Generic Fast-Track Template

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 1510-0074)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Go Direct Message Testing Focus Groups.

PURPOSE:

To further explore messages and additional insert options among Social Security recipients receiving paper checks. The primary objective of the research is to explore misperceptions about electronic payments that might be barriers to using EFT for benefit payments, explore other barriers to using EFT for benefit payments, determine which messages are most appealing and likely to encourage benefit recipients to receive their benefit payment electronically.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Social Security benefit recipients who receive their payments by paper check.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

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

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

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other: Face-to-Face Interviews

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: Walt Henderson, Director, EFT Strategy Division

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

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

Gifts or Payments:

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

It is generally accepted as a standard industry practice to offer an incentive to individuals who participate in focus groups. Since participants are giving their personal time and have to commute to and from the facility, providing them with an incentive is a way to compensate them for their time and participation. In addition, offering an incentive increases participation rates and in turn reduces recruiting costs.

Our experience with similar groups has shown that a $75 incentive yields the number of participants desired for the focus groups. Therefore, for this project, a $75 incentive will be provided to make it possible to recruit the desired number of participants within a reasonable amount of time.

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
Social Security Check Recipients	60 maximum	2 hours	120 hours

FEDERAL COST: The estimated one-time cost to the Federal government is $76,000.

The selection of your targeted respondents

This research is qualitative and will not employ any statistical techniques or be used to generalize to the entire target audience.

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

We will recruit potential respondents from a list of all Social Security check recipients provided by Financial Management Service from zip codes designated by the focus group facility as being within their recruiting range. There is no plan to randomize the sample.

Participants will be screened to ensure they meet the criteria to participate in the interview and be recruited if they meet the criteria, are willing to participate in the interview, and are available the day the interviews are scheduled.

Participation is voluntary.

The screening criteria and discussion guide is attached.

Administration of the Instrument

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

[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[X] Telephone (to recruit)

[X] In-person (to conduct interviews)

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

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

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

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