[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 4, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16338-16339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06594]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Information Collection Request; Generic Clearance for the 
Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on the Farm Service Agency 
Service Delivery

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on an extension with a revision of a 
currently approved information collection associated with the Generic 
Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on FSA 
Service Delivery. This option is a fast track for approval to 
streamline the timing to implement certain types of surveys and related 
collection of information. FSA uses the approval to cover the 
instruments of collection (such as a survey, a window pop-up survey, a 
focus group, or a comment card), which are designed to get customer 
feedback on FSA service delivery for various programs. This request for 
approval broadly addresses FSA's need for information about what our 
customers think of our services so that we can improve service 
delivery; specific information collection activities will be 
incorporated into the approval as the need for the information is 
identified. For example, when we implement a new program and provide 
information about the services for the program on our Web site, we may 
provide a voluntary customer service questionnaire about how well the 
program is working for our customers, specifically within the area of 
customer service. FSA is requesting to increase the number of 
respondents in the fast track approval due to an anticipated increase 
in the number of customer respondents responding to customer service 
surveys that will be sent to a broader scope and greater number of FSA 
customers.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by June 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, include the date, volume, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register, the OMB control number and the title of the 
information collection. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Mary Ann Ball, USDA, Farm Service Agency, Room 3754-
S, 1400 Independence Ave SW., Washington, DC 20250-0572.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503.
    Copies of the information collection instruments may be requested 
by contacting Mary Ann Ball at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Ann Ball, (202) 720-4283.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer 
Feedback on Farm Service Agency Service Delivery.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0286.
    Type of Request: Extension with a revision.
    Abstract: FSA program staff have created several feedback 
instruments (customer surveys) and submitted them to the FSA 
information collection coordinator for approval under the current 
approved information collection of 0560-0286, Generic Clearance for the 
Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on Farm Service Agency 
Service Delivery. FSA program staff continue to use the fast track 
approval to submit a new customer instruments to the FSA information 
collection coordinator for approval, which takes less time rather than 
going through a regular Paperwork Reduction Act process. As a result, 
program staff are able to quickly implement certain types of surveys 
and related collection of information using OMB control number of 0560-
0286. For example, when we implement a new program and provide 
information about the programs on our Web site, FSA may provide a 
voluntary customer service questionnaire about how well the program is 
working for our customers, specifically within the area of customer 
service. The information collection provides a means to gather 
qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely 
manner that is consistent with FSA's commitment to improving service 
delivery. By qualitative feedback, we mean information, generally from 
customers, that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions 
based on experiences with FSA service delivery. Such information does 
not include statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that 
can be generalized to the population. The qualitative feedback will:
     Provide insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, 
experiences, and expectations,
     Provide an early warning of issues with service, and
     Focus attention on areas where communication, training, or 
changes in operations might improve delivery of products or services.
    The collection will allow for ongoing, collaborative, and 
actionable communication between FSA and its customers and 
stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the 
improvement of program management.
    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

[[Page 16339]]

quality of service offered to the public. If this information is not 
collected, vital feedback from customers and stakeholders on FSA's 
services will be unavailable.
    FSA will only submit a collection for approval under this generic 
clearance if it meets the following conditions:
     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 the solicitation of 
opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may 
have experience with the program in the near future;
     Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected 
only to the extent necessary and is not retained;
     Information gathered will be used only internally for 
general service improvement and program management purposes and is not 
intended for release outside of FSA;
     Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of 
substantially informing influential policy decisions; and
     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.
    As a general matter, information collections will not result in any 
new system of records containing privacy information and will not ask 
questions of a sensitive nature, such as religious beliefs, sexual 
behavior and attitudes, and other matters that are commonly considered 
private.
    The estimated total annual burden hours are being amended due to an 
increase in the number of FSA customers that will respond to the 
customer survey, which therefore increased the information collection 
requirements. Annual responses have increased by 590,000, with a 
resulting increase of 295,000 burden hours in the request.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual 
number of responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 30 
minutes (0.50 hours) per response, including the time for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information.
    Respondents: Individuals and Households; Businesses; Organizations; 
and State, Local, or Tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 600,000.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 600,000.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 30 minutes (0.50 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours on Respondents: 300,000 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Evaluate the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
technology; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
respond through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses where provided, will be made a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval of the information collection.

Chris P. Beyerhelm,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2017-06594 Filed 4-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-05-P