Jason-2 Supplementary and Part B Questions

A. Supplemental Questions for DOC/NOAA Customer Survey Clearance
(OMB Control Number 0648-0342)
1. Explain who will be conducting this survey. What program office will be
conducting the survey? What services does this program provide? Who are the customers?
How are these services provided to the customer?
The Jason-2 Product Area Lead (PAL) will be conducting the survey. Jason-2 is a product of the
Satellite Products Branch (SPB) of the Satellite Products and Services Division (SPSD) within the
Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) of NOAA/NESDIS. The Office of Satellite and
Product Operations manages and directs the operation of the central ground facilities which ingest,
process, and distribute environmental satellite data and derived products to domestic and foreign users.
NOAA would like to give its customers an opportunity to provide us with the feedback necessary to
ensure our products continue to meet their needs. The users are as follows:
Federal Government User community –14 agencies/divisions, total of 17 respondents
 NOAA
 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
 National Ocean Service (NOS)
 National Weather Service (NWS) – National Centers for Environmental.
Prediction (NCEP)
• Ocean Prediction Center
• Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) – Marine Modeling & Analysis
• EMC – Global Climate & Weather Modeling
• EMC - Systems Integration Branch NCEP Central Operations
 NWS- Tropical Prediction Center (TPC)
 Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
 National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS)
NESDIS)
• Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR)
• Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO)
 Navy
 Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
 Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO)
 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
 Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL)
 Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
In addition to those above 17 United States Federal Government agency/division respondents, there are
the Australia Federal Government’s Bureau of Meteorology and 2 private companies, for a total of 20
respondents.
Our users access the data via our Data Distribution System (DDS), the Comprehensive Large Array-data
Stewardship System (CLASS), the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), and the Global
Telecommunication System (GTS).

2. Explain how this survey was developed. With whom did you consult during the development
of this survey on content? statistics? What suggestions did you get about improving the
survey?
The survey is based on one conducted by one of our partners, the French National Space Agency CNES
(Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales) from March 15 to April 30, 2010. Results were presented at the
Jason-1 and 2 annual review (REVEX) in Toulouse, France in May 2010. As a result of that survey,
NOAA and another partner, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
(EUMETSAT), the primary distributors of Jason-2 products, were asked to prepare and conduct similar
surveys and present their results at the upcoming REVEX in April 2011. In preparing the survey, the
PAL consulted with our user services coordinator, the project science lead, and EUMETSAT.
EUMETSAT suggested adding a little more level of detail, and this survey is essentially the same survey
that EUMETSAT will conduct, tailored for NOAA users.
3. Explain how the survey will be conducted. How will the customers be sampled (if fewer than
all customers will be surveyed)? What percentage of customers asked to take the survey will
respond? What actions are planned to increase the response rate? (Web-based surveys are not
an acceptable method of sampling a broad population. Web-based surveys must be limited to
services provided by Web.)
We have very few users (~ 20), so we feel the best approach is a fillable PDF that we email as an
electronic attachment. We expect an 80% response rate, given the relatively close-knit and interrelated
community of users. We will set a deadline, emphasize the importance of responding because of the
small sample size, and point out that it should only take 5 minutes of their time.
4. Describe how the results of this survey will be analyzed and used. If the customer population is
sampled, what statistical techniques will be used to generalize the results to the entire customer
population? Is this survey intended to measure a GPRA performance measure? (If so, please
include an excerpt from the appropriate document.)
We plan to calculate simple percentages of each response based upon total responses and display as bar
graphs in a PowerPoint presentation.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS
1.

Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling
or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g.
establishments, State and local governmental units, households, or persons) in the universe
and the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form. The tabulation must also
include expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection has been
conducted before, provide the actual response rate achieved.

Respondent category

Number

U.S. Federal Agencies/Divisions
Other Country’s Federal Agencies
Private Companies
TOTAL

17
1
2
20

Number expected to
respond, based on 80%
response rate
14
1
1
16

Because we will be conducting a census survey, no sampling strategy is needed. Based on customer
interest, we expect an 80 percent response rate of the 20 users, which will probably translate into an
estimate of 15 government agencies and 1 private company. This estimate is an educated guess, as this
is the first Jason-2 user survey conducted by NOAA. The CNES survey of 1,038 users yielded responses
by 237, or 23%. However, for this much smaller, closer-knit group, we expect a significantly higher
response rate.
2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for
stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy needed for
the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring specialized sampling
procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce
burden.
As this will be a census survey, a sampling strategy is not applicable. There is no specific degree of
accuracy needed, but anticipating an 80% response rate, results should be fairly accurate. This will be a
one-time survey.
3. Describe the methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with nonresponse. The
accuracy and reliability of the information collected must be shown to be adequate for the
intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided if they
will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.
We expect an 80% response rate, given the relatively close-knit and interrelated community of users.
We will set a deadline, emphasize the importance of responding because of the small sample size, and
point out that it should only take 5 minutes of their time. Because we intend to display the results as
simple bar graphs in a PowerPoint presentation, the information collected will be adequate.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Tests are encouraged as effective
means to refine collections, but if ten or more test respondents are involved OMB must give prior
approval.
Since no sampling will be involved because of the small sample size, refinement won’t be required. If
we get 16 out of 20 responses as expected, we will have captured 80 percent of the actual universe.
5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on the statistical aspects of
the design, and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who
will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.
Because of the small sample size, the PAL will be conducting the collection and analysis. No other
individuals will be consulted.
Contact Information:
David R. Donahue
Physical Scientist
NOAA/NESDIS/OSPO/SPSD/SPB
5200 Auth Rd., Rm 510
Camp Springs MD 20746
Phone: (301)763-8142 x126
Fax: (301)899-9196