[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 173 (Friday, September 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55252-55253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-19540]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 173 / Friday, September 4, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 55252]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID FSA-2020-0008]


Information Collection Requests; Generic Clearance for the 
Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback on the Farm Service Agency 
Service Delivery (0560-0286), and Certified State Mediation Program 
(0560-0165)

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all 
interested individuals and organizations associated with the extension 
of two information collection requests. The two collection requests are 
Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer Feedback 
on the Farm Service Agency Service Delivery (0560-0286), and Certified 
State Mediation Program (0560-0165). For 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 website, 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. For Certified 
State Mediation Program collection is necessary to ensure that the 
grant program is administered properly. The collection of information 
is used to determine whether participants meet the eligibility 
requirements to be a recipient of grant funds. Lack of adequate 
information to make the determination could result in the improper 
administration of Federal grant funds.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by November 3, 2020.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, please include date, volume, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. You may submit comments by the following method: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal; Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search 
for Docket ID FSA-2020-00xx.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of the Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Comments will be available for public 
inspection online at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to the 
collection activities or to obtain a copy of the information collection 
request: For the Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative 
Customer Feedback on the Farm Service Agency Service Delivery (0560-
0286), please contact Mary Ann Ball, 202-205-5851, 
[email protected], and for the Certified State Mediation Program 
(0560-0165), please contact Tracy Jones, 202-720-6771, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Customer 
Feedback on Farm Service Agency Service Delivery.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0286.
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2020.
    Type of Request: Extension.
    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 website, 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

[[Page 55253]]

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 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.
    There are no changes to the annual burden hours in this collection. 
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 11 
minutes (0.17734 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. Specifically, it will be 10 minutes per 
customer feedback surveys, 15 minutes per comment cards, and 3 hours 
per focus groups.
    Respondents: Individuals and Households; Businesses; Organizations; 
and State, Local, or Tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 210,500.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 210,500.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 11 minutes (0.17734 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours on Respondents: 37,333 hours.
    Title: Certified State Mediation Program (7 CFR 785).
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0165.
    Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 2020.
    Type of Request: Revision and extension.
    Abstract: FSA administers the Certified State Mediation Program 
(Program) according to Subtitles A and B of the Title V of the 
Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 5106). To effectively 
administer the Program, FSA requires an application for 
recertification, which includes submission of a letter from the State, 
a letter from the grantee, SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, and SF-425. 
Approved grantees provide a mid-year report as well as an annual report 
that includes information on mediation services provided during the 
preceding Federal fiscal year, assessment of the performance and 
effectiveness of the State's Program, and any other matters related to 
the Program as the State elects to include. In addition, approved 
grantees complete SF-270 to request either advance funding or 
reimbursement of expenses already paid. The information requested is 
necessary for FSA to determine the grantee's eligibility and administer 
the Program effectively.
    In this request, the burden hours increased by 2,392, and the 
number of responses increased by 318. The number of States changed from 
40 to 42 increasing participation in the Certified State Mediation 
Program. Also, the 2018 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 115-334) expanded the areas 
of covered issues that States could mediate and that increased the 
average time per respondents in this 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 
responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 7.33 
hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collections of information.
    Type of Respondents: State.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 42.
    Estimated Average Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.99.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 378.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 7.33 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,771 hours.

Requesting Comments

    FSA is requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of FSA, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of FSA's estimate of burden including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including 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 when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission for Office 
of Management and Budget approval.

Steven Peterson,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2020-19540 Filed 9-3-20; 8:45 am]
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