2009 W&I Spec Local Partner Survey OMB #1545-1432
IN DATABASE: DO NOT ASK
ORGANIZATION CONTACT TELEPHONE
CONTACT NAME CONTACT E-MAIL ADDRESS
CONTACT ADDRESS LOGIN/PASSWORD
PARTNER/PROGRAM TYPE
a. LOCAL
b. COALITION
c. AARP
d. MILITARY
The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that the IRS display an OMB control number on all public information requests. The OMB Control Number for this study is 1545-1432. Also, if you have any comments regarding the time estimates associated with this study or suggestions on making this process simpler, please write to the, Internal Revenue Service, Tax Products Coordinating Committee, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20224.
Hello, my name is [CALLER NAME] calling from Macro International on behalf of IRS’s Stakeholder Partnerships, Education, and Communication organization—you may know this organization as SPEC.
S1. May I speak to [INSERT NAME]?
01 Yes (Named person)
02 No (Not named person) Skip to S3
S2. We are working with SPEC to obtain feedback about your satisfaction as a local partner who works with SPEC on outreach, education, return preparation, and other tax assistance programs provided by SPEC. Are you the person at [INSERT ORGANIZATION] who manages or interacts with SPEC who could provide us with candid feedback about SPEC?
01 Yes Skip to S4
02 No
S3. Who would be the best person for us to speak with in your organization about SPEC?
[Record name and number. Thank and terminate call. Whether transferred or calling the new number, begin again with SCREENER INTRODUCTION using new name.]
S4. Before we continue, are you an IRS SPEC employee?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to S6
S5. While your name was on the contact list, we are not interviewing IRS SPEC employees, but representatives from its partner organizations. We apologize for the inconvenience. Do you know of someone else at [INSERT ORGANIZATION] who would be more appropriate to give us this feedback?
[Record name and number. Thank and terminate call. Whether transferred or calling the new number, begin again with INTRODUCTION using new name.]
[If a Pre-Notification E-mail message was sent Continue with S6]
[If a Pre-Notification Letter was sent Skip to S7]
S6. You may recall an e-mail invitation from SPEC that asked for your participation in a web-based survey. The overall goal of the research is to help SPEC provide better service and improve the relationship between SPEC and your organization. Although the web survey is closed, we are now following up by telephone with those who did not respond. Would you be willing to participate in this survey? It will only take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
01 Yes Skip to INTRODUCTION
02 Soft refusal Schedule new date and time—ensure correct time zone
03 Hard refusal Thank you and terminate call
[INTERVIEWER: Do not provide the web survey as an option. If the respondent insists on taking the web survey, you may provide them login/password and terminate call.]
S7. You may recall a letter from SPEC that invited you to participate in a telephone survey. The overall goal of the research is to help SPEC provide better service and improve the relationship between SPEC and your organization. Would you be willing to participate in this survey? It will only take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
01 Yes
02 Soft refusal Schedule new date and time—ensure correct time zone
04 Hard refusal Thank you and terminate call
________________________________________________________________________
I. Introduction
Thank you. Please, feel free to be open and frank with us. Your identity and individual responses will be held confidential by Macro International, and your feedback will be provided to SPEC in aggregate only. Please keep in mind that this discussion will only be about your experiences with SPEC and not with any interactions you may have had with other parts of the IRS. Your responses are important in helping SPEC understand what makes a partnership successful.
Throughout the rest of this survey, “you” refers to your organization–that is, either to you as a partner or to your coalition. The first set of questions pertains to the nature of your relationship with SPEC and the customers you serve.
