phone calls and numerous emails back and forth. Implementing the use of this website has led to participants becoming more willing to schedule interviews.

EIA uses a qualitative software program when compiling research notes. This tool helps categorize and classify data. Automatically sort sentiment, themes, and attributes, and can quickly exchange data with SAS for further statistical analysis. This tool allows staff to easily cross-tabulate mixed methods data and visualize the results to brainstorm and map ideas, explore connections between project items and discover new paths of investigation.

A.4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

These tasks will not duplicate any other survey/questionnaire design or pretest work being done by EIA or other Federal agencies. One of the purposes of this request is to stimulate additional research that would not otherwise be performed due to time and cost constraints. This research may involve collaboration with other agencies, especially the Office of Management and Budget, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, and the National Science Foundation.

EIA will use existing information to the maximum extent possible by reviewing results of earlier evaluations of survey data before attempting to revise existing questionnaires or design new ones.

A.5. Provisions for Reducing Burden on Small Businesses

One purpose of these research efforts is to accurately measure the reporting burden, develop survey methodologies and questionnaires that are consistent with the information that respondents maintain in their data systems during the ordinary course of business in order to minimize burden. These methods also provide small establishments a vehicle to inform EIA of the impacts of data collection activities have on establishments of their size could face as a result of changes to the different EIA information collections.

A.6. Consequences of Less-Frequent Reporting

Because this clearance is an on-going effort, it has the potential to have an immediate impact on all of EIA’s data collections. If this project were not carried out, the quality of the data collected in the surveys would decline, EIA would be hindered in is ability to modify survey forms to collect information relevant to the energy market and it would limit EIA from meeting its mission of providing and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

A.7. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.5

All the guidelines listed in the OMB guidelines are met. There are no special circumstances.

A.8. Summary of Consultations Outside of the Agency

Consultations with staff from other Federal agencies that sponsor surveys conducted by EIA will occur in conjunction with the testing program for each survey. These consultations include discussions concerning potential response problems, clarity of questions and instructions, and other aspects of respondent burden. EIA staff are active members of both government organizations and private organizations focused on the survey data collection and survey operations. As part of their memberships, EIA staff frequently attend annual conferences and regularly present research and chair panels at these events.

All EIA staff who preform cognitive research are members of the Interagency Response Error Group (IREG). This group is composed of employees across principal federal statistical agencies and meets quarterly to discuss current cognitive research projects and confer about common issues affecting cognitive research. On January 13^th, 2021 EIA staff presented at the IREG meeting hosted by NCHS on understanding better ways to conduct and recruit usability interviews through video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This collaboration led to improving our usability/cognitive protocols as well as improving our recruiting strategies.

A.9. Payments or Gifts to Respondents

Respondents for activities conducted in the laboratory (e.g. cognitive interviews and focus groups) under this clearance may receive compensation for travel and participation. This practice has proven necessary and effective in recruiting subjects to participate in such research, and is also employed by the other Federal cognitive laboratories. Research on incentives that may be conducted under this clearance may also involve nonmonetary incentives. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has noted that effectiveness of such incentives is a worthwhile research topic. If incentives need to be proposed for any research activity under this clearance, justification will be provided and we will work closely with OMB on the incentive strategy to be employed.

A.10. Provisions for Protection of Information

For qualitative interviews, EIA will ask potential respondents if they would be willing to be audio or video recorded. If potential respondents agree, EIA will provide them with an informed consent form, which respondents will sign to signify compliance. A copy of the signed consent will be given to the potential respondents, with the original signed consent form kept on file at EIA. Audio or video recording will only be used for data analysis, and only those researchers at EIA that are involved in the research will have access to these recordings. If potential respondents are not willing to be audio/video recorded, interviewer will bypass recording and take notes. The following language will be included in the informed consent:

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) routinely tests forms used for collecting data or disseminating data in order to produce the best forms possible.

You have volunteered to take part in a study to [enter a brief description and purpose of the study]. In order to have a complete record of your comments, your interview will be [audio recorded or video recorded] using a digital device. We plan to use the recording to supplement our notes. Only staff involved in this research will have access to the recording.

[Use the following for CIPSEA protected survey] This study is being conducted under the authority of Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA), Title V of the E-Government Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-347).]

[Use the following if it is protected by exemptions FOIA] This study will be protected and not disclosed to the public to the extent that it satisfies the criteria for exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, the DOE regulations, 10 C.F.R. §1004.11, implementing the FOIA, and the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. §1905.

