3124-0015 Supporting Statement A (Final)

U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
Supporting Statement A for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

OMB Control Number: 3124-0015
Title: Reinstatement of a Previously Approved Information Collection for
Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency
Service Delivery
The U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) is seeking to reinstate a previously
approved information collection in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
The Information Collection Request (ICR) will be submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance. This information collection is part of MSPB’s
efforts to improve customer service delivery. The information collection instruments consist
of short customer focused surveys distributed through Qualtrics, MSPB’s survey platform.
Through this collection and approval process, MSPB is complying with normal clearance
procedures and meeting our commitments under Executive Order 12862, “Setting Customer
Service Standards” (September 11, 1993).
JUSTIFICATION
1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
Executive Order 12862 directs Federal agencies to provide service to the public that matches
or exceeds the best service available in the private sector. In order to work continuously to
ensure that our programs are effective and meet our customers’ needs, MSPB seeks a
reinstatement and three-year renewal of its previously approved ICR. By qualitative feedback
we mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions but are not
statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of
study.
This collection of information is necessary to enable MSPB to obtain customer and
stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with our commitment to
improving service delivery. The information collected from our customers and stakeholders
will help ensure that users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with
MSPB’s programs. This feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder
perceptions, experiences and expectations, provide an early warning of issues with service, or
focus attention on areas where communication, training or changes in operations might
improve delivery of products or services. These collections will allow for ongoing,
collaborative and actionable communications between MSPB and its customers and
stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of
program management.
2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
Improving agency programs requires ongoing assessment of service delivery, by which we
mean systematic review of the operation of a program compared to a set of explicit or
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U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
Supporting Statement A for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
implicit standards, as a means of contributing to the continuous improvement of the program.
MSPB will collect, analyze, and interpret information gathered through this generic clearance
to identify strengths and weaknesses of current services and make improvements in service
delivery based on feedback. The solicitation of feedback will target areas such as: timeliness,
appropriateness, accuracy of information, courtesy, efficiency of service delivery, and
resolution of issues with service delivery. Responses will be assessed to plan and inform
efforts to improve or maintain the quality of service offered to the public. If this information
is not collected, vital feedback from customers and stakeholders on MSPB’s services will not
be available.
MSPB will only submit a collection for approval under this generic clearance if it meets the
following conditions: 1
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Information gathered will be used only internally for general service improvement
and program management purposes and is not intended for release outside of the
agency (if released, procedures outlined in Question 16 will be followed);
Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing
influential policy decisions. 2
Information gathered will yield qualitative information; the collections will not be
designed or expected to yield statistically reliable results or used as though the results
are generalizable to the population of study;
The collections are voluntary;
The collections are low-burden for respondents (based on considerations of total
burden hours, total number of respondents, or burden-hours per respondent) and are
low-cost for both the respondents and the Federal Government;
The collections are non-controversial and do not raise issues of concern to other
Federal agencies;
The collections are targeted to solicit the opinions of respondents who have already
experienced, or may experience in the future, an MSPB program; and,
Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected only to the extent necessary,
such as when needed to provide remuneration for participants of focus groups and
cognitive laboratory studies and is not retained.

To obtain approval for a collection that meets the conditions of this generic clearance, a
standardized form will be submitted to OMB along with any supporting documentation (e.g.,
a copy of the comment card). The submission will have automatic approval, unless OMB
identifies issues within 5 business days.

If these conditions are not met, MSPB will submit an information collection request to OMB for approval
through the normal PRA process.
2
As defined in OMB and agency Information Quality Guidelines, “influential” means that “an agency can
reasonably determine that dissemination of the information will have or does have a clear and substantial impact
on important public policies or important private sector decisions.”
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U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
Supporting Statement A for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
The types of collections that this generic clearance covers include, but are not limited to:
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Customer comment cards/complaint forms.
Small discussion groups.
Focus groups of customers, potential customers, delivery partners, or other
stakeholders.
Cognitive laboratory studies, such as those used to refine questions or assess usability
of a website.
Qualitative customer satisfaction surveys (e.g., post-transaction surveys or opt-out
web surveys).
In-person observation testing (e.g., website or software usability tests).