II. Market Segments and Demographics
Q1. What is your primary area of emphasis as an organization? Again, we’re interested in the scope of emphasis of the organization you represent, which may be broader than your personal area of emphasis. (Read list and check ONLY ONE)
01 Military Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
02 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA
03 Education and Outreach, such as communications, products, news articles, or websites
04 Tax Counseling for the Elderly, Non-AARP
05 Tax Counseling for the Elderly, AARP
06 Asset Building, such as financial education, funding, or wealth building
07 Something else (Specify)
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[if Q1 = 06 Continue]
[if Q1 = 01,02,03,04,05,07,08, Skip to Q2]
Q1A. Which financial education and/or asset building services do you provide for the clients you serve? (Check all that apply)
01 Banking: Low Cost Checking/Savings
02 Credit Counseling/Repair/Score
03 Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
04 Financial Education or Asset Building Workshops
05 Consumer Protection/Identity Theft
06 Foreclosure Assistance or Debt Relief
07 Other Tax Assistance (e.g. ITIN's, Notices, Payment Arrangements)
08 Other (Capture Verbatim)
Q2. Which of the following types of customers do you serve most frequently? (Read list and check all that apply)
01 Low Income—less than $42,000
02 Elderly
03 Military
04 People with disabilities
05 Foreign students
06 U.S.-based students
07 Rural
08 Native American
09 Limited English Proficient
10 Something else (Specify)
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q3. For how many years has your organization provided return preparation, outreach, education, or other tax assistance as an SPEC partner?
____ years
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q3A. For how many years have you represented your organization in providing return preparation, outreach, education, or other tax assistance as an SPEC partner?
____ years
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q4. Approximately how many customers do you serve through your return preparation, outreach, or other tax-assistance programs per year? (Read list)
01 Fewer than 50
02 50 to 100
03 101 to 1000
04 1001 to 2500
05 More than 2500
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q5. Approximately how many volunteers or staff, including employees, do you coordinate to provide return preparation, outreach, or other tax assistance per year? (Read list)
01 1 to 10
02 11-50
03 51-100
04 101-500
05 More than 500
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q6. Are you an affiliate of a national organization that has a national-level partnership agreement with SPEC?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
III. Relationship Manager
Now I would like to ask you about your satisfaction with the relationship between you and the SPEC relationship manager with whom you have interacted. When considering your experience, please use a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied. Throughout the survey, if an item is not applicable or if you have no experience with it, or you are unaware the product/service is available, please let me know.
Q7. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with your SPEC relationship manager’s [Read and rotate A-D]
Courtesy and professionalism
Proactiveness or anticipation of your needs
Flexibility in meeting your needs
Responsiveness to your concerns, questions, and suggestions
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q8. Did your SPEC relationship manager provide you with results of your accomplishments and/or help you assess the impact of your program?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q9. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with the guidance and assistance you received from your SPEC relationship manager regarding…? [Read and rotate A-I]
Your selection of tax return preparation site locations—for example, what cities are in need of VITA sites
Reaching your target customers
Reviewing or assisting with your training plans
Reviewing or assisting with your marketing plans, such as advertising site locations, services, and outreach events, etc.
Reviewing your marketing products such as brochures or envelope stuffers
Reviewing or assisting with your outreach and education plans
Reviewing your educational products
Identifying community-based organizations as potential partners
Establishing partnerships with community-based organizations
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q10. Overall, [repeat scale if necessary] how satisfied are you with your SPEC relationship manager?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[if Q6 = 01 Continue]
[if Q6 = 02, 08, 09 Skip to Section V]
IV. Relationship Building
I’d now like to ask you to rate your satisfaction with the relationship between you, the local SPEC offices and your national organization. Again, please indicate if an item is not applicable for you or your organization, or if you have no experience with it, or you are unaware the items mentioned.
Q11. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with…? [Read and rotate A-B]
SPEC’s success in building relationships between you and local SPEC relationship managers
The communication between you and local SPEC relationship managers
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,05,07,08,09 Continue]
[If Q1 = 03, 06 only Skip to Section VII]
V. Tax Law Training
Now I would like to ask you about your satisfaction with the tax law training your volunteers received. As before, please indicate if an item is not applicable for you or your organization, if you have no experience with it, or you are unaware the product/service is available.
