Annual Energy Outlook and International Energy Outlook Customer Survey DOE - 887(79)

Department of Energy Washington, DC 20585

February 24, 2009

Mr. Nathan Frey

Department of Energy Desk Officer

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

Office of Management and Budget

Washington, DC 20503

Subject: Use of DOE-887(79) “DOE Customer Surveys” For A Generic Clearance For The Energy Information Administration Annual Energy Outlook And International Energy Outlook Customer Surveys.

Dear Mr. Frey:

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) plans to use the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved generic clearance, DOE-887, "DOE Customer Surveys" (OMB No. 1901-0302, expiring December 31, 2009) to survey stakeholders, partners and customers who have registered on EIA’s Listserv to receive the Annual Energy Outlook (AEO). Additionally, EIA proposes to survey stakeholders, partners and customers who have registered on EIA’s Listserv to receive the International Energy Outlook (IEO). Your approval will be anticipated within two weeks. However, without the approval, EIA will not conduct this survey. We will provide OMB with the results of this data collection when we submit the annual report of surveys conducted under the generic clearance.

The Listserv contains e-mail addresses of EIA customers who are very familiar with its products and services. Local, State, and Federal government personnel, members of Congressional committees, trade association members, financial institution personnel, consultants, economists, and educators are key stakeholders in both the AEO and IEO. Senior management has endorsed this survey of Listserv registrants as a way to obtain information on these two important EIA analytical products.

A team in EIA’s Statistics and Methods Group has developed the attached surveys in response to Executive Order 12862, "Setting Customer Service Standards." In addition, the Information Quality Act, P.L. 106-554, requires agencies to adopt information quality goals of objectivity, utility, integrity, transparency and reproducibility. The EIA Strategic Plan includes a goal to conduct systematic EIA-wide program and product reviews and to involve customers and stakeholders more systematically in its corporate planning and product review activities. The responses to the proposed questions will be used as input for improving the delivery of EIA products and services to Federal, State and local governments, communities, private businesses, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and other customers. One or more papers will be written and delivered at conferences summarizing the results of this survey. The EIA’s internal monthly newsletter, EIA Today, will also contain an article on the survey and its results.

Respondents to the survey will consist of those on the AEO and IEO Listservs who are willing to participate.

The survey will consist of two parts:

1. Web survey of those registered on EIA’s Listserv to receive the Annual Energy Outlook and a separate web survey of those registered on EIA’s Listserv to receive the International Energy Outlook.

2. Telephone follow-up with respondents who agreed to be contacted for in-depth interview regarding their responses.

First, the survey will be sent via e-mail to a random sample of 1,000 of those who are registered on the AEO and IEO Listservs, respectively. These responses will be collected electronically via a web survey. The questionnaire contains questions on the relevance, clarity, and usefulness of the AEO and IEO, respectively. Additional instructions will ask respondents to answer some technical questions about these reports if they feel they are familiar with the pertinent issues.

The intent of the survey is to obtain qualitative and quantitative information that will be useful for making improvements to EIA’s efforts to deliver high-quality products and services to partners, stakeholders, and other customers. The survey results will reflect the opinions of those registered on the respective Listservs who choose to participate. The survey team has the ability to process, analyze, prepare reports and presentations, and communicate the results to decision makers, employees, and customers. Participation will be voluntary, and the responses will be protected and not released in identifiable form.

The attached surveys will take approximately 8 minutes to answer the questions. The total burden is estimated to be 133 hours.

Howard Bradsher-Fredrick is the point-of-contact for the survey and may be contacted at (202) 586-5674. Other questions should be directed to Grace Sutherland on (202) 586-6264.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Brown

Director

Statistics and Methods Group

Energy Information Administration