Revised 0625.0217.SuppStmt.PartB

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.

Please see the table below for respondent universe, expected response rate and historic response rates (where applicable).

Collections employing statistical methods	Method of Survey Deployment / Respondent Universe	Expected Response Rate	Historic Response Rates
Commercial Service Comment Card for Export Assistance Services	E-mail link sent to all clients at the completion of a fee-based service	Approximately 40%	25 – 40%
Commercial Service Comment Card for Advocacy Services	E-mail link sent to all clients at the completion of advocacy services	Approximately 40%	30%
Tell Us About Your Experience (e-mail tagline)	Link available in Commercial Service staff members’ e-mail signature line. Clients may click on it if they wish.	Not applicable	Not applicable
Website Feedback (Export.gov)	Link available on website home page. Clients may click on it if they wish.	Not applicable	Not applicable
Trade Information Center Annual Satisfaction Survey	E-mail link sent to all clients that have contacted the Trade Information Center a minimum of 5 times within the past year.	Approximately 40%	25%
U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Agreements Compliance Program Comment Card for Successfully Resolved Cases	E-mail link sent to all clients that have a successfully resolved case	Approximately 40%	New collection /Not applicable
U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Agreements Compliance Program Comment Card for Non-successfully Resolved Cases	E-mail link sent to all clients that have a non-successfully resolved case	Approximately 40%	New collection /Not applicable
U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Agreements Compliance Program Annual Survey	E-mail link sent to all clients that have had cases completed during a one year period	Approximately 40%	New collection /Not applicable
Trade Information Center – automated phone survey	Optional for clients upon completion of call to the Trade Information Center	Approximately 25%	25%

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.

We will not be using any sampling procedures. Please see table above for details on respondent universe. Our historic response rates for surveys have ranged from approximately 30 – 40%. We hope to achieve a 40% response rate and we are taking the following steps to improve our response rates: reducing the length of the Commercial Service Comment Card for Export Assistance Services and ensuring that all other surveys are as short as possible, revising the content of the messages that will contain the survey links, changing the subject line and sending a pre-survey message prior to deploying the 2 annual surveys.

We have consulted with 2 leading private sector survey research organizations (Burke Institute and VOVICI) regarding acceptable and reasonable survey response rates and both concur that a 40% response rate is acceptable to meet our customer satisfaction survey objectives.

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.

Our historic response rates for surveys have ranged from approximately 30 – 40%. We hope to achieve a 40% response rate and we are taking the following steps to improve our response rates: reducing the length of the Commercial Service Comment Card for Export Assistance Services and ensuring that all other surveys are as short as possible, revising the content of the messages that will contain the survey links, changing the subject line and sending a pre-survey message prior to deploying the 2 annual surveys. We also send a reminder message to non-responders two weeks after sending the initial survey has been deployed.

We have consulted with 2 leading private sector survey research organizations (Burke Institute and VOVICI) regarding acceptable and reasonable survey response rates and both concur that a 40% response rate is acceptable to meet our customer satisfaction survey objectives.

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.

The majority of collections are revisions of currently approved surveys and the revisions in many cases are based upon client feedback. For many of the revised collections, the primary changes pertain to the removal of questions. New collections have been pilot-tested with ITA staff and between 3-4 clients.

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.

Susan Crawford reviewed the research methodology based upon her graduate level academic training and her private sector quantitative research experience with TNS, a leading international marketing research firm. She can be reached at the Commercial Service at 202-482-2050. The Commercial Service’s Customer Relationship Management Unit will collect and analyze the data.