Q12. How do the majority of the volunteers at your partnership or coalition receive tax law training? Would it be…? [Read list]
Self Study
Training taught by volunteers (train the trainer)
Training taught by other partners
Training taught by SPEC staff
05 No training Skip to Section VII
08 [DK] Skip to Section VII
09 [Refused] Skip to Section VII
Q13. Thinking only about the tax law training your volunteers received, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with
Availability of SPEC training staff to support your training needs
[If Q12 = 04 Continue]
[If Q12 = 01, 02, 03 Skip to Q14]
[Read and rotate B-E]
The method of training delivery meeting your organization’s needs
The timeliness of the training delivery
The trainer’s tax law knowledge
The trainer’s teaching ability
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q14. Overall, how satisfied are you with tax law training service your volunteers received?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
VI. Training Materials
Q15. Next, we’ll move on to SPEC -provided materials that you used for tax law training. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with [Read and rotate A-E]
Web course titled “Link and Learn Taxes”
Process Based Training, Publication 4491
Volunteer Resource Guide—also known as the VITA/TCE Spiral bound Reference Guide or Publication 4012
The Volunteer Assistor’s Test/Retest Form 6744
The tax law training Facilitator’s Guide—also known as Publication 4455
Q16. Overall, how satisfied are you with the tax law training materials provided by SPEC?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
VII. Research
Q17. Have you used SPEC-provided research, such as databases, MapPoint Analysis, reports, return filing statistics or tables?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Section VIII
08 [DK] Skip to Section VIII
09 [Refused] Skip to Section VIII
Q18. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with the following types of SPEC-provided research? If you have not used these or are not aware of them, please let me know.
[Read and rotate A-E]
Return filing related statistics, (such as on e-filing or EITC Returns)
Information on target market segments, such as Low Income, Limited English, Rural, Disabled, Elderly, etc
SPEC Tax Return Filing databases (such as SPEC Returns Database or SPEC EITC Database)
SPEC -provided MapPoint analysis
SPEC -provided reports
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q19. Did you receive the information in a timely manner?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q20. What was the impact of SPEC provided research on your organization?
(Read list and check all that apply) [Probe: Any others?]
01 Allowed assessment of outreach or return preparation activities on communities served
02 Provided information for funding or grant requests
03 Helped determine locations for return preparation sites
04 Identified communities for outreach
05 Something else (Specify)
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
VIII. E-filing and Other Products
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,05,07,08,09 Continue]
[If Q1 = 03,06 only Skip to Section IX]
I’d now like to ask you to rate your satisfaction with a number of additional products and materials. Again, please indicate if an item is not applicable for you or your organization, or if you have no experience with it, or you are unaware the product/service is available.
Q21. Do you file returns electronically?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Section IX
08 [DK] Skip to Section IX
09 [Refused] Skip to Section IX
Q22. First, let’s talk about E-filing products. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with [Read and rotate C-D only]
TaxWise electronic filing software desktop product
TaxWise electronic filing software online product
CCH Customer Support Line for TaxWise Software support
E-file Administrator Guide—also known as TaxWise Publication 3189
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q23. Now, let me ask about two other resources. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with the Tax Law volunteer hotline
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
IX. Community Network Pages
Next, let’s talk about the online resources available for partners at WWW.IRS.GOV
Q24 Are you aware of the Community Network web page on IRS.gov with information on products, training, quality and other partner support?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Section X
08 [DK] Skip to Section X
09 [Refused] Skip to Section X
Q25 How often do you visit the Community Network pages on IRS.gov?
01 Never Skip to Section X
02 Once
02 Monthly
03 Weekly
04 Daily
08 [DK] Skip to Section X
09 [Refused] Skip to Section X
Q26 How satisfied are you with the current information on the Community Network web pages on IRS.gov? If an item is not applicable to your organization; or if you have no experience with it; or you were not aware of this product, please choose: Not applicable/Have not used/No experience.
