EIB 14-01 OMB Supporting Statement PART B_3_19_2014

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions, PART B.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

SURVEY EIB 14-01

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 government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the entities in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The total respondent universe is all small businesses that purchased trade credit insurance and loan guarantee from Ex-Im Bank in Fiscal Year 2013 (excluding delegated small business working capital transactions that are delegated through commercial banks).  We anticipate the survey pool to be 2,200 respondents. 

. It is difficult to predict response rates because we are soliciting input from small businesses. However these businesses have already transacted with the Bank in the past year and a number of them are returned customers that may to be interested in providing feedback on our products offering and customer service. That collection has not been conducted previously with the proposed questions and targeted specific respondents.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including: --Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection.

The small business customer survey will be administered by a survey and support contractor. While we have staged the survey in Survey Monkey for the purposes of OMB clearance, we will work with the contractor, to determine whether or not the survey should be re-staged in a different tool (with no changes to the survey questions). At that point, the contractor will administer the survey and collect the responses. The survey will be administered electronically, via e-mail and through the web.

The respondent data is the source of the demographics information that would be used for stratification. Respondents will self-identify through a small number of questions about their company headcount, industry, level of responsibility, length of time exporting, and revenues from exporting. This is a small number of respondents (2200) and they are not selected from a random sample (This is census- These are all our small business customers from FY2013). Our survey is not suited to stratification sampling or scoring. Post-stratification weights will be applied using the respondents’ self-identification. Since the sampled population has done business with the Bank, their business demographic information was captured as part of the application process and the Dun and Bradstreet credit report database. However it will NOT be linked with the survey results for post-stratification purposes. The survey responses are anonymous and will be aggregated and not attributable to individual responders.

--Estimation procedures;

Estimation will be performed mainly using averages (at the first decimal)

Components include: years of experience exporting, the type of industry, and size of revenues.

An adjustment for nonresponse will bring estimates based only on the responding cases up to the level that would have been achieved if all eligible cases had responded.

-- Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures;

None

We are seeking 100% participation; however, we anticipate over 25% response rate. This initial estimate is based on the data collected by the Inspector General’s 2012 customer experience survey, which surveyed a broader sample, and received a 24% response rate. We anticipate a much higher response rate from our customer base that have a continued business relationship (renewal of transactions) with the bank and are expected to have a higher level of interest and motivation. Within that population, we anticipate and even higher response rate from the larger-sized businesses that would have more personnel availability to respond.

There were no unusual problems that required specialized sampling procedures.

-- Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

The data will be collected only once, at the time of the survey. The Bank may use this survey each fiscal year with the small business customers for that year (Frequency does not impact burden since we have a well-defined set based on all small business customers for that Fiscal Year.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collection must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield (reliable) data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

The survey questions are simple and brief. We believe this will help to maximize participation. We anticipate working with our broker intermediaries to help us publicize the survey and plan to publicize the survey via the Chairman’s Quarterly Newsletter. Additionally, we anticipate sending up to three requests over the course of three weeks, if needed, to our survey participant sample, to encourage participation. Our survey contractor will help us to maximize response rates and to guide us in dealing with issues of non-response. A large number of the Bank’s customers being surveyed have an on-going business relationship with the bank; we anticipate that this population may have a personal interest and a stake in helping us to improve our services, which will result in a robust survey response rate. An adjustment for nonresponse will bring estimates based only on the responding cases up to the level that would have been achieved if all eligible cases had responded. Analysis and adjustments will include characteristics with differential nonresponse, such as firm size and industry.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

Some internal testing with a small group of internal employee volunteers has already taken place using the staged survey. That testing was undertaken as part of our efforts to measure the time burden on potential respondents. As part of our work with our survey contractor, we plan to further test the survey with fewer than 10 test external respondents, prior to the survey’s wider distribution. Test respondents will also be recruited internally from within our small business group.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on 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.

Stephanie Thum, Vice President of Customer Experience, worked with several individuals internally to design the survey. The survey also borrowed from techniques utilized by our Inspector General’s office for a 2012 customer survey. Internal collaborators for this survey included Jim Burrows, Acting Senior Vice President of Small Business, Sean Luke, Operations Leader for the Small Business Group, and Dr. Fernanda Young, CIO. Other internal reviewers of the survey draft included Chairman Fred Hochberg. Stephanie Thum may be reached at 202-565-3603.

Our survey contractor has been selected. The survey contractor will collect the data, and perform a limited scope analysis. A full analysis will be led by Stephanie Thum, and then analyzed in depth by the agency’s small business group.