☐ Check here if: I consent to participate in the study.

☐ Check here if: I consent to audio/video recording

☐ Check here if: I do NOT consent to audio/video recording

If information is protected by exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), then information provided by participants in cognitive research activities will be protected and not disclosed to the public to the extent that it satisfies the criteria for exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. §552, the DOE regulations, 10 C.F.R. §1004.11, implementing the FOIA, and the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. §1905. If the survey is protected under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002, then participants are informed that their responses are confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes. This is useful when the cognitive research involves a survey that already is protected under CIPSEA.

The data collected from respondents are tabulated and analyzed only for the purpose of evaluating the research in question. Information from the study will be de-identified with all direct identifying information removed and reference to the respondent is written in the third person singular and plural tenses. All respondents who participate in research under this clearance will be informed that their participation is voluntary. Results (in aggregate form) may be used to develop research reports, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers. The results of this research may also be prepared for presentation at professional conferences, internally at DOE, and to other federal agencies.

A.11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

Most of the questions being asked will not be of a sensitive nature and should not pose a problem to respondents. However, it is possible that in developing studies potentially sensitive questions may be included. One of the purposes of these efforts is to identify such questions, determine sources of sensitivity, and alleviate them insofar as possible before an actual survey is conducted.

A.12. Estimate of Respondent Burden Hours and Cost

The total requested burden is 22,500 hours and 22,500 responses. These hours and responses will be distributed as follows:

Annual: 7,500 hours/7,500 responses

Total: 22,500 hours/22,500 responses

As EIA works to better meet its organizational goals, we anticipate more collaboration with respect to enhanced survey/product development planning. EIA plans to expand research activity for evaluating proposals to modify surveys and to more accurately estimate reporting burden. This estimate is based on recent trends to increase the electronic data collection and processing of survey data, our experience with past clearances, and our anticipation that the research will require approximately one hour per respondent.

A variety of forms will be used in conducting the research under this clearance, and the exact number of different forms, length of each form, and number of subject/ respondents per form are unknown at this time. Additional capital, start-up, or operation and maintenance costs for respondents should not be necessary for any data collections under this clearance. There is typically no cost to respondents for participating in the research being conducted under this clearance, except for their time to complete the questionnaire.

A.13. Annual Cost to the Federal Government

Additional cost to the Federal Government is not anticipated. Expenses (equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff) will be incurred by EIA components as part of their normal operating budgets. We will include information about costs in the individual submissions to OMB.

A.14. Changes in Burden

In the previous clearance, EIA requested 6,660 hours and 5,400 responses across the three year period (2,220 hours and 1,800 responses annually). In this current clearance EIA is requesting 22,500 hours and 22,500 responses across the three year period (7,500 hours and 7,500 responses annually). The increase in burden hours and number of responses requested in this clearance is based on EIA’s upcoming pilot studies and other research initiatives. EIA is planning to launch two large pilot studies for the Residential Energy Consumption Surveys (RECS) and for the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Surveys (CBECS). For the RECS pilot study, an estimated 4,200 responses and 850 burden hours will be requested. For the CBECS pilot study, an estimated 4,275 responses and 1,758 burden hours will be requested. In addition to these two large pilot studies, EIA is expecting to conduct more research and pretesting methodologies for continual improvement of EIA’s data collection initiatives, which is in accordance with EIA’s strategic plan.

Table A2. ICR Summary of Annual Burden
	Requested	Program Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Agency Estimate	Previously Approved
Total Number of Responses	7,500	5,700	0	1,800
Total Time Burden (Hr.)	7,500	5,280	0	2,220

A.16. Collection, Tabulation, and Publication Plans

Feedback collected under this generic clearance provides useful information and will be used for general service improvement and to explore new data products. Research findings can be used to develop conference papers/presentations, internal stakeholder presentations, present to DOE and other agencies in seminars, and develop white papers. Furthermore, EIA will have the ability to write research reports, research publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, peer-reviewed book chapters, and informational white papers.

A.17. OMB Number and Expiration Date

The OMB Number (1905-0186) and expiration date will be displayed on all the data collection forms and instructions.

A.18. Certification Statement

There are no exceptions to the certification statement identified in Item 19, "Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions," of OMB Form 83-I. This information collection request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9.