CS-13-393 Indian Tribal Government Survey

Supporting Statement

Approval Request to Conduct Customer Satisfaction Research (OMB #1545-1432)

Title: Indian Tribal Governments (ITG) Customer Satisfaction Survey

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enlists a balanced measurement system consisting of business results, customer satisfaction and employee satisfaction. This survey is part of the Service-wide effort to maintain a system of balanced organizational performance measures mandated by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act (RRA) of 1998. In addition, Executive Order 12862 requires all government agencies to survey their customers.

Past ITG customer surveys have produced significant information about the key dimensions of the customers’ experience in dealing with IRS and ITG in their tax matters as well as pointers to where improvement opportunities might lie.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

In addition to the objective of measuring customer satisfaction to meet a balanced measures requirement, ITG management uses survey results to identify improvement opportunities and as the basis for enacting improvements.

The key goals of the survey are 1) to survey our external customers on a yearly basis regarding their expectations, 2) track customer satisfaction progress over time nationwide and 3) identify operational improvements within ITG.

3. Consideration Given to Information Technology

We administer the ITG Customer Satisfaction Survey yearly by mail.

4. Duplication of Information

This survey will provide valuable information that is not available in any existing IRS data source.

5. Reducing the Burden on Small Entities

We designed the survey to minimize burden on respondents, and carefully considered the time needed to participate. We clearly state that half of the questions are only for governments that dealt with our office in a compliance capacity.

6. Consequences of Not Conducting Collection

This survey falls under the IRS goal to “IMPROVE SERVICE TO MAKE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE EASIER, and ENFORCE THE LAW TO ENSURE EVERYONE MEETS THEIR OBLIGATION TO PAY TAXES. Without this survey, we will be less effective since we will not have the data to know which products and services identified by customers need improvement or need to be developed to service these populations.

7. Special Circumstances

Federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska villages are unique within the IRS structure. We have to maintain an additional “entity level” for protocol purposes by identifying which tribes owns what entities. This is the only IRS survey that addresses needs from the tribal point of view, rather than the traditional customer point of view. Furthermore, survey data collected assists us with the implementation of Executive Order 13175 concerning ongoing tribal consultation.

8. Consultations with Persons Outside the Agency

N/A

9. Payment or Gift

N/A

10. Confidentiality

Other than the initial envelope address, the survey contains no PII or SBU data. All survey responses will be anonymous. The cover letter will emphasize the anonymous nature of the questionnaire, and we collect no identifying information. The survey responses will be stored in a locked container at the IRS offices in Washington, D.C. and are not available to anyone other than those who conduct the analysis, or those in an oversight role.

11. Sensitive Nature

The survey asks no questions that are of a personal or sensitive nature.

12. Burden of Information Collection

The total estimated taxpayer burden for this study is approximately 58 hours. Because we send the survey to tribal leaders, rather than specific tax entities, we estimate that 100% will read the survey cover letter. We estimate a survey response rate of 30%. Each recipient takes approximately 2 minutes to read the survey, and then an additional 10 minutes if they complete and mail the questionnaire.

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
ITG Non-Participant	484	2 min	16 Hours
ITG Expected Participant	208	12 min	42 Hours
Totals	692		58 Hours

13. Costs to Respondents

Not Applicable

14. Costs to Federal Government

The estimated cost is $407.39. This cost is for supplies only. Since we complete all aspects of this survey (mailing, compiling and analysis) within the ITG function, no other associated costs apply.

15. Reason for Change

Not applicable

16. Tabulation of Results, Schedule, Analysis Plans

We input responses as they arrive, into an MS EXCEL spreadsheet. At the close of the response period (6/30/13), we import the raw data into our statistical software (currently SPSS). We will complete subsequent analysis and report (ITG Customer Satisfaction Survey Results 2013) by the end of July.

We compare prior year data to current data, as well as look for new upward/downward trends. We use the results to develop new products and services, as well as determine areas that we need to focus on.

17. Display of OMB Approval Date

Not applicable

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

These activities comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.

19. Dates Collection of Information will Begin and End

We will mail the surveys April 8-12, 2013. Responses are due by June 30, 2013.

B. STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Universe and Respondent Selection

Our universe consists of all federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska villages, per the notice in the Federal Register, Volume 77, Number 155 (77 FR 47868 issued 8/10/2012) (566 total), as well as several tribal sub-government units self-identified by tribal leaders (126 total). Due to the small size of the universe, there is no sample. All 692 identified governments will receive a survey.

2. Procedures for Collecting Information

We provide each survey recipient with a postage-paid, pre-addressed, response envelope. We input responses into an MS Excel spreadsheet as soon as they arrive. This spreadsheet is later imported into statistical software.

3. Methods to Maximize Response

We organized the questionnaire into specific sub-topics to reduce respondent burden, as well as exempt respondents from replying to page two if it does not apply. All of our communications emphasize the anonymity of their responses.

Before printing the mailing addresses, our field agents verify that the tribal leader name and address are still valid, to minimize undeliverable surveys.

Shortly before we mail the survey, we will issue the ITG quarterly newsletter with the survey announcement as the lead story. Half way through the response period (May 20, 2013), we will send a news blast. Both our newsletter and news blasts use the GovDelivery automated delivery system.

4. Testing of Procedures

The questionnaire is an established and tested survey instrument. We have repeated this survey almost every year, since 2003. We have not changed the survey instrument since 2009.

5. Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection

Stacie Shaw

Senior Tax Analyst

S:T:GE:ITG:7271

202-283-9756

[email protected]

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