Focus Group for Soliciting Feedback on USFWS Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration (WSFR) Programs Communications

OMB Control No. 1090-0011

Expires 10/31/2021

Industry Focus Group Participation Request

Process:

1. DJ Case and Associates sends an email to the industry association asking them to recommend 24 participants, with the goal of having 12 available to participate at each focus group session. Four associations will be contacted: National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), American Sportfish Association (ASA), Archery Trade Association (ATA) and National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

2. The association sends an email to the recommended participants, CCing Matt Harