[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3030-3031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1353]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Energy Information Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

SUMMARY: The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is soliciting 
comments concerning the proposed three-year extension of existing form 
DOE-887, ``Department of Energy Customer Surveys.''

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 24, 1997. 
If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it 
difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, 
you should advise the contact listed below of your intention to do so 
as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Herbert T. Miller, Office of Statistical 
Standards, EI-73, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 
Washington, D.C. 20585, (Phone 202-426-1103, FAX 202- 426-1081, or e-
mail [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for additional information should be 
directed to Herbert Miller at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background
II. Current Actions
III. Request for Comments

I. Background

    In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Federal Energy 
Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. No. 93-275) and the Department of 
Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. No. 95-91), the Energy Information 
Administration is obliged to carry out a central, comprehensive, and 
unified energy data and information program. As part of this program, 
EIA collects, evaluates, assembles, analyzes, and disseminates data and 
information related to energy resource reserves, production, demand, 
and technology, and related economic and statistical information 
relevant to the adequacy of energy resources to meet demands in the 
near and longer term future for the Nation's economic and social needs.
    The Energy Information Administration, as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden (required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)), conducts a presurvey 
consultation program to provide the general public and other Federal 
agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
reporting forms. This program helps to ensure that requested data can 
be provided in the desired format, reporting burden is minimized, 
reporting forms are clearly understood, and the impact of collection 
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Also, EIA will 
later seek approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
the collections under Section 3507(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13, Title 44, U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    On September 11, 1993, the President signed Executive Order No. 
12862 aimed at ``* * * ensuring the Federal government provides the 
highest quality service possible to the American people.'' The Order 
discusses surveys as a means for determining the kinds and qualities of 
service desired by Federal Government customers and for determining 
satisfaction levels for existing services. These voluntary customer 
surveys will be used to ascertain customer satisfaction with the 
Department of Energy in terms of services and products. Respondents 
will be individuals and organizations that are the recipients of the 
Department's services and products. Previous customer surveys have 
provided useful information to the Department for assessing how well 
the Department is delivering its services and products and for making 
improvements. The results are used internally and summaries are 
provided to the Office of Management and Budget on an annual basis, and 
are used to satisfy the requirements and the spirit of Executive Order 
No. 12862.

II. Current Actions

    The request to OMB will be for a three-year extension of the 
expiration date of approval for DOE to conduct customer surveys. During 
the past clearance cycle, over 20 customer surveys have been conducted 
by telephone and mail. (Examples of previously conducted customer 
surveys are available upon request.) Our planned activities in the next 
3 fiscal years reflect our increased emphasis on and expansion of these 
activities, including an increased use of electronic means for 
obtaining customer input (CD-ROM and World Wide Web).

III. Request for Comments

    Prospective respondents and other interested parties should comment 
on the actions discussed in item II. The following guidelines are 
provided to assist in the preparation of responses.

General Issues

    A. Is the proposed collection of information necessary, taking into 
account its accuracy, adequacy, and reliability, and the agency's 
ability to process the information it collects in a useful and timely 
fashion?
    B. What enhancements can EIA make to the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected?

As a Potential Respondent

    A. Average public reporting burden for a customer survey is 
estimated to be .25 hours per response (8,333 respondents per year x 15 
minutes per response = 2,083 hours annually). Burden includes the total 
time, effort, or financial resources expended to generate, maintain, 
retain, or disclose or provide the information including: (1) reviewing 
instructions; (2) developing, acquiring, installing, and utilizing 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, 
verifying, processing, maintaining, disclosing and providing 
information; (3) adjusting the existing ways to comply with any 
previously applicable instructions and requirements; (4) training 
personnel to respond to a collection of information; (5) searching data 
sources; (6) completing and reviewing the collection of information; 
and (7) transmitting, or otherwise disclosing the information.
    Please comment on (1) the accuracy of our estimate and (2) how the 
agency could minimize the burden of the collection of information, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    B. EIA estimates that respondents will incur no additional costs 
for reporting other than the hours required to complete the collection. 
What is the estimated (1) total dollar amount annualized for capital 
and start-up costs and (2) recurring annual dollar amount of operation 
and maintenance and purchase of services costs associated with this 
data collection? The estimates should take into account the costs 
associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing 
the information.

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    C. Do you know of any other Federal, State, or local agency that 
collects similar data? If you do, specify the agency, the data 
element(s), and the methods of collection.

As a Potential User

    A. Are there alternate sources of data and do you use them? If so, 
what are their deficiencies and/or strengths?
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the form. They also 
will become a matter of public record.

    Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104-13).

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 13, 1997.
Yvonne M. Bishop,
Director, Office of Statistical Standards, Energy Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 97-1353 Filed 1-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P