Supporting Statement 1660-0107_062514_Part B

January 26, 2021

Supporting Statement for

Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

OMB Control Number: 1660 - 0107

Title: FEMA Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey

Form Number(s):

FEMA Form 519-0-1 T, Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey (Telephone)

FEMA Form 519-0-1 INT, Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey (Internet)

FEMA Form 519-0-1, Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Survey (Fill-able)

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

When Item 17 of the OMB 83-I is checked "Yes", the following documentation should be provided to the extent that it applies to the methods proposed. Click on this link to the applicable section of a 3-05 OMB PRA training.

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. 

Part B #1. Annual Estimates of Universe of Completed Surveys
		Total Estimated Annual Universe Based on 2 Yr Avg of FY2011-2012		Estimated Number of Disasters per Year Based on 2Yr Average of FY2011-2012			Estimated Universe per Disaster		Total Number of Completed Surveys in FY2012 with a Response Rate of 63.86%
Private Non-Profit Organizations = Estimated 10% of Universe		2,352		73			32		1716
State, Local or Tribal Government = Estimated 90% of Universe		10,028		73			137		8,392
Total Public Assistance Customer Satisfaction Surveys		12,380					169		10,108

The number of respondents is the universe of eligible Public Assistance applicant organizations who received assistance after a presidentially-declared major disaster. The estimate is based on a two year average of 12,380 eligible applicants per year with a two year average of 73 disasters declared per year from FY2011 through FY2012. The entities consist of approximately 81% local, state or tribal governments and 19% private non-profit organizations.

The estimated average number of respondents per disaster is based on the same two year average of 73 declared disasters per year and an average of 12,380 respondents per year for an average of 169 recipients of assistance per disaster. Surveys completed in FY2012 reflect the actual number of recipients per disaster ranged from a low of 5 to a high of 1,602.

The response rate for the surveys completed in FY2012 resulted in an actual response rate of 63.86% based on a universe of 15,828 potential respondents in 97 disasters who were contacted with 10,108 completed surveys.

The response-rate formula used is recognized by the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) as follows:

RR = I / {(I+P) + (R+NC+O) + U}, where

RR = Response rate

I = Complete interview

P = Partial interview

R = Refusal and break-off

NC = Non-contact

O = Other (bad/wrong numbers, technical phone problem, etc.)

U = Unknown eligibility (= 0 in this case, see B #2.)

2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including:

-Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection:

The sampling frame is the universe of eligible recipients of Public Assistance funds which are state, local and tribal governments, and private non-profit organizations. The sample is generated from data extracted from the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) from the Emergency Management Mission Integrated Environment (EMMIE) electronic database or a program similar to it that contains the points of contact names, phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses and disaster related information.

-Estimation procedure:

This collection is based on a universe of recipients of Public Assistance funds; therefore, no estimation procedure is utilized.

-Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification:

Surveying the entire universe of Public Assistance fund recipients, including state, local and tribal governments, and private non-profit organizations, yields the highest degree of precision, accuracy, reproducibility, and completeness of the survey sample. Steps have been taken to reduce sampling error by inviting the entire population of recipients of Public Assistance funding to participate through a phone contact that includes follow-up attempts and reminders. Non-sampling error, caused by non-response or bad contact data, is attempted to be reduced. Strategies have been adopted to maximize the response rate so the results are representative of the entire population of Public Assistance applicant organizations for any given disaster.

-Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures:

There is no anticipation of any unusual problems or hard to reach populations other than those who do not have up-to-date phone numbers, email or mail addresses in the EMMIE database system, which provides the sampling list of phone numbers, email or mail addresses. For office locations where assistance has recently been awarded, the contacts are up-to-date and are generally accurate in the EMMIE database.

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

Usage of any periodic data collection cycle is not applicable to this particular type of information collection since disaster occurrences are not predictable enough to schedule a collection cycle in advance and eligibility to participate in a future collection cannot be predicted due to the nature of disasters.

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.

The response rate for the surveys completed in FY2012 resulted in an actual response rate of 63.86% based on a universe of 15,828 potential respondents in 97 disasters who were contacted with 10,108 completed surveys.

There is no financial incentive for the respondents to answer the survey questions. The incentive is being able to express their opinion and evaluate their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their recent service, which will assist in improving other organizations’ satisfaction in future disasters.

Surveys are conducted approximately 180-270 days from the disaster declaration date. This time lag allows applicants time to complete all the steps necessary to apply for and obtain funds from FEMA, since the survey asks for feedback on all the phases of Public Assistance processes. Applicants will be phoned initially to volunteer to participate in the survey. Based on the availability of the point of contact, the survey will be conducted at that time or a call back time will be established.

If the customer is not available and based on the customer’s preference, an email may be sent with the internet link or the fill-able form. If the applicant does not have email capabilities, the form may be faxed or mailed. If the internet survey or paper/fill-able form survey is used, the applicant is allowed a maximum of 30 days to respond to the survey.

Improved timeliness in providing the survey questionnaire, more frequent and timely follow-ups for the survey, staffing the dedicated Public Assistance survey helpline, and using email for follow ups will be used to increase the survey response rates. It is expected that these measures will help to maintain sufficiently high response rates suitable to analysis for this survey.

Survey efforts to maximize and further increase response rate are listed below.

• Verification of current phone numbers and email addresses are requested with the first contact to the applicant entity.

• The scheduling of the phone surveys covers a span of time between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday-Friday in the time zone of the respondent who is a state, local, or tribal government or non-profit organization.

• Conduct follow-ups in the form of phone calls, re-emailing, re-mailing or re-faxing the fill-able form or internet link with a reminder encouraging participation.

• Callbacks are attempted to entities who state they will be available at another time within the survey period that would be more convenient for the respondent.

• The interviewer explains how important the feedback is.

• Provide a Public Assistance survey helpline to aid in providing current contact information and encouragement based on the purpose of the survey to ensure a more likelihood of a completed survey.

• Multiple attempts are made to reach the respondent by phone each time the case systematically returns to the call queue during the survey period.

• The opening statement briefly explains the purpose of the study, the nature of being voluntary, and asks for the applicant’s help in order to improve FEMA's quality of service.

• The questions are very straightforward and easy to answer.

• The questions are short and require little time to answer.

• An explanation is given that the questions will in no way affect the outcome of the entity’s application for assistance.

• Information gathered from focus groups will be used to ensure that the survey items included are of interest to the applicants, making respondents more likely to see the survey as relevant.

• Interpreters are used to obtain results from applicants more comfortable with other languages.

• On-going training is provided to interviewers.

• A toll free 800 phone number is provided and staffed between the hours of 8 am – 5 pm Central Time to add convenience for the applicant to participate in the survey and to provide information about the survey process.

3. 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 under the Paperwork Reduction Act.

At the beginning of each collection period, a pilot test may be conducted on up to 10 persons to discover any potential problems with the survey instrument or process. For quality assurance purposes, data from the pilot will be reviewed and improvements made to the survey process as deemed necessary.

3. 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.

Kyle M. Mills, P.E.

Section Manager

Customer Satisfaction Analysis Section

National Processing Service Center Division

FEMA

Or

Maggie Billing

[email protected]

Program Analyst

940 891-8709

940 891-8500 switchboard

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