MSPB has established a manager/managing entity to serve for this generic clearance and will
conduct an independent review of each information collection to ensure compliance with the
terms of this clearance prior to submitting each collection to OMB.
3. Use of Automated Collection Procedures
The collection of information from our customers uses automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology to the
maximum extent possible. In addition, we make every effort to reach our customers using
information technology that would reduce the burden on them and ensure the validity of the
information we are trying to obtain. On occasion, we may use paper surveys where electronic
means are not available or practical.
4. Duplication of Information
No similar data are gathered or maintained by MSPB or are available from other sources
known to MSPB.
5. Impact on Small Businesses
The information we plan to collect does not impact small businesses or other small entities.
6. Consequences of Not Conducting Collection
Without these types of feedback, MSPB will not have timely information to adjust its
services to meet customer needs.
7. Special Circumstances
There are no special circumstances. The information collected will be voluntary and will not
be used for statistical purposes.

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U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
Supporting Statement A for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
8. Consultations with Persons Outside the Agency
A 60-day Federal Register Notice inviting public comments was published on March 28,
2023, at 88 FR 18348. No comments were received.
A 30-day Federal Register Notice inviting public comments was published on June 8, 2023, at
88 FR 37583.
No consultation was conducted with persons outside the agency.
9. Payment or Gifts to Respondents
No payments or gifts of any kind have been provided to any individuals who are connected to
this collection.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
MSPB does not anticipate needing to include a pledge of confidentiality. However, if such a
pledge is needed, a citation for the statute or regulation authorizing the pledge will be
included.
11. Justification for Any Questions of a Sensitive Nature
There will be no questions of a sensitive nature on the surveys.
12. Estimates of Annualized Costs for Collection of Information
We anticipate that a total of up to 3,000 customer satisfaction surveys will be distributed
annually during each year of the three-year period covered by this request. For purposes of
calculating the burden on respondents we are assuming that 600 people will respond to our
surveys. Our surveys generally take about two (2) to eight (8) minutes to complete, with an
average completion time of five (5) minutes. Multiplying 5 minutes (.083) by 600
respondents yields a total maximum burden on respondents of 49.8 hours.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics website (www.bls.gov)
the wage rate category for All Occupations is estimated to be $37.90 per hour including the
1.4 wage rate multiplier. If respondents chose to participate in our survey, it is anticipated that
the average time to complete and return our survey will be about five (5) minutes therefore, the
estimated burden hour cost to respondents is $1,887.42.
13. Total Cost to Respondents or Record Keepers
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in
Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
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U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
Supporting Statement A for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
14. Estimates of Annualized Costs to the Federal Government
There are costs to the Federal Government associated with conducting the surveys. These
include:
Annual Cost to the Federal Government
Item

Contract Costs
Staff Salaries* [One GS 14, step 5 employee spending approximately 4% of their time and one
GS 15, step 5 spending approximately 2% of their time annually: $4,712 + $8,012) = $12, 724

$

Facilities [cost for renting, overhead, etc., for data collection activity]
Computer Hardware and Software [cost of equipment annual lifecycle] (Qualtrics license)
Equipment Maintenance [cost of annual maintenance/service agreements for equipment]
Travel
Total

Cost ($)

$12,724
0
12,100
0
0
$24,824

15. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments
Not applicable. This renewal reflects no change to the previously approved information
collection.
16. For Collection of Information Whose Results Will be Published, Outline Plans for
Tabulation and Publication
Feedback collected under this generic clearance provides useful information, but it does not
yield data that can be generalized to the overall population. Findings will be used for general
service improvement, but are not for publication or other public release. Although MSPB
does not intend to publish its findings, we may receive requests to release the information
(e.g., congressional inquiry, Freedom of Information Act requests). MSPB will disseminate
the findings when appropriate.
17. Approval to Not Display the Expiration Date for OMB Approval of the Information
Collection
This collection does not seek approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval.
18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
This collection does not seek exception to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act
Submissions”.

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