Survey Follow-Up Telephone Script

D epartment of Homeland Security OMB control number: 1601-NEW

Private Sector Office Expiration date: mm/dd/yyyy

SURVEY OF BUSINESSES

Telephone Follow-up Survey Script

The purpose of the telephone follow-up survey will be to re-ask questions that were either not completed on the original survey or for which the answer may have reasonably changed over time.

The telephone interviewer will inspect the original completed survey prior to contacting the owner or manager of the business in order to determine which questions will need to be asked. In addition to any questions left unanswered on the original survey, the interviewer will re-ask a maximum of 8 questions and a minimum of 3 questions (1 or 2, 7 & 8). Unanswered questions from the original survey will be the last to be re-asked assuming the respondent has sufficient time.

Once the point of contact is on the phone:

Hello, my name is [INTERVIEWER’S NAME] and I am calling from the Private Sector Office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. On [WORKSHOP DATE], a representative from [BUSINESS NAME] attended a back to business workshop at [WORKSHOP LOCATION] and completed a written survey. I’m conducting a short follow-up to that survey. Do you have time to answer a couple of questions about your business? (If yes, proceed with the questions. If no, ask to reschedule for a more convenient time. If respondent does not wish to participate, thank him for his time and end the conversation.)

Participation in this follow-up survey is voluntary. Any responses containing information that identifies an individual person or business will be held confidential; however, the Department of Homeland Security reserves the right to use any information obtained for law enforcement purposes.

(Looking at the original survey responses)

<If operations had not yet resumed at the time of the original survey->

1. Have operations at [BUSINESS NAME] resumed? If yes, what date?

<If operations have resumed->

2. What is your current sales volume compared to before [EVENT]?

• 100% or better

• 80-99%

• 50-79%

• 20-49%

• 0-19%

<If business was insured AND claim was filed AND the claim was not settled at the time of the original survey->

3. Have you received any payment for the insurance claim filed after [EVENT]? If a response was received, how long did it take?

<If there were any utility services not yet restored at the time of the original survey->

4. Has [UTILITY SERVICE] been restored to this business’s location? If yes, what date was it restored?

1. Electricity c) Natural Gas e) Mail

2. Telephone d) Water and Sewer

<If firm was an employer business->

5. Does your business have enough labor to maintain operations?

6. Are you able to meet payroll? If yes, for how long?

<To ask all respondents->

7. Please describe any obstacles preventing your business from operating fully.

8. Do you have any additional comments or questions?

Those are all of the questions I had. Thank you for your time.

Based on prior experiences with follow-up telephone surveys after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Private Sector Office anticipates a response rate of approximately 30% of the original written survey participants. Thus, if the annual expected responses for the written survey total 2000, then the annual expected responses for the follow-up telephone survey will total 600. Appropriating 10 minutes for every call, the total estimated burden hours for the follow-up survey are 100 hours annually.