Partner Products and Volunteer Resource Center
How to Become an IRS Partner in Your Community
Volunteer Tax Return Preparation - Training Scope and Products
Volunteer in Your Community
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q27 From the list below, please select the one item where SPEC can provide information that would most improve the Community Network pages on IRS.gov? [Read 01-05]
01 Add information and resources for partners who serve rural taxpayers
02 Add information and resources for partners who serve Native American taxpayers
03 Add information and resources pertaining to asset building and financial literacy
04 Improve navigation and searching of the site to enhance locating relevant information
05 Other (Please specify)
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q28. Overall, how satisfied are you with the Community Network pages located on WWW.IRS.GOV?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
X. Marketing Products and Materials
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,05 only Skip to Section XI]
[If Q1 = 03,06,07,08,09 Continue]
Q29 Next, let’s talk about marketing products and materials. Once again, please indicate if an item is not applicable for you or your organization, if you have no experience with it, or weren’t aware of this product. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with…? [Do not rotate]
Economic Stimulus Payment – Publication 4665
Living and Working with Disabilities brochures – Publication 3966
Birth through Childhood English brochures – Publication 4156
Birth through Childhood Spanish brochures – Publication 4156SP
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q30. In general, do you receive marketing materials when expected—for example, Lifecycle and Child Tax Credit brochures?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q31. Overall, how satisfied are you with the marketing products and materials provided by SPEC?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
XI. Privacy, Confidentiality and Security
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,05,07,08,09 Continue]
[If Q1 = 03,06 only Skip to Section XIII]
Next, I would like to ask for your feedback on SPEC’s efforts to improve the privacy, confidentiality, and security procedures at return preparation sites, as referenced in Publication 4299 – Privacy and Confidentiality - A Public Trust.
Q32. Are you familiar with SPEC’s efforts to maintain and improve the privacy, security and confidentiality at return preparation sites?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Section XII
08 [DK] Skip to Section XII
09 [Refused] Skip to Section XII
Q33. Did SPEC provide guidance material to assist with the privacy, confidentially and security of taxpayer data, including Section 7216 disclosure and use consent requirements?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q34. Did you encounter any challenges in implementing Section 7216 disclosure and use consent requirements?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q35. What challenges did you encounter?
Q36. Overall, how satisfied are you with SPEC’s efforts to improve the privacy, confidentiality, and security procedures at return preparation sites.
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
XII. Quality Improvement Process
Now I would like to ask you about SPEC’s VITA/TCE – Volunteer Return Preparation Program - Quality Improvement Process, also known as VRPP-QIP.
Q37. Are you familiar with SPEC’s efforts to improve the quality of returns prepared at VITA and TCE sites?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Section XIII
08 [DK] Skip to Section XIII
09 [Refused] Skip to Section XIII
Q38. Using the same satisfaction scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with the following products developed to support the VRPP-QIP?
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,07,08,09 read and rotate A-H]
[If Q1 = 05 read and rotate B,D,E & H only]
Intake & Interview Sheet— Form 13614C
Quality Review Sheet— Form 8158
Volunteer Resource Guide— Publication 4012
Quality Review Technique DVD/Video— Publication Number 4562
Volunteer Site Coordinator’s Handbook— Publication 1084
Volunteer Summary Report— Form 13206
Volunteer Agreement— Form 13615
SPEC Volunteer Site Information— Form 13715
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q39. Did you encounter any challenges in implementing the VITA/TCE Quality Site Requirements?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q40. What challenges did you encounter?
Q41 How satisfied are you with discussions with your SPEC Relationship Manager concerning Quality Site Requirements?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[if Q41 = 01 or 02]
Q.42 Why was the explanation unsatisfactory?
01 - No explanation of the Quality Improvement Process was provided
02 - Explanation was not complete
03 – I did not understand all of the requirements
04 – I had unanswered questions
05 - Other - [Record verbatim]
Q43. Using the same scale [repeat as often as necessary], overall how satisfied are you with the guidance, tools, and support provided by SPEC to improve the VITA/TCE Programs?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
XIII. Overall Satisfaction
Q44. We’ve talked about the service you have received from SPEC staff, including the relationship between you and SPEC staff, products, training, outreach, education, and research. Considering all of your responses to this survey, we’d like you to rate your overall satisfaction with SPEC’s products and services. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, are you…?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q45. What, if any, suggestions do you have for SPEC to improve their products or services?
