Group 3 (Producers of Advance Biofuels) Current EIA-810 Respondents
Cognitive Testing Protocol
May 2018
(This protocol is a guide – the questions presented here won’t necessarily be asked exactly as worded in the protocol or in this order. It is important to note that not all questions will be asked in every interview.)
Research Goals:
To assess respondents’ ability to complete the new Form EIA-819
To estimate any changes in reporting burden associated with collecting this information and obtain feedback on the appropriateness of current reporting burden
Purpose of Interview:
Let me start by telling you a little about what we will be doing today:
Introduce self and observers
These questions are about a new survey, EIA is merging two survey forms into one survey. The two surveys are Form EIA-22 and EIA-819. EIA is also proposed to collect more information on the new form. Your feedback will help EIA design the new form to minimize any increase in your current reporting burden.
Section I – Introduction
Before we start, could you please share with us a little more about yourself and your company?
Do you currently fill out Form EIA-810?
How long have you been completing this form?
Do you complete any other EIA surveys for your company?
Are you familiar with the current instructions for Form EIA-810 or other EIA surveys?
Are the instructions helpful/useful?
Did you review any prior reports to prepare for this interview? How much time did you spend reviewing old reports?
Section II - Current Burden (Current burden is 5.2 hours for EIA-810)
Now let’s talk about how much time and effort it takes you to currently complete this form.
How long does it take you to fill out the form?
Does filling out this form require data or input from anyone else?
How much time does it take you to gather the information for this report?
Briefly describe your process for gathering the data needed to fill out the current form?
Once you have gathered the information needed, how long does it take you to fill out the report and submit your data to EIA?
Adding the time it takes you to gather the information and the time it takes for you to complete the report and submit your data, what is the total amount of time it takes you to file your report?
(If the sums do not equal total burden) What other aspects of gathering and filling out this form do you factor into your burden figure?
In the past, is this the usual time that it takes your company to report this information?
Do you have any problems or think there are any confusing questions on Form EIA-810?
[If the participant reports on both surveys, obtain separate estimates for each survey]
Section III Part 7 – Capacity
EIA is interested in ensuring that the language and terminology we use is understood and reflective of the industry
What is your definition of the term “production capacity”?
What is your definition of the term “design capacity”?
What is your definition of the term “nameplate capacity”?
(If needed) Does your facility have multiple nameplate capacities?
Do capacities change over time or are they static figures? (nameplate?)
(If needed) What event or events would cause the change? For example, would a new capacity result from a change to plant equipment? Do process changes affect capacity?
(If needed) If your capacity does change, do you report the adjusted figure to EIA or do you continue to report the original nameplate capacity? (nameplate too?)
If EIA asked you to report your annual production capability in millions of gallons per year on the first day of the report month, how easy or difficult would that be?
(If needed) How would you gather that information?
(If needed) How should EIA phrase that question so respondents understand what we are asking for? Should EIA ask for a “capacity” or is there another term?
What is your definition of the term “utilization rate”?
Does your organization track the utilization rate of your plant?
(If needed) How does your company calculate this figure? Which information (production and capacity) does the company use for this calculation?
(If needed) What is the current utilization rate of your facility?
(If needed) Does your utilization rate ever exceed 100%?
If EIA asked you report your production capacity on the first day of the report month, in gallons per year, how would you answer that question?
How much time would it take for you to gather and report that figure to EIA monthly?
Burden for Section
Can you please describe the process you would go through to fill out these sections?
How much time would it take to fill out these sections of the form?
Can you access the information requested for these sections?
Do these units of measurements differ than what are kept in your records?
Would you have to work with others inside or outside of your company?
How long will it take to set up your systems to fill out these sections?
Is the data that we are requesting easily accessible in your systems?
(Follow up) How easy or difficult would it be to provide the data in this structure?
Do you believe there should be any additional instructions for filling out these sections of the form?
(Follow up) What additional instructions should be included?
Can you provide this data to EIA on a monthly basis?
Inventory Section
Let’s discuss your company’s stocks and inventory records
What kinds of information on your company’s inventories and stocks are in your records?
Beginning stocks?
Ending stocks?
Stocks in transit?
How does your company measure its inventories?
Physical measurement?
(If needed) Can you explain how your company measures inventories using this method?
Meters/gauges?
Stick?
Other?
Accounting measurement?
(If needed) Can you explain how your company measures inventories using this method? (Measured stock level plus receipts minus shipments?)
What are the frequencies of the different measurements?
(If needed) How frequently does your facility physically measure its stocks?
(If needed) How frequently does your facility measure its stocks via accounting? For example, do you have a weekly stock level measurement that is adjusted daily based on receipts and shipments?
How does your company adjust for differences between the physical inventory measurement and the accounting inventory measurement?
(If needed) How frequently do these adjustments occur?
(If needed) Does your company keep records on its stocks in transit? (What will be delivered to the company)
What kinds of information does your company keep on its stocks in transit?
Do your company’s records have information on the method of transportation for the stocks coming in transit? (Boat, truck, rail, other)
Do you know when the stocks in transit leave the origin facility?
(If needed) How do you know when they have left the facility?
Do you know when the stocks in transit will arrive at your facility?
(If needed) How do you know when they will arrive at your facility?
If EIA asked you to report your stocks in transit (inventories/stocks currently on their way to your facility), can you explain to me the process of gathering and reporting that information?
(If needed) Are you able to separate the stocks in transit for the rest of your inventories/stocks?
EIA considers stocks that have arrived at a facility after transportation to no longer be “in transit”, is that how your facility/records also sees it?
How much time do you estimate it would take to gather and report your stocks in transit to EIA on a monthly basis?
Section IV Part 8
Usability Testing
[Show participant Parts 4 – 11 of new Form EIA-819] Please review this survey.
Reviewing the first page, what sections apply to your company and which sections would you complete?
Is it clear what cells need to be filled out?
Is purpose of this section clear? If no, why not?
What recommendations do you have for the layout?
Are there any column headings that you do not understand or that are unclear to you?
Is the design layout of the rows helpful to understand what you need to report?
Are any row labels unclear?
Do you have any recommendations to the row labels?
What would make it clearer?
Section VI Part 11
Usability Testing
Do you understand what we mean when we ask for the Quantity of Products consumed as fuel?
[Ask the participant to review the list of fuel products. Probe for any confusing terms]
Natural gas (all fuel including use in CHP) in scf
Coal in short tons
Liquefied Petroleum Gases (Propane, normal butane, and isobutane) in gallons
Purchased electricity in kWh
Purchased steam in pounds
Other fuels including renewable (e.g. corn stover, crop residue) in pounds
How about the quantity of products consumed as feedstock?
Natural gas for use as hydrogen feedstock in scf
Purchased hydrogen in scf
Is this terminology you are familiar with?
(if not) What terminology is used in the industry?
Burden for Section
Can you please describe the process you would go through to fill out this section?
Can you access the information requested for this section?
Do these units of measurements differ than what is kept in your records?
Would you have to work with others inside or outside of your company?
How long will it take to set up your systems to fill out this form?
After your systems are set up how long will it take to complete this section?
Is the data that we are requesting easily accessible in your systems?
(Follow up) How easy or difficult would it be to provide the data in this structure?
Do you believe there should be any additional instructions for filling out this form?
(Follow up) What additional instructions should be included?
Can you provide this data to EIA on a yearly basis?
Section VII
Wrapping Up
Do you have any problems when completing Form EIA-810?
Do you have any suggestions on how to improve this survey?
Thank you for your time!
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Hamelin, Anna |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-21 |