0693.ElevEvac.SuppStmt.PartB.070711

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Usage of Elevators for Occupant Evacuation Questionnaire

OMB Control No. 0693-XXXX

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.

The potential respondents are building managers or designated safety personnel from buildings in the United States. An email with a link to the elevator questionnaire will be sent to all lead/primary property managers in the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). According to GSA, there are approximately 735 lead/primary GSA property managers. Additionally, NIST is working with BOMA international (which stands for Building Owners and Managers Association International) to post this questionnaire on their website for building owners and managers to fill out. According to BOMA, they currently have 17,000 members world-wide; however, this questionnaire will be targeted to building owners and managers for U.S.-based buildings. The expected response rate is 50% of the GSA property managers (368), and the expected response rate is 20% of the U.S.–based BOMA international members (1,132).

This collection has never been conducted.

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.

GSA has contact information, including email addresses, for all 735 lead/primary property managers. An email will be sent to all lead/primary property managers asking them to fill out the questionnaire, for which a link will be included in the email. Additionally, NIST is working with BOMA to have them distribute information about this questionnaire to their members, either via their membership listserv, email addresses, or website. Any information collected from BOMA members will be collected via a convenience sample.

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.

Additional email reminders will be sent and follow-up phone calls will be made to GSA property managers, and additional emails will be sent to BOMA members to improve the response rate. Also, during data collection, GSA property managers from underrepresented building types or geographical locations in the U.S. will be personally contacted by email or phone to ask for their participation.

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.

Basic analysis will be performed on this dataset to describe how elevator systems are designed for use during building fires in the U.S. Even though statistical sampling methods are not being used, NIST is interested in performing simple statistical analyses on the data to determine inter- and intra-building similarities and differences. NIST may use basic analysis techniques such as simple difference of means tests and basic regression analysis.

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.

No additional individuals were consulted on statistical design. NIST Engineering Laboratory will perform the data collection and analysis for this project.