CS-11-280 - Generic Clearance

Supporting Statement

Approval Request to Conduct Cognitive and Psychological (or Customer Satisfaction) Research

(OMB #1545-1349) or (OMB #1545-1432)

T ITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Video Relay Service System / ASPECT Customer Satisfaction Survey

PURPOSE:

The overall objective of the survey is to gauge customer satisfaction with the service taxpayers received during an outcall made by Automated Underreporter (AUR) tax examiners using the Video Relay Service (VRS) and ASPECT systems. The data collected will be used to compare customer satisfaction between the outcalls made by IRS representatives using the VRS (deaf or hard-of-hearing) and ASPECT (hearing) systems. Specific research questions include:

1. Were taxpayers aware that a third party was involved in their conversation with the IRS Tax Examiner when using the Video Relay System (VRS)?

2. What was the taxpayers’ overall level of satisfaction with the service they received from IRS Tax Examiners using the VRS system versus those using the ASPECT system?

3. What was the taxpayers’ overall level of satisfaction with the length of the service call using the VRS system compared to those using the ASPECT system?

4. Did taxpayers encountered any barriers or concerns regarding the VRS system?

The results of the review will be used to determine the success of the outcall strategy using both systems and to make modifications, if needed. The data collected will only be used internally for service improvement. The data will also help determine the feasibility of using VRS to make outcalls to taxpayers. This research is part of the Agency’s continual efforts to assess and improve service to taxpayers.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

Respondents will be taxpayers who received a telephone call from a Wage and Investment AUR Tax Examiner between July and October 2011 to discuss a possible discrepancy with the taxpayer’s tax return.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [X] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: _ _____________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Mary Gail Richardson

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X ] No

2. If Yes, is the information that will be collected included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No *Not Applicable

3. If Applicable, has a System or Records Notice been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

*Not Applicable

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Based on a potential sample of 1,000 taxpayers and a response rate of 20%, we estimate 200 respondents. A four wave mail approach will be utilized: 1) pre-notification letter; 2) cover letter with survey; 3) reminder postcard, and 4) cover letter with second survey to non-respondents. The burden hour estimate follows below.

Estimated Burden Hours

1,000 pre-notification letters x 2 minutes = 33 hours

1,000 cover letters x 2 minutes = 33 hours

900 reminder postcards (estimate 90% of initial sample) x 1 minute = 15 hours

900 reminder cover letters (accompanying second survey mailing, estimate 90% of initial sample) x 2 minutes = 30 hours

Expect 200 total respondents (100 – VRS, 100 – ASPECT) x 5 minutes = 17 hours

Total Burden – 128 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is: $1,200.00

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [ X] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

The Automated Underreporter section within W&I Compliance will maintain and provide a list of taxpayers who received outgoing calls from AUR through VRS. The sample will contain the universe of taxpayers who received VRS outgoing calls in order to get enough cases to make comparisons with the groups of taxpayers who received calls from a hearing Tax Examiner using ASPECT. Only three Tax Examiners that are deaf or hard-of-hearing will be participating in the pilot and will only be making outcalls for a limited number of hours each day – thereby limiting the universe of taxpayers for the sample.

The sample for the ASPECT Survey will include taxpayers who received outgoing calls from the IRS via ASPECT. These taxpayers will be randomly selected from the segment of taxpayers who received calls made through the ASPECT system.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[X] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ X ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

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