2016 COOL Survey

2016 COOL Survey
Instructions:

OMB No. 0581-0269

Please answer the questions below with your honest opinion or best estimate based on your experience working with USDA’s COOL
Division. This survey is designed to gather information that will help the COOL Division improve its customer service and training to
state employees.
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
information collection is 0581-0269. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the collection of information.
USDA’s COOL Division has a cooperative agreement with your state. The cooperative agreement requires certain state employees to
fulfill roles for COOL. These roles include: State COOL Manager, who serves as the primary contact for all matters related to the
cooperative agreement, retail store assignments, and their completion; State Reviewer, who is trained to conduct initial and follow up
retail store reviews; and State Invoice Representative, who accounts for the number of store reviews completed and submits
reimbursement requests to the COOL Division. The first questions relate to your specific role (or roles) with COOL.

1

2016 COOL Survey
A. Demographic Questions

1. What is/are your role(s) with COOL? Choose all that apply to you.
State COOL Manager
State Reviewer
State Invoice Representative

2. How many years’ experience do you have working with COOL?
None to less than 1 year
More than 1, but less than 3 years
More than 3 but less than 5 years
More than 5 years

3. Who first trained you to carry out the responsibilities of your role with COOL?
COOL Division Staff
State Employee who was trained by COOL Staff
State Employee who was trained by another State Employee
I don’t know the experience of the person who trained me.

2

2016 COOL Survey
B. Customer Service and Communication

In August and September 2015, the COOL Division conducted several forums to present
information and answer frequent questions about collecting records at stores, completing the
COOL workbook, using Cloud Vault, submitting pictures, and invoicing. The next questions seek
your feedback on the effectiveness of forum discussions.
4. Did you participate in any of the open forums the COOL Division conducted in 2015?
Yes

No

Don't Know

N/A

If you answered “yes” to question 4, answer questions 5A and 5B. Otherwise, skip to question 5C.

5. Customer Service and Communication
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree
Nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

Don’t Know

N/A

5A. The information
presented during the
forums helped me better
understand how to
conduct and submit
COOL retail reviews.
5B. The information
presented during the
forums helped me better
understand how to
collect records on
individual items from
retailers during follow up
store reviews.
5C. Future informational
forums sponsored by the
COOL Division will be
helpful to me.
5D. Overall I am
satisfied with the
customer service
provided to me by the
COOL Division.

3

2016 COOL Survey
C. State Managers

The COOL State Manager serves as the primary contact from the state agency to USDA’s COOL
Division. Individuals in this position carry multiple responsibilities. They manage their own state
employees’ work and they are accountable to the COOL Division to fulfill the requirements of the
cooperative agreement. The next series of questions are designed to gather information for the
COOL Division to improve our support for and assistance to COOL State Managers.
6. State Managers
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree
Nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

Don’t Know

N/A

I know who the individual
is in my state agency
who serves as State
COOL manager.
My State COOL Manager
provides the necessary
guidance for me to
complete and submit
COOL workbooks or
invoices to USDA.
My State COOL Manager
mentors and assesses
the quality and
sufficiency of new
employees’ work to
conduct COOL reviews.

4

2016 COOL Survey
D. Training

The USDA COOL Division requires that state employees who serve as State Reviewers be trained to
effectively carry out the duties of their assigned roles with COOL. The following questions relate to
your experience with COOL training.
7. Training (General)
Yes

No

Don't Know

N/A

I participated in USDAled COOL training in
2015.
I was trained by a
member of my State
agency in 2015.
I did not receive training
in COOL retail review
responsibilities and
procedures in 2015.

8. Training (Details)
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree
Nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

Don’t Know

N/A

In 2015, I was provided
with adequate training to
conduct INITIAL store
reviews.
In 2015, I was provided
with adequate training to
conduct FOLLOW-UP
store reviews.
I would like (or need)
additional training to
request and document
records information for
Follow-Up reviews.
I would like (or need)
additional training to
understand how to
comply with COOL retail
store review procedures.

5

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree
Nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

Don’t Know

N/A

I would like (or need)
additional training to
understand how to
accurately complete the
COOL workbook.
I would like (or need)
additional training to
better understand all that
is expected of me in my
role with the COOL
Division.
As part of 2016 COOL
training, it would be
beneficial to me to
shadow an experienced
state COOL reviewer
who is conducting a store
review.
As part of 2016 COOL
training, it would be
beneficial for me to
attend a regional or state
training event to assess
consistency and share
insights among state
reviewers who gather
COOL information.
During 2015, I was
contacted by my COOL
Regional Specialist to
correct Workbook
information I had
submitted regarding
store records.
During 2015, I was
contacted by my COOL
Regional Specialist to
correct Workbook
information I had
submitted regarding
incorrect NC codes.
The COOL Division
should focus additional
training during 2016 to
help me properly
complete the COOL
Workbook.
Overall I am satisfied
with COOL training
provided to the states.

6

2016 COOL Survey
E. Invoicing and Reimbursement

9. Invoicing and Reimbursement
Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree
Nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly
Agree

Don’t Know

N/A

The training provided by
the COOL Division to
State COOL Managers
and Invoice
Representatives helped
to improve invoicing and
reimbursement
processes in 2015.
Our state received
reimbursement from the
COOL Division in a timely
manner in 2015.
Deficiencies remain in
the way the COOL
Division processes
invoices from and
submits reimbursements
to my state.
Overall, I am satisfied
with COOL invoicing and
reimbursement
processes, procedures
and time frames.

8