Supporting Statement Part B

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Maritime Administration Exercise Breakout Survey

Exercise Breakout Survey – PART B

OMB #2133-0550

Part B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.

The following five questions must be answered when a survey is planned. If the information collection involves statistical methods, OST/S81 requests that you obtain a review and concurrence from BTS before submission of the collection to OST/S81.

1. Describe potential respondent universe and any sampling selection method to be used.

With such a small survey pool, there will be no sampling selection applied. The respondents will receive the emailed survey and simply answer the ‘yes/no’ questions and reply to the email. The survey will be emailed to approximately 1,018 mariners with 125-150 responses anticipated. The mariners are identified by the ship managers as part of each year’s Exercise.

2. Describe procedures for collecting information, including statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection, estimation procedures, degree of accuracy needed, and less than annual periodic data cycles.

The survey responses will be emailed to the Exercise Coordinator. With such a small survey sample, there will be no sampling. The Exercise Coordinator will examine the responses to determine if there is any bias in who responded from the pool of mariners.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rate.

Last year, the response rate was particularly lower because the survey was sent out 2-3 weeks after the exercise had commenced. The survey delivery was delayed because the Exercise Coordinator was organizing each mariner email into labor category groupings. For Exercise Breakout 2022 survey, the Exercise Coordinator will send out the surveys as soon as he/she receives the spreadsheets from the various ship managers. The spreadsheets contain their licensed mariners for the survey frame.

There will be a follow-up email exactly one-week after the initial survey has been sent out to all non-respondents. To mitigate non-response bias, there will be a third round of emails sent out to any additional survey non-respondents.

4. Describe tests of procedures or methods.

Not applicable. This is a small low-level data collection survey. The results from the previous survey allowed MARAD to determine the readiness of the fleet of licensed mariners. Future data collections will allow MARAD to monitor the nation’s readiness.

5. Provide name and telephone number of individuals who were consulted on statistical aspects of the information collection and who will collect and/or analyze the information.

Mr. Patrick Dannaher, 202-366-5427

MARAD

2