SS customer survey project revised

SUPPORTING STATEMENT - OMB NO 0579-xxxx

EASTERN REGIONAL OFFICE

CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEY PROJECT

August 21, 2007

A. Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

Title 21, U.S.C. 117 Animal Industry Act of 1884, authorizes the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prevent, control and eliminate domestic diseases such as tuberculosis and brucellosis, as well as to take actions to prevent and to manage exotic diseases such as hog cholera, foot-and-mouth disease, and other foreign animal diseases.

There is no currently approved instrument for collection of information on the beliefs and opinions of persons who use the services and products offered by Veterinary Services (VS).

VS needs to collect information which can be used to identify and correct shortcomings in the delivery of its services.

The survey is required to solicit information from the general public who utilize the business services and animal programs administered by the USDA, APHIS, and VS. The survey is designed to gather information pertaining to individuals moving pet animals, commercial animal transporters, animal production facilities and operations, agricultural product exporters, and accredited veterinarians. The survey will provide the local Area Office Manager the general view of the public’s perception of customer service and indicate problems which can be addressed locally. The survey will also provide feedback from the public on recommendations to improve upon customer service and provide a vehicle in which questions can be asked about VS to educate the public.

2. Indicate how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

VS 1-10, Customer Service Survey, will be presented to the participant by an APHIS veterinary medical officer, document examiner, or animal health technician. The form can be returned in person or by mail and contributing information is voluntary and anonymous. The form consists of 5 questions.

Information will be collected via customer survey at the Area Office or Animal Import Center either by postal mail or by electronic e-mail system. The survey will be done a minimum of once a year. This information collection will be used by the Area Office manager to improve upon customer service to the public.

Information collected will be for the following:

1. The type of capacity that the contact with VS was made, Pet Animal Import/Export, Farm Animal Programs and Other (specify).

2. Customer satisfaction level with VS regarding the following:

   1. Courtesy

   2. Professionalism

   3. Helpfulness

   4. Timeliness

   5. Knowledge

   6. Communication

   7. Treating You as a Valued Customer

Customers will rate using the scale of satisfied, somewhat satisfied, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, somewhat dissatisfied or dissatisfied.

3. How satisfied overall were you with your experience in our office?

4. What was good about our service?

5. What could we do better?

Distribution of the survey will be through the Area Office via postal mail or electronic mail system.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

This electronic transaction capability will be provided by APHIS solely as a convenience for the affected parties. APHIS will not accept or maintain these surveys in electronic format. The official version of these surveys would be kept in paper format and, therefore, would not require a fully functional electronic recordkeeping system.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose described in item 2 above.

The information that APHIS collects is not available from any other source. APHIS is the only Federal Agency responsible for preventing foreign animal diseases from entering the

United States.

Area and Regional Offices were queried for an approved survey. None were discovered. Additionally the “Inventory of Active Information Collections” published by the Office of Management and Budget (http://whitehouse.gov/omb/library/OMBINVC.html) was examined for the presence of currently approved customer service surveys or for surveys under review for the Department of Agriculture. None were listed as of January 16, 2006.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

Small business entities involved in the voluntary collection of Customer Service information may include horse importers and exporters, farm owners, pet owners, product importers and exporters and veterinary clinics. Information from these customers is a major factor in the success of the

data collection activity. All data collected will be on a voluntary basis and no customer or client will be required to participate. The burden will be further minimized by keeping the information collection short.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

If the information were collected less frequently or not collected at all, it would significantly hamper APHIS, VS, ER’s ability to gauge APHIS’ role in safeguarding animal health in the United States.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the general information collection guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5.

This information collection is conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines established in 5 CFR 1320.5.

8. Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and record keeping, disclosure, or reporting form, and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to 0MB.

In 2007, APHIS consulted with the following individuals concerning the information collection activities associated with this program:

Mr. Pete Townsend

Sallee Horse Vans

3329 NW 27^th Avenue

Ocala, FL 34475

352-622-2514

Mr. Dan Sullivan

Manager, Adena Springs Stable, South

15045 NW 141 Court

Williston, FL 32696

352-528-1287

Ms. Linda S. Pastor

Private Horse Owner

1795 NW 114^th Loop

Ocala, FL 34475

352-622-2308

The Agency’s notice of information collection activity was announced in the Federal Register on Friday, June 16, 2006, pages 34871-34872. No comments were received.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than reenumeration of contractors or grantees.

This information collection activity involves no payments or gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The survey will be treated anonymously. Assurances of confidentiality do not apply.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior or attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

This information collection activity will ask no questions of a personal or sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated.

• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens in Item 13 of 0MB Form 83-I.

An estimate of the burden of the information collection has been summarized on the enclosed APHIS Form 71.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories.

APHIS estimates the total annualized cost to these respondents to be $5,199.95. APHIS arrived at this figure by multiplying the total hours of estimated burden (415 hours) by the estimated average hourly wage of the above respondents ($12.53). This amount was derived from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics June 2003 Report – National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, July 2002. See http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/mcb10539.pdf.

13. Provide estimates of the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information (do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in items 12 and 14). The cost estimates should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and startup cost component annualized over its expected useful life; and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component.

There is zero annual cost burden associated with capital and startup costs, operation and maintenance expenditures, and purchase of services.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal government. Provide

a description of the method used to estimate cost and any other expense that

would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

The annualized cost to the Federal Government is estimated at $35,002.32 (see APHIS Form 79).

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 13 or 14 of the 0MB Form 83-1.

This is a new program to solicit information from the general public who utilize the business services and animal programs administered by the USDA, APHIS, and VS.

16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication.

APHIS has no plans to publish information it collects in connection with this program.

The results of the customer service survey are for local internal use and will not be published.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for 0MB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

If forms were to be discarded because of an outdated OMB expiration date, but were otherwise usable, higher printing costs would be incurred by the Federal Government. Therefore, APHIS is seeking approval to not display the OMB expiration date on its forms.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in the “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act.”

APHIS certifies compliance with all provisions of the Act.