Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation
Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
Necessity for Collection of Information
This information is being collected to obtain feedback from the companies and organizations that utilize the products and services of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST). Customer Satisfaction is one of the main goals outlined in the FAA’s Flight Plan, the 10-year strategic plan for the agency. This goals comes under the Organizational Excellence/Customer Satisfaction heading.
AST began its customer service/satisfaction initiative in 1995. At that time, the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) Section 2(b)(3) required agencies to “improve Federal program effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction. In addition, as stated in the White House “Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies” regarding Executive Order No. 12862, “the actions the order prescribes, such as surveying customers, surveying employees, and benchmarking, shall be continuing agency activities. The purpose of these actions will remain as indicated in Executive Order No. 12862 – continuing to survey customers to obtain benchmarking and feedback to, in turn, ensure quality service and products.
The likely respondents for AST surveys will be approximately 50 representatives of the U.S. commercial launch industry and other industry representatives from related industries such as U.S. satellite manufacturers and users, as well as representatives from businesses and associations which have an interest in or business-related concerns with the U.S. commercial launch industry.
These survey activities also support the Department of Transportation strategic goal for a “Customer Service Management Strategy,” which is to “deliver the results customers want through a government that works better, is more practical, and costs less.”
2. Use of Information to be Collected
The data collected will be analyzed by AST to determine the quality of services provided by AST to its industry and government customers, and to address any problems or issues found as a result of the data analysis.
3. Describe whether and to what Extent the Collection of Information Involves the Use of Automated, Electronic, Mechanical, or Technological Collection Techniques.
Surveys will be sent electronically in most cases; however, some may need to be mailed or faxed. AST will also accept responses by electronic mail and computer diskette.
4. Avoidance of Duplication
There is no duplication.
5. Impact on Small Businesses
The questionnaire is designed to be as direct, concise and easy as possible for all respondents. Small businesses will not be impacted unfairly.
Consequences of Non-Collection of Data
AST will not meet its planned goals for customer satisfaction if these surveys are not sent out and analyzed.
Special Circumstances
There will be no circumstances which require respondents to report information more than quarterly, to prepare a written response in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it, to submit more than an original and 2 copies, to retain records more than 3 years or to submit proprietary trade secrets or confidential information. The analysis of the information collected will also be valid and reliable, will not require the use of statistical data classification not already reviewed and approved by OMB, and will not require a pledge of confidentiality.
Federal Register Citation. Also Describe Efforts to consult with persons Outside the Agency to Obtain their Views on the Availability of Data, Frequency of Collection, and the Clarity of Instructions.
A 60-Day notice for public comments was published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2006, vol. 71, no. 178, page 54330. No comments were received.
9. Payments or Gifts
There will be no payments or gifts to any respondents.
Assurance of Confidentiality
The information being collected by AST will not be of a sensitive nature and will not contain any business proprietary and/or trade information. Therefore it will not require any assurances of confidentiality.
Questions of a Sensitive Nature
There will be no questions of a sensitive nature included in the data collection survey.
Estimates of the Hour Burden and Cost to Respondents.
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST TO RESPONDENTS: $0.00
TOTAL HOURLY BURDEN: 1 HOUR
(No. of Hours Estimated to complete questionnaire:
1 @$80.00 per hour x 50 Number of respondents).
There will be only 1 form for each targeted group:
U.S. launch services providers
U.S. commercial spaceport operators
Prospective commercial launch licensees or permitees
13. Estimates of Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents
There are no additional costs other than those covered in question #12.
Estimates of Annualized cost to the Federal government.
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: $5793.96
1 Analyst will prepare survey, analyze results and develop findings on data collection. The cost estimates for this work is $5609.60
(No. of Hours Estimated: 160 @$35.06 per hour).
2 Division Managers will review survey and analysis. The cost estimates for this work is $184.36
(No. of Hours Estimated: 2 @ $46.09 per hour x 2 people).
Program Changes or Adjustments
The AST customer service survey process changed from surveying a large group of constituents to targeting small specific groups of customers, i.e., launch providers of expendable rockets, launch providers of reusable rockets, spaceport operators, etc.
Plans for Publication of Results
The results of these surveys may be published on the AST website.
Approval for Non-Display of Expiration Date.
AST is not seeking approval to not display expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection.
18. Exceptions to Certification (Reduction of Paperwork)
There are no exceptions requested.
Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods
Statistical methods will not be used for this data collection.
Attachments:
Supporting Statement
30 Day Notice
60 Day Notice
Survey Instrument
Executive Order 12862
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Preferred Customer |
| Last Modified By | ATO USER |
| File Modified | 2007-03-15 |
| File Created | 2007-03-07 |