Region 10 Grants Questionnaire

MEMORANDUM

DATE: August 23, 2007

SUBJECT: Request for OMB Approval of Voluntary Customer Grants Questionnaire

(EPA ICR No. 1711.05, OMB Control No. 2090-0019, Expiration Date June 30, 2006)

TO: Desk Officer, Office of Management & Budget

FROM: Armina Nolan

Grants Management Officer

EPA Region 10

206-553-0530

THROUGH: Patricia A. Bonner

Customer Service Director

Office of The Administrator

Spencer W. Clark

Office of Environmental Information

Background

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Grants Administration Unit (EPA, R-10) plans to improve its delivery of Grant agreements through the use of electronic delivery and other efficiencies. Improving the delivery of this service is directly tied to user experience and ensures that the EPA is meeting its customer needs according to the Federal e-gov initiative.

Questionnaire Purpose and Description:

The purpose of the voluntary questionnaire is to provide Region 10 with specific ideas about how to better satisfy individuals who use the grant process and to provide us with specific ideas about how to better meet customer needs and expectations. The questionnaires consist of 6 questions addressing the following: 1) questions about how satisfied our customers are with the quality of the service they have received when applying for EPA funding; and 2) questions regarding how satisfied our customers are with the Agency in terms of response time, level of detail, clarity, and subject matter and performance. The questions will be administered in an e-mail format attached to the grant funding agreement.

Methodology and Use of the Questionnaire:

The Grants customer service team will monitor the feedback and evaluate user responses. The team will then conduct analysis to identify opportunities to improve service to the grantees. The team will retain an electronic copy of the captured data and analysis for 3 years after the completion of the collection.

Respondent’s Burden:

The rate is based upon grantee applications and an assumption of the representative most likely to complete the survey. Several different grant applications were reviewed and a range of salary were reviewed from $19.10 to $50.00 per hour.

Number of Respondents: 100 in 2007, 200 in 2008 and 300 in 2009

Minutes per response: 600 people X 7 minutes = 4200 minutes = 70 hours

Projected Respondent cost: 70 hours X $25.40/hour = $1,778

Agency Burden:

The estimated total annual burden hours for Region 10’s grants office including the Grants Management officer, a Sr. Grant Specialist, and administrative assistance, represents the amount of time used for feedback collection, analysis, and reporting.

Total Three-Year Internal Burden

Labor Category	Hours
Sr. Grant Specialist	25
Management	25
Administrative	30
Total	80 hours

All responses will be stored in a database, which will be used to track and analyze the feedback over time. The resources invested in implementing recommendations will vary annually depending on results, availability of funds, and competing priorities.

OMB control number: 2090-0019 Expiration Date: 8/31/2009

Proposed list of Questions for States, Tribal and Local Governments, and nongovernmental organizations receiving grants electronically from Region 10:

For the following questions, please rank your satisfaction on a scale of 1-6, with 1 being dissatisfied and 6 being extremely satisfied.

Satisfaction with timeliness:

1. How satisfied are you with the time it took for EPA to review your grant application?

a. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Clarity of Grant Agreement:

2. How satisfied are you with the clarity of the grant agreement, including terms and conditions?

a. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Communication:

3. How satisfied are you with the communication during the grant review?

a. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Written Guidance:

4. How satisfied are you with the written assistance (how to fill out the grant forms) provided to you?

a. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Personnel Availability:

5. How satisfied are you with the availability of your grants specialist and project officer to answer questions?

a. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Other:

6. What can we do to improve the process for you for future grants?

Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average one (1) minute per question, plus one (1) minute per survey to review instructions, gather information, and review selections. Send comments on the Agency’s need for this information, the accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggestions for reducing the burden, including the use of automated collection techniques to the Director, OEI Collections Strategies Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460-0001; and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management & Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Attention : Desk Officer for EPA. Include the EPA ICR number (1711.05) and the OMB control number (2090-0019) in any correspondence.