Q46. Given your experience, on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being very likely and 1 being very unlikely, how likely are you to continue partnering with SPEC next year?
05 Very likely
04
03
02
01 Very unlikely
06 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[If Q46 = 01,02]
Q47. If you do not anticipate partnering with SPEC next year, what is the main reason you are relatively unlikely to continue?
Q48. What services provided by SPEC do you value most?
XIV. Resource Needs
Q49. We’re almost completed with the survey. We’d like to know what your greatest resource needs are. Using a rating scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means very important and 1 means not important at all, how important is it that SPEC assist you with the following items: [Do not rotate]
Assisting with marketing plans
Identifying potential partners (other organizations to work with)
Building a coalition or network of partners
Providing research or informational data
05 Very important
04
03
02
01 Not important at all
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
XV. Closing Comments
Q50. Do you have any other comments or suggestions for improvement for SPEC program?
[Record verbatim]
01 No
[If Q1 = 03,06,07,08,09 Continue]
[If Q1 = 01,02,04,05 Skip to Section XVII]
You have just completed the SPEC portion of this survey. Now we would like you to answer a few questions about products created by the IRS National Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Office to promote awareness of the EITC.
XVI. EITC Marketing Materials
Q51. Are you familiar with EITC's marketing campaign slogan "Life’s Easier with EITC"?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q53
08 [DK] Skip to Q53
09 [Refused] Skip to Q53
Q52. Do you have a suggestion for an EITC campaign slogan that would better meet your organizations needs? If you do please provide it
01 Yes [Record suggestion]]
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q53. Have you used the following EITC marketing materials to assist you in your efforts to provide education and outreach, tax preparation and/or asset building efforts?
Publication 4559 – EITC Sell Sheet – lists all EITC products and descriptions
Publication 962 series – Stuffers in English, Spanish and evergreen with EITC basic eligibility requirements.
Publication 3211 – Bilingual Q&A EITC brochure used to answer most common questions relating to EITC.
Publication 4298 – Bus card displayed on public transportation vehicles to market three IRS programs to taxpayers: EITC, Child Tax Credit, and e-File.
Publication 4194 – Bilingual reference poster listing EITC requirements and most common EITC errors.
Publication 3524 series – EITC eligibility checklist in both English and Spanish
Publication 1235 – Brochure for taxpayers who could be eligible for Advance Earned Income Tax Credit (AEITC). English on one side, Spanish on the other.
Other IRS provided EITC publications.
EITC publications not provided by the IRS.
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q54. Are there any other products that you would like to see developed for EITC outreach?
01 Yes [Record verbatim]
02 No
Q55. What languages in addition to Spanish would be beneficial for your EITC outreach efforts?
01 Yes [Record verbatim]
02 No
Q56. How frequently do you visit the following EITC related online resources?
A. EITC pages on WWW.IRS.GOV/EITC
B. EITC Marketing Express on WWW.IRSMARKETINGEXPRESS.COM
C. EITC Assistant located on WWW.IRS.GOV
D. Online Toolkit for SPEC Partners on WWW.IRS-EITC.INFO/SPEC
05 Once Daily
04 Once Weekly
03 Once Monthly
02 Occasionally
01 Never
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[Programmer: Q56A, 56B, 56C, and 56D are to be treated as independent questions. All four questions are to be asked. Skip patterns for each of these four questions determine ONLY whether the corresponding item within Q57 will be asked or not.]
[If Q56A = 02,03,04,05 Ask Q57A]
[If Q56A = 01,07,08,09 Do not ask Q57A]
[If Q56B = 02,03,04,05 Ask Q57B]
[If Q56B = 01,07,08,09 Do not ask Q57B]
[If Q56C = 02,03,04,05 Ask Q57C]
[If Q56C = 01,07,08,09 Do not ask Q57C]
[If Q56D = 02,03,04,05 Ask Q57D]
[If Q56D = 01,07,08,09 Do not ask Q57D]
Q57. How satisfied are you with the following online resources related to the EITC meeting your organizations needs? On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with…
A. EITC pages on WWW.IRS.GOV/EITC
B. EITC Marketing Express on WWW.IRSMARKETINGEXPRESS.COM
C. EITC Assistant located on WWW.IRS.GOV
D. Online Toolkit for SPEC Partners on WWW.IRS-EITC.INFO/SPEC
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[If Q56A OR Q56C = 02,03,04,05 Continue]
[If Q56A AND Q56C = 01,07,08,09 Skip to End]
Q58. How satisfied were you with the ease of finding EITC related information on the EITC pages located on WWW.IRS.GOV/EITC?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
XVII. Close
That concludes this survey. On behalf of the IRS, SPEC and Macro International, thank you very much for your participation.
IN DATABASE: DO NOT ASK
NAME
ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION CHANNEL
a. Educational Institution /Government Agency
b. Financial Institution Partnerships
c. Volunteer and Community/Large Employer
RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that the IRS display an OMB control number on all public information requests. The OMB Control Number for this study is 1545-1432. Also, if you have any comments regarding the time estimates associated with this study or suggestions on making this process simpler, please write to the, Internal Revenue Service, Tax Products Coordinating Committee, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20224.
N1. Hello, my name is [CALLER NAME] calling from Macro International Inc. on behalf of IRS’s Stakeholder Partnerships, Education, and Communication (SPEC) organization. We are working with the SPEC program to obtain feedback about your satisfaction as a National Partner who works with the SPEC program on joint national initiatives and coalition building. Could I speak to [INSERT NAME]?
01 Yes (Named person)
02 No (Person no longer works there or wrong name) Skip to N3
N2. Are you the person at [INSERT ORGANIZATION] who manages or interacts with the SPEC program, who could best provide us with candid feedback about the SPEC program?
01 Yes (Skip to S1)
02 No
N3. Who would be the best person for us to speak with in your organization about this?
[Record name and number. Thank and terminate call. Whether transferred or calling the new number, begin again with SCREENER INTRODUCTION using new name.]
S1. I’m calling today to schedule a time that would be convenient for you to speak with an interviewer from Macro International Inc. The interview will take about 15 minutes to complete. Is there a time that you have available during the next week or so?
01 Yes (Schedule date and time—ensure correct time zone)
02 Complete interview now Skip to RM1
03 Soft refusal (Set time to call back to schedule interview)
04 Hard refusal (Thank you and terminate call)
Interviewer may provide if asked:
- The overall goal of the research is to gather information that will help SPEC provide better service and improve the relationship between SPEC and your organization.
- During the past couple weeks, you should have received a letter signed by the Director of the SPEC program, Julie Garcia, notifying you that we would be giving you a call.
- At this time, we are just scheduling the interview, not conducting the survey. We will conduct the interview at the time you propose.
Terminate Scheduling Call
Thank you for your willingness to share your feedback with SPEC. We look forward to speaking with you at [REPEAT DATE/TIME].
Hello, my name is [CALLER NAME] calling from ORC Macro on behalf of IRS’s Stakeholder Partnerships, Education, and Communication (SPEC) organization.
C1. Am I speaking with [INSERT NAME]?
01 Yes (Named person)
02 No (Not named person) Ask to be connected. Repeat C1.
C2. Great. As you may recall when we contacted you to set up this call, Macro International Inc. is working with the SPEC program to obtain feedback about your satisfaction as a National Partner who works with SPEC on joint national initiatives and coalition building. We had scheduled this time for a 15-minute interview to gather your feedback for SPEC. May I assume that this still a good time?
01 Yes
02 No (schedule new date and time—ensure correct time zone))
03 Soft refusal (Thank you and terminate call)
04 Hard refusal (Thank you and terminate call)
Interviewer may provide if asked:
- The overall goal of the research is to gather information that will help SPEC provide better service and improve the relationship between SPEC and your organization.
- During the past couple weeks, you should have received a letter to you signed by the Director of the SPEC program, Ellie Cigmalia, notifying you that we would be giving you a call.
________________________________________________________________________
Thank you. Please, feel free to be open and frank with us. Your identity and individual responses will be held confidential by Macro International Inc., and your feedback will be provided to SPEC in aggregate only. Please keep in mind that this discussion will only be about your opinions of your experiences with the SPEC National Partnership program and not with any interactions you may have had with other parts of the IRS.
RM1. According to our files, your primary SPEC relationship manager is (RM NAME). Is that correct?
01 Yes (Skip to Q1)
02 No (Continue with RM2)
08 [DK] (Skip to Q1)
09 [Refused] Skip to Q1
RM2. Who is your primary SPEC relationship manager?
I. Market Segments And Demographics
Let me start by asking some general questions.
Q1. Which of the following are your primary areas of emphasis as a national partner? Again, we want to know the roles you play at the national level, not the roles of your local affiliates. (Read list and check all that apply) [Probe: Any others?]
01 Return Preparation, such as volunteer assistance, facilities, or equipment
02 Education and Outreach, such as communications, products, news articles, or websites
03 Asset Building, such as financial education, funding, or wealth building
04 Other Tax Assistance
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q2. Which of the following types of customers do you, your affiliates, or members serve most frequently? (Read list and check all that apply)
01 Low Income—less than $42,000—English speaking
02 Low Income—less than $42,000—Non-English speaking
03 Elderly
04 Military
05 People with disabilities
06 Foreign students
07 U.S.-based students
08 Rural
09 Native American
10 Limited English Proficient
11 Something else (Specify)
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q3. For how many years has your organization partnered with SPEC?
____ years
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q3A. For how many years have you represented your organization in partnering with SPEC?
____ years
98 [DK]
99 [Refused]
Q4. Which of the following reasons best describe why your organization continues to partner with SPEC? (Read List and check all that apply)
01 To benefit from SPEC’s tax law knowledge
02 To benefit from related mission and goals
03 To benefit from the range of SPEC-provided products and services
04 To provide a value added service to the community
05 To make a greater economic impact on the community
06 As an opportunity to move families toward self-sufficiency
07 Something else (please specify)______________________________
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
II. Relationship Manager
Now I would like to ask you about your satisfaction with the relationship between you and the SPEC relationship manager you work with. Please think of your direct experience with your SPEC relationship manager only, not about your other experiences with SPEC or your local affiliates’ or members’ experiences dealing with their local SPEC offices.
Please use a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied. If an item is not applicable or if you have no experience with it, please let me know.
Q5. How satisfied are you with your SPEC relationship manager’s…? [read and rotate A-J]
Courtesy and professionalism
Proactiveness or anticipation of your needs
Flexibility in meeting your needs
Responsiveness to your concerns, questions, and suggestions
Understanding your mission
Ability to fulfill SPEC partnership agreements with you
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [DK]
08 [Refused]
Q6. Did your SPEC relationship manager provide you with results of your accomplishments and/or help you assess the impact of your program?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q7. Using the same scale [repeat as often as necessary], how satisfied are you with the guidance and assistance that you receive from your SPEC relationship manager in…? [read and rotate A-F]
Your selection of tax return preparation site locations—for example, what cities are in need of VITA sites
Reaching your target customers
Identifying community based organizations as potential partners
Establishing partnerships with community based organizations
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q8. Using the same scale [repeat as often as necessary], how satisfied are you with the guidance and assistance that you receive from your SPEC relationship manager at national conferences, conventions, or meetings?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[If Q8 = 1 to 5 only]
Q9. What in particular about your SPEC relationship manager’s presence at national conferences, conventions and meetings influenced your satisfaction level?
Q10. Using the same scale [repeat as often as necessary], overall, how satisfied are you with your national partner SPEC relationship manager?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [DK]
09 [Refused]
III. Relationship Building
Q11. Do you have local affiliates that partner with SPEC?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q16
08 [DK] Skip to Q16
09 [Refused] Skip to Q16
Q12. Has SPEC worked with you to connect your affiliates or members to SPEC local relationship managers in an effort to facilitate collaboration?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q16
08 [DK] Skip to Q16
09 [Refused] Skip to Q16
Q13. On a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with…? [Read and rotate A-C]
SPEC’s communication of national partner agreements down to local SPEC relationship managers
SPEC’s success in building relationships between your local affiliates or members and local SPEC relationship managers
The communication between your local affiliates or members and local SPEC relationship managers
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q14. How could SPEC better create national partner agreements that you can implement successfully with your local affiliates?
