NonSub Change Memo - CWCC - Survey Platform and File Transfers

To: Jamie Wilson

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Mary Mueggenborg and Laura Hoard

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: September 8, 2022

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Building Capacity to Evaluate Child Welfare Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families (CWCC) Cross-Site Process Evaluation (OMB #0970-0541)

This memo requests approval of a nonsubstantive change to the approved information collection, Building Capacity to Evaluate Child Welfare Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families (CWCC) Cross-Site Process Evaluation (OMB #0970-0541).

Background

The Building Capacity to Evaluate Child Welfare Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families (CWCC) Cross-Site Process Evaluation is designed to help OPRE and the Children’s Bureau (CB) understand how communities come together to develop and implement integrated approaches to preventing child maltreatment. The cross-site evaluation includes documenting project and organizational leadership approaches, service integration and alignment strategies, and recruitment and assessment methods to identify and serve families most in need of prevention services. The study will provide a rich, detailed description of how grantees work to achieve their projects’ goals and illuminate challenges and strategies for doing this work.

This study uses three modes of data collection: Document review, Survey, and In-person Site Interviews. In February 2020, OMB approved a new request that included instruments for:

• Recruiting survey sample and fielding a survey, annually; and

• Conducting in-person semi-structured interviews, annually.

Since initial approval, OMB has approved a number of nonsubstantive changes for minor updates to instruments, recruitment materials, and survey procedures. These minor changes have been identified as necessary due to circumstances during fielding.

For each wave of data collection, we request from CWCC grantee project directors (PD) a list of prospective survey respondents and their contact information (email) so that we can send survey links to each individual. Up to this point, we have asked CWCC PDs to use the MOVEit secure file transfer portal, which requires a type of dual factor authentication. This particular system has seemed to be very difficult and burdensome for some CWCC PDs to use. As a result, we have explored other file transfer options that may be easier for CWCC PDs to use. In addition, we explored options for a survey platform to enable us greater control over the content submitted.

Overview of Requested Change

We have identified a new file transfer option and a new survey platform that are better suited for this project’s needs and therefore request the following nonsubstantive changes:

• Instead of using MOVEit, we would create separate folders in the Microsoft Teams channel that CWCC PDs already use to access technical assistance materials. MS Teams also requires dual factor authentication, but it has not been difficult for grantees to use.

• If this plan is approved, we would set up 13 dedicated folders on MS Teams, each with access restricted to just the one or two individuals on each CWCC grant project who will be uploading documents, in addition to the CWCC cross-site staff responsible for using the information in the documents (i.e., cross-site lead and cross-site survey lead).

• To simplify the process, we would also ask CWCC PDs to use the same process to upload contact information for site visit interviewees.

• To change the survey platform from Alchemer to Confirmit Survey Designer.

Abt’s Institutional Review Board and Cybersecurity Department have reviewed and approved the updated file transfer procedures.

The attached revised SSA includes pertinent revisions to section A10 (Data Security).

Time Sensitivities

We would like to implement this change as soon as possible because the next wave of survey data collection will begin in September (2022), and preparation is currently underway.