Supporting Statement
Information Collection (ICR) Approval Request to Conduct Customer Satisfaction Research (OMB #1545-1432)
Forrester Research Omnibus Questions
Title: Forrester Research Omnibus Questions
JUSTIFICATION
The IRS needs to ensure our tax administration initiatives are cost efficient and based on the best available research. To do this, we need consumer technological demographic data to help us better understand taxpayers' attitudes toward technology, as well as research tools, research subscription services, and consulting services to produce customized data products and ensure we interpret and apply that data in a way consistent with industry best practices.
WIRA studies taxpayer behavior to inform program development and evaluation of taxpayer service delivery. In FY 2012, WIRA used Forrester survey data and consultation to support research related to Online Services strategic planning, study of taxpayer burden, investigation tax law change impact on compliance, and validation of WIRA's Taxpayer Choice Model (a tool that predicts taxpayer demand for service channels such as Toll-Free, Correspondence, and IRS.gov). Specifically, leveraged Forrester's quarterly Omnibus surveys to insert questions related to the public's preferences in communication and financial transactions. As IRS develops online services and makes choices between alternatives associated with Live Chat, phone apps, use of website portals, etc.
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
WIRA built a sophisticated Taxpayer Choice Model to predict taxpayer demand among the various alternatives under varying circumstances. WIRA used Forrester survey research to independently validate model results. WIRA also used Forrester's Spanish-speakers survey results to inform Online Services limited English proficient digital communication strategy. During WIRA's effort to quantify the cost of math errors, WIRA used customized Forrester survey data to quantify taxpayer burden caused by notices. Forrester provided data at a granular level -- hours and dollars spent on specific taxpayer activities, including time/dollars spent reading/understanding the math error notice, corresponding with IRS, working with a preparer or other professional, etc.
Purpose and Use of the Information Collection
Forrester Omnibus survey data informed WIRA study to alleviate the negative impact of tax law changes, by providing information on taxpayer service channel use, with cuts on self-prepared vs paid-prepared returns, age, income, etc.
Consideration Given to Information Technology
NA
Duplication of Information
This is the only study currently conducted service delivery channel for W&I Research and Analysis
Reducing the Burden on Small Entities
NA
Consequences of Not Conducting Collection
Without this service we will not be able to work with such topics include: if/how to incorporate social media into market research, guide product development and innovation with research, measure market research’s impact on the business, and stay on top of market research trends
Special Circumstances
N/A
Consultations with Persons Outside the Agency
NA
Payment or Gift:
N/A
Confidentiality:
Any return or return information made available shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract. Information contained in such material shall be treated as privacy to the extent allowed by law and shall not be divulged or made known in any manner to any person except as may be necessary in the performance of the contract. Inspection by or disclosure to anyone other than an officer or employee of the contractor shall require prior written approval of the Internal Revenue Service. Requests to make such inspections or disclosures should be addressed to the IRS Contracting Officer. Should a person (contractor or subcontractor) or one of his/her employees make any unauthorized inspection(s) or disclosure(s) of privacy to the extent allowed by law tax information, the terms of the Default (Fixed Price Supply and Service) clause (FAR 52.249-8), incorporated herein by reference, may be invoked, and the person (contractor or subcontractor) will be considered to be in breach of this contract. The survey will not contain tax return or taxpayer information. Survey participants will not be identified in any of the documents or files used for this project. We will limit and control the amount of information we collect to those items that are necessary to accomplish the research questions.
Sensitive Nature
NA
Burden of Information Collection
Example:
The total annual burden hours requested (24.97 hrs.). The estimated time to complete the survey is 30 minutes and a 77 percent response rate is assumed. We expect to contact 100 (100x1/60=1.6) potential participants of which 77 (77x30/60=23.37) are expected to respond to the survey. The contact time to determine non-participation is 1 minute.
Type of Collection |
Participation |
Response Time (minutes) |
Total Burden (Hours) |
Potential participants |
100 |
1 minute |
1.60 hrs. |
Customers who respond to survey (subset of above) |
77 |
30 minutes |
23.37 hrs. |
Grand Total (column 4) |
|
|
24.97 |
Costs to Respondents
Not Applicable.
Costs to Federal Government
$10,126.59
Reason for Change
Not applicable.
Tabulation of Results, Schedule, Analysis Plans
Not applicable
Display of OMB Approval Date
Not applicable
Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions
These activities comply with the requirements in 5 CFR 1320.9.
19. Date Collection will Begin and End: The survey question collection period will be November 15- December 13, 2013
B. STATISTICAL METHODS
Universe and Respondent Selection
This is not an IRS survey but part of a larger survey hosted by a contractor not IRS. This is a comprehensive survey that has multiple, diverse business database of clients. The IRS needs to ensure our tax administration initiatives are cost efficient and based on the best available research. To do this, we need consumer technological demographic data to help us better understand taxpayers' attitudes toward technology, as well as research tools, research subscription services, and consulting services to produce customized data products and ensure we interpret and apply that data in a way consistent with industry best practices. The contractor uses a panel management company to procure sample. Their business model entails recruiting people to join their panel (voluntary, double opt-in). They may also procure sample from partners. We contract with them to obtain respondents
Procedures for Collecting Information
These are standalone surveys that are completed by US online adults each quarter. Space permitting, there are no limits to the number of questions or style of questions that you can ask. The Forrester Technographics team will then work with you to make any necessary edits or suggestions. Forrester fields the survey to a representative sample of consumers and then collects and cleans the data. You receive the results of your proprietary questions as well as responses to the Forrester-sponsored questions. We analyze the results and build and deliver a presentation with key findings. Standard delivery includes a SPSS dataset with client questions and Forrester sponsored questions, a PDF of the survey instrument, and an Excel banner table that contains client questions crossed by key demographics
Methods to Maximize Response
As with most online research, we require respondents to answer all questions in the survey. To maximize response rates/minimize the number of drop offs (exiting the survey before it has been completed), we have caps on the number of questions we will field in a survey, time to take the survey, limits on the number of response options/text, and a review process for all questions to make sure that every respondent is able to provide an answer the questions our clients wish to ask.
Testing of Procedures
We have two review/testing periods for omnibus questions. When a question is submitted, we review text, response options, and programming logic. Based on this review, we make suggestions on ways our clients can remove bias, improve question wording, etc. After the questions are finalized, we program the survey. At this point we test the survey logic (is the question displaying correctly, to the right audience, etc.). It's possible at this point to notice issues with the question that were not apparent in the paper version. This could include question layout, context, or display logic. It's not often that a question makes it this far in the process with issues, but if it does we reach out to our client with possible solutions to fix the issue.
Contacts for Statistical Aspects and Data Collection
Kathleen Holland, Supervisory Program Analyst
404-338-8803
IRS-W&I Research and Analysis
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | DOCUMENTATION FOR THE GENERIC CLEARANCE |
| Author | 558022 |
| Last Modified By | 54rcb |
| File Modified | 2013-09-18 |
| File Created | 2013-09-18 |