[Record verbatim]
Q15. Have you received and used SPEC-provided research, such as databases, MapPoint Analysis reports, return filing statistics or tables?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q20
08 [DK] Skip to Q20
09 [Refused] Skip to Q20
Q16. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, how satisfied are you with the following types of SPEC-provided research? [Read and rotate A-E]
Return filing related statistics, (such as on e-filing or EITC Returns)
Information on target market segments, such as Low Income, Limited English, Rural, Disabled, Elderly, etc
SPEC Tax Return Filing databases (such as SPEC Returns Database, SPEC EITC Database)
SPEC-provided MapPoint analysis
SPEC-provided reports
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q17. Did you receive the information in a timely manner?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q18. What was the impact of SPEC provided research on your organization?
(Read list and check all that apply) [Probe: Any others?]
01 Allowed assessment of outreach or return preparation activities on communities served
02 Provided information for developing a volunteer recruitment strategy
03 Provided information for funding or grant requests
04 Helped determine locations for return preparation sites
05 Identified communities for outreach
07 Something else (Specify)
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
[If Q1 = 01 Continue]
[If Q1 = 02, 03, 04, 08, 09 only Skip to Q27]
V. Privacy, Confidentiality and Security
Next, I would like to ask for your feedback on SPEC’s efforts to improve the privacy, confidentiality, and security procedures, as referenced in Publication 4299 – Privacy and Confidentiality - A Public Trust, at return preparation sites.
Q19. Are you familiar with SPEC’s efforts to maintain and improve the privacy, security and confidentiality at return preparation sites?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q25
08 [DK] Skip to Q25
09 [Refused] Skip to Q25
Q20. Did SPEC provide guidance material to assist with the privacy, confidentially and security of taxpayer data, including Section 7216 disclosure and use consent requirements?
01 Yes
02 No
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q21. Overall, how satisfied are you with SPEC’s efforts to improve the privacy, confidentiality, and security procedures at return preparation sites.
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
VI. Quality Review Process
Now I would like to ask you about SPEC’s Volunteer Return Preparation Program - Quality Improvement Process, also known as VRPP-QIP.
Q22. Are you familiar with SPEC’s efforts to improve quality of return preparation?
01 Yes
02 No Skip to Q27
08 [DK] Skip to Q27
09 [Refused] Skip to Q27
Q23. Using the same scale [repeat as often as necessary], overall how satisfied are you with the guidance, tools, and support provided by SPEC to improve the VRPP-QIP?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [Not applicable/Have not used/No experience]
07 [Unaware product/service was available]
08 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q24. We’ve talked about the service you have received from SPEC. Considering all of your responses to this survey, we’d like you to rate your overall satisfaction with SPEC’s products and services. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being very satisfied and 1 being very dissatisfied, are you…?
05 Very satisfied
04
03
02
01 Very dissatisfied
06 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q25. Given your experience, on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 means very satisfied and 1 means very dissatisfied, how likely are you to continue partnering with SPEC next year?
05 Very likely
04
03
02
01 Very unlikely
06 [DK]
09 [Refused]
Q26. If you do not anticipate partnering with SPEC next year, what is the main reason you are relatively unlikely to continue?
Q27. What services provided by SPEC do you value most?
VI. Closing Comments
Q28. Do you have any other comments or suggestions for improvement for the SPEC program?
That concludes this survey. On behalf of the IRS, SPEC and Macro International Inc., thank you very much for your participation.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | The following is a survey which has been sent to approximately 1,300 large and mid-size corporations |
| Author | ahmanu98 |
| Last Modified By | mdsloa00 |
| File Modified | 2008-12-08 |
| File Created | 2008-12-08 |