[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 238 (Thursday, December 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73684-73685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29140]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Data Collection Available for Public Comments

AGENCY: Small Business Administration.

ACTION: 60-day notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Small Business Administration (SBA) intends to request 
approval, from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the 
collection of information described below. The Paperwork Reduction Act 
(PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C Chapter 35 requires federal agencies to publish 
a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information before submission to OMB, and to allow 60 days for public 
comment in response to the notice. This notice complies with that 
requirement.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments to Kim McClellan, Senior Policy Analyst, 
Office of Veterans Business Development, U.S. Small Business 
Administration, 409 3rd Street SW., 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim McClellan, Senior Policy Analyst, 
202-205-6777, [email protected], or Curtis B. Rich, Management 
Analyst, 202-205-7030, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a request for the collection of new 
information.
    The Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) at the U.S. 
Small Business Administration implements applicable sections of the 
Small Business Act, of Public Laws and Executive Orders governing 
veteran programs, and to support the SBA mission to assist eligible 
American veterans and Reservist Component service members by providing 
access to the tools and resources necessary for entrepreneurs to start, 
run, and grow their businesses. OVBD manages the Veterans Business 
Development Centers (VBOC) Program. Established in 1999 pursuant to 
Public Law 106-50, VBOCs offer pre-business plan workshops, concept 
assessment and business plan preparation, feasibility analysis 
entrepreneurship counseling and training, online assistance, and 
mentorship service to veteran entrepreneurs and veteran-owned small 
business concerns controlled by veterans, service-disabled veterans, 
and Reserve Component members.
    As part of OVBD's effort to enhance the services provided by VBOC 
to veterans and veteran-owned small businesses, OVBD has acquired the 
service of a research firm to conduct a series of data collection. In 
addition, a part of the forthcoming new cycle of grant solicitation for 
2015, SBA will assess the population assisted by current VBOCs, funded 
in 2010, the services provided to individuals, the preliminary impact 
of services on the business goals of clients, client satisfaction with 
VBOCs, and lessons learned and recommendations by the VBOCs and 
clients. Through the WebCATS/Neoserra system, SBA has the ability to 
collect some data on VBOC clients and VBOC activities. However, to get 
a better understanding of the full range of topics mentioned above, SBA 
needs to collect survey and interview data from VBOC clients, 
directors, and staff (non-directors of VBOCs that help provide services 
to people). Specifically, SBA proposes the use of five different 
instruments for data collection and analysis. These instruments are: 
(1) A VBOC client survey; (2) a VBOC director survey; (3) VBOC client 
interviews; (4) VBOC director interviews; and (5) VBOC staff 
interviews. SBA plans to administer each instrument to more than nine 
individuals.
    The surveys will be administered electronically, while the 
interviews will be conducted either in-person or via phone. The 
interview questions will contain all open-ended questions, while the 
web-based survey will contain both open- and close-ended questions. The 
types of information that will be collected in the instruments can be 
found in the ``Summary of Information Collection'' section below. 
Quantitative analysis (the primary method of data analysis for the 
survey data) and qualitative analysis (the primary method of data 
analysis for the interview data) will be used on the data collected. 
Quantitative analysis will consist of univariate and multivariate 
statistical analyses, while qualitative analysis will consist of 
establishing clear rules for interpretation and finding themes in the 
interview data. The information collected and analyzed from these 
instruments will contribute to performance metrics and program goals as 
well as recommendations on improving program practices.

Solicitation of Public Comments

    SBA is requesting comments on (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the agency to properly perform its 
functions; (b) whether the burden estimates are accurate; (c) whether 
there are ways to minimize the burden, including through the use of 
automated techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) 
whether there are ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information.

Summary of Information Collection

1. VBOC Director Interview Questions

    Directors of VBOCs under the 2015 grant will be interviewed. 
Director interviews will consist of questions about client 
demographics, outreach practices, services provided, staff capacity, 
intake protocols, reporting protocols, referral network, feedback 
mechanisms, best practices, lessons learned, and challenges. These 
questions will be open-ended to allow directors to fully explain how 
their respective programs operate. These interviews will be conducted 
either in-person or via phone. The total estimated number of annual 
responses from the director interviews will be 10. The estimated 
average completion time of a survey is 1.5 hours. The total estimated 
annual hour burden is 15.

2. VBOC Staff Interview Questions

    Staff of VBOCs under the 2015 grant will be interviewed. Staff 
interviews will consist of questions about staff

[[Page 73685]]

background and training, client flow, day-to-day operations, services 
provided, intake protocols, reporting protocols, referral practices, 
feedback mechanisms, best practices, lessons learned, and challenges. 
These questions will be open-ended to allow staff to describe their 
role at the VBOC. These interviews will be conducted either in-person 
or via phone. The total estimated number of annual responses from the 
staff interviews will be 20. The estimated average completion time of a 
survey is 1 hour. The total estimated annual hour burden is 20.

3. VBOC Client Interview Questions

    Clients of VBOCs under the 2015 grant will be interviewed. Clients 
are defined as individuals that received at least one type of service 
(i.e., counseling or training) from a VBOC. Client interviews will 
consist of questions about topics such as how they found the VBOC, what 
services they received, if their needs were met, and how they would 
improve the program. The questions will be open-ended to allow clients 
to fully describe themselves and their experiences at the VBOC. These 
interviews will be conducted either in-person or via phone. The total 
estimated number of annual responses from the client interviews will be 
20. The estimated average completion time of a survey is 0.5 hours. The 
total estimated annual hour burden is 10.

4. VBOC Client Survey

    Clients of VBOCs under the 2010 and 2015 grants will be surveyed. 
This survey will consist of questions about the demographics of clients 
as well as their needs and goals, how they were assessed, the services 
they received, the resources they used, client outcomes, impact of 
services, and client satisfaction with VBOCs. This survey will be 
administered electronically. The total estimated number of annual 
responses from the client survey will be 4000 (up to approximately 3000 
responses from the 2010 VBOC grantees and up to approximately 1000 
responses from the 2015 VBOC grantees). The estimated average 
completion time of a survey is 25 minutes. The total estimated annual 
hour burden is 1,666.67.

5. VBOC Director Survey

    Directors of VBOCs under the 2015 grant will be surveyed. This 
survey will consist of questions about the VBOC directors, staff 
capacity, client characteristics, services, client tracking, and 
referral network to assess implementation practices across VBOCs. This 
survey will be administered electronically. The total estimated number 
of annual responses from the director survey will be 10. The estimated 
average completion time of a survey is 80 minutes. The total estimated 
annual hour burden is 13.33.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses Across All Instruments: 
Approximately 4,060 total people (approximately 3,000 clients surveyed 
from the 2010 VBOC grantees and approximately 1000 clients surveyed 
from the 2015 VBOC grantees; approximately 10 directors surveyed from 
the 2015 VBOC grantees; approximately 10 directors interviewed from the 
2015 VBOC grantees; approximately 20 staff members interviewed from the 
2015 VBOC grantees; and approximately 20 clients interviewed from the 
2015 VBOC grantees).
    Total Estimated Annual Hour Burden Across All Instruments: 
Approximately 1725 hours (approximately 120 minutes per director 
interview, approximately 60 minutes per staff interview, approximately 
30 minutes per client interview, approximately 80 minutes hours per 
director survey, and approximately 25 minutes per client survey).

Curtis B. Rich,
Management Analyst, U.S. Small Business Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-29140 Filed 12-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P