Supporting Statement A for OMB 2133-0546 8.4.2023

Department of Transportation

Maritime Administration

Information Collection Request (ICR)

OMB 2133-0546

Generic Clearance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

INTRODUCTION

This submission is to request a three-year approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection entitled 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys), which expires on August 31, 2023. There are no changes, so this request will be submitted as a renewal of a previously approved collection.

1. 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 existing capabilities in the private sector. In an effort to ensure that our programs are effective and continue to meet the needs of our customers, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) requested OMB approval of a generic clearance to collect feedback on our customer service delivery.

Surveys submitted under OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) will be limited to exercises intended to improve customer service delivery in MARAD or collect public feedback about specific programs and benefits available through our agency. The results of these customer surveys will be compiled, reviewed, and wherever possible assist MARAD managers to plan and implement program and customer service satisfaction improvement initiatives. Focus groups that will be considered under the generic clearance will assess customer satisfaction with a direct service, be of limited size or scope, and/or designed to inform a customer satisfaction survey being considered by MARAD. Surveys that have the potential to influence policy will not be considered under this generic clearance.

The types of forums to be included in this clearance are customer satisfaction surveys, listening sessions, and focus groups. Program offices will be required to submit a generic information collection request that shall include all relevant information, including a statement of need, intended use of information, description of respondents, information collection procedures, expected response rates, justification for incentives and estimated burden along with the survey instrument or tool.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) is necessary to enable MARAD to garner customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient and timely manner, in accordance with our commitment to improve service delivery. The information collected from our customers and stakeholders (i.e., merchant marine academy alumni, ship owners and/or managers, etc.), will help ensure that users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with the agency’s programs. This feedback will also provide insight into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and expectations. This collection is also intended to provide early warning about issues with service delivery, or focus attention on areas where communication, training, and/or changes in operations might improve customer service experience. Additionally, this collection will facilitate ongoing, collaborative, and actionable communication between MARAD and its customers and stakeholders. Public feedback is also expected to contribute directly to the improvement of program operations that directly affect the public.

3. Automation or Use of Information Technology (IT)

Every effort will be made to ensure that all survey and feedback instruments approved under OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) will be partially or fully electronic, utilize accessible information technology, and/or allow electronic submission via email or an electronic platform.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

No similar data is gathered or maintained by MARAD or are available from other sources, that fulfill the needs of this collection.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

There is minimal impact on small business or other small entities. Business owners may be asked to participate in a sampling, provide readily available information, and/or be required to complete short instruments as part of this collection.

6. Impact of Not Conducting or Less Frequent Collection of Information

Without this collection of information, MARAD will be unable access helpful data that can positively impact service delivery.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines 5 CFR 1320.5

There are no special circumstances that would cause this collection to be collected in a different manner such as those outlined below:

• Requiring respondents to report information to MARAD more often than quarterly;

• Requiring respondents to prepare a written response in fewer than 30 days after receipt of a collection instrument;

• Requiring respondents to submit more than one original copy of any document;

• Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• Requiring the use of any statistical data that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

• Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• Requiring any pledge of confidentiality; or

• Requiring respondents to submit any proprietary or trade secrets.

8. Public Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Outside Consultation

MARAD published a 60-day notice and request for comments on this information collection in the Federal Register on June 6, 2023 (FR 37127, Vol. 88, No. 108), indicating comments should be submitted on or before August 7, 2023. No comments were received. A 30-day FR notice will now be published to solicit public comments.

9. Explanation of Any Payments or Gifts to Respondents
   
   

There are no payments or gifts provided to respondents for participation in this collection.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality and Protection of Privacy

The information requested is not of a confidential nature. Consequently, no assurance of confidentiality is required.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

No questions of a personal or sensitive nature are asked.

12. Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours and Cost

a. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

A variety of instruments and electronic platforms will be used to collect information from respondents. The burden hours requested for three years is 5,274 (1,758 annually) are based on the estimated number of collections we expect to conduct over the requested period for this clearance and can be calculated as follows in the table below.

Type of Collection	Estimated No. of Respondents		Annual Frequency of Responses per Respondents		Total Annual Responses		Estimated Time Per Response ( Mins in hours)		Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours
Customer Service Satisfaction Survey	5,000	*	1	=	5,000	*	10 (. 16666667 hrs.)	=	833
Listening Sessions/ Stakeholder Feedback Forums	200		1		200		120 (2 hrs.)		400
Focus Group	200		1		200		120 (2 hrs.)		400
Strategic Planning Online Surveys	500		1		500		15 (.25 hrs.)		125
ANNUAL TOTAL	5,900				5,900				1,758
THREE YEAR TOTAL	17,700				17,700				5,274

13. Estimate of the Total Annual Costs Burden to Respondents and/or Record Keeper

There are no capital, start-up, operations, or maintenance costs associated with this

information collection.

14. Estimate of Federal Government Costs

The total annual estimated Federal Government cost for one (1) GS 14 step 10 ¹ employee who will spend a total 250 hours to complete all tasks related to processing responses to any instruments or platform that may be used to collect feedback for this generic clearance is $28,857.50, which can be calculated as shown below:

FTE Grade and Step	Number of FTE(s)		Average Hourly Wage Rate		Total Hours		Total Wages		Benefits Multiplier		TOTAL LOADED WAGES
GS 14 (Step 10)	1	*	$ 82.45	*	250	=	$ 20,612.50	*	1.4	=	$ 28,857.50

15. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments

There are no program changes or adjustments since the last renewal.

16. Publication of Data Collection Results

Feedback collected through this generic clearance will provide useful information that will improve customer service delivery. Results will not be published.

17. Display of OMB Expiration Date

MARAD is not requesting approval to omit publication of the OMB expiration date on any

instruments implemented under this clearance.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement

There are no exceptions to this certification statement.

1 The average hourly wage of a GS 14 (Step 10) employee in the DMV locality is taken from the OPM wage table: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2023/DCB_h.pdf

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