Supplemental and Part B Questions

1. Supplemental Questions for DOC/NOAA Customer Survey Clearance
   (OMB Control Number 0648-0342)

1. Explain who will be conducting this survey. What program office will be
   conducting the survey? What services does this program provide? Who are the customers? How are these services provided to the customer?

The survey was designed in conjunction with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Community Advisory Committee for NCEP (UCACN) Model Advisory Committee (UMAC and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP. NCEP delivers national and global weather, water, climate and space weather guidance, forecasts, warnings and analyses to its partners and external user communities. NCEP’s customers span the entirety of those who use weather information. The customer focus here includes, commercial weather and climate information provided; federal, local, state, and regional governments; non-governmental organizations; consultancies; data and information management and e-commerce; academic and educational. The services are provided as digital data, narrative guidance, watches and warnings, provided electronically, often on the Web, several times per day.

2. Explain how this survey was developed. With whom did you consult during the development of this survey on content? statistics? What suggestions did you get about improving the survey?

The survey was initiated by the members of the UMAC, in order to obtain information about customer needs and expectations to inform the development of next-generation NCEP products and their provision to the customers. The initial survey was revised in consultation with NCEP management, social-science experts, and two focus groups representative of the customer base. Suggestions included revision of questions to better represent the customer base and to frame questions towards needed outcomes. Discussions included how to distribute the survey across a distributed and large customer base.

3. Explain how the survey will be conducted. How will the customers be sampled (if fewer than all customers will be surveyed)? What percentage of customers asked to take the survey will respond? What actions are planned to increase the response rate? (Web-based surveys are not an acceptable method of sampling a broad population. Web-based surveys must be limited to services provided by Web.)

The object of the survey is to span as complete a part of the customer base as possible. This relies on use of existing electronic-mail lists of product users, the use of professional societies’ electronic mailing lists (e.g. American Meteorological Society), and the use of electronic mailing lists held by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Community Advisory Committee for NCEP (UCACN) and the Weather Coalition. That is, the execution of the survey relies on existing networks of customers. This is the first attempt at an identification of this customer base. It is not possible to state the percentage response based on historical knowledge. The survey will not require collection of personal information.

4. Describe how the results of this survey will be analyzed and used. If the customer population is sampled, what statistical techniques will be used to generalize the results to the entire customer population? Is this survey intended to measure a GPRA performance measure? (If so, please include an excerpt from the appropriate document.)

The survey is narrow in scope, focused on determining which products, in a large inventory of products are used by the customers, barriers to the use of those products, and capabilities that customers see as improving the usability and effectiveness of the products. As the goal of the survey is to engage customers and customer contributions to a long-term planning process, the questions are qualitative, with a strategic focus. The survey is anticipated to inform a planning process that has several iterative steps and is transparent to the public. The iterative process will engage an increasing portion of the customer community and allow evaluation of the reach of the proposal. This survey does not measure a GPRA performance measure.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

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.

Participants for the survey include those individuals in the private, public and academic sectors affiliated with the weather, water and climate modelling community.

This survey will be distributed via email and will solicit feedback on customer needs and expectations to inform the development of next-generation NCEP products. The survey will be disseminated to 150 participants, with an estimated response rate of 70% (105) based on average online survey response rates. Estimated time necessary for each respondent to complete the questionnaire is 15 minutes, based on trials with a small (less than ten) pilot sample. Total estimated public burden associated with this information collection is 26 hours (105 X 15/60 minutes). The computer program will keep track of the total number of completed responses.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection, including: the statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection; the estimation procedure; the degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification; any unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures; and any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

The survey will be created and administered via an emailed link to various weather, water, climate listservs, which will direct respondents to the questionnaire.

Completed surveys received will be downloaded to a password-protected work space at NCEP accessible only by staff particular to this project. Respondents will not be asked to provide, personally identifiable information and any identifying information placed on surveys will be removed.

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.

In order to improve response rates for this information collection, the survey has been made as brief as possible (16 questions). Nonresponse testing will be a challenge in that no identifying information will be collected that will allow for follow-up activities. However, we are not attempting a completely representative set of results.

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.

Draft versions of this survey were circulated for review and comment to the UMAC members. Reviewers were asked to offer feedback on the length, appropriateness and clarity of questions, content, or other aspects to improve the questionnaire. Comments from reviewers were helpful and resulted in design, and content changes to clarify questions and simplify instructions.

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.

A contractor in process of selection will collect and analyse the information for the agency.

NOAA individuals consulted on the statistical aspects of the design:

Dr. Vankita Brown: 301-427-9338

Jamie Shambaugh: 301-734-1212.