Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission
A. Justification
1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.
Enacted by the 111th Congress and signed into law on February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), otherwise known as Public Law 111-5, established the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (the Board) “to coordinate and conduct oversight of covered funds to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.” Members of this Board include the Inspectors General of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Justice, Transportation, Treasury, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Established to inform the public about actions under the ARRA, Recovery.gov is “a user-friendly, public-facing website to foster greater accountability and transparency in the use of covered funds.” A key role of Recovery.gov is to include pertinent information to enable the public to track the expenditures of Federal Government contracts, grants and loans that expend covered funds. The site also provides a means for the public to give feedback on the performance of projects utilizing covered funds.
To increase usability of the site, the Board is adding features that will make the site more user-friendly and further enable detailed tracking of all money spent under the ARRA. When Recovery 2.0 was launched in September 2009, many of these features were not available during the series of Usability and Focus Groups conducted in August 2009. New focus groups will test these features before they go live.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
The Board will use the data to enhance Recovery.gov. All findings from the focus groups and usability testing will be documented and, as appropriate, prioritized for incorporation and rolled out in the overall design schedule.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
This study is national in scope and requires national participation to ensure statistical validity. Incentives will be issued to compensate participants for their time.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.
There is no duplicative information collection instrument or process.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
This study requires participation from average citizens interested in the ARRA. Therefore, some participants may be individuals from small businesses recruited to participate in this study. In order to minimize their burden, incentives will be issued to compensate participants for their time.
6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.
The legislative requirements dictate that Recovery.gov be “a user-friendly, public-facing website.” Design, usability and accessibility best practices have been employed for the development of Recovery.gov. Validation through comprehensive research is imperative to a successful launch of enhancements to the website.
The participants recruited for this study will only be recruited once.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
N/A
8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.
N/A
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than renumeration of contractors or grantees.
An incentive of $75 per participant will be provided upon completion of the focus groups. This amount is in line with industry standards and promotes optimum show rates required to obtain validity of the information collected.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
The study will not be collecting proprietary information. All input collected will be kept confidential and used only for the purposes of this study.
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.
There are no sensitive questions associated with this collection.
12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:
* Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. Generally, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices. * If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form and aggregate the hour burdens.
* Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. The cost of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead, this cost should be included under item 13.
Focus group participants will be asked to spend two hours in a moderated session at a third party facility. This study will recruit 72 focus group participants.
72 participants @ 2 hours each = 144 hours
72 participants @ $75 per participant = $5,400
$75 per participant based on professional wage
13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden already reflected on the burden worksheet).
* The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital and start-up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life) and (b) a total operation and maintenance and purchase of services component. The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating, maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and record storage facilities.
* If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collections services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.
* Generally, estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated with the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government, or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices.
There are no capital costs associated with this collection.
14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Costs to the Federal government for contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection actives should be included here.
Agencies may also aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 in a single table.
The total cost to the government for collecting this research is $91,000. This cost includes:
Moderating services
Recruiting services
Focus group facility rental and stationary video
Incentives for participants
Respondent catering
Moderator travel
Documentation of findings
Analysis
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported on the burden worksheet.
N/A
16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.
Tabulation plan:
Findings from the focus groups will be documented in PowerPoint and be grouped in one of three categories:
No adjustments required
Website fundamentals/attributes were appropriately used including content, functionality, navigation, layout and/or terminology
High level of user satisfaction
Minor adjustments required
Website attributes at times unclear, misused or misplaced
Moderate level of user satisfaction
Adjustments required
Users questioned/expressed concern over aspects of design,
functionality, navigation, layout or terminology
Low level of user satisfaction
All documented findings from the focus groups and usability testing will be prioritized for incorporation and roll out in the overall website design schedule.
Schedule:
Day |
Date |
Region |
Times |
Market |
Thursday |
July 8 |
Mid-Atlantic |
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. |
BALTIMORE |
Monday |
July 12 |
Southeast |
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. |
MEMPHIS |
Tuesday |
July 13 |
Midwest |
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. |
DETROIT |
Wednesday |
July 14 |
West |
5:30 and 7:30 p.m. |
PHOENIX |
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.
N/A
18. Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions,”
N/A
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Agency Guide for PRA Users |
| Author | N Bushi |
| Last Modified By | ivan.flores |
| File Modified | 2010-07-27 |
| File Created | 2010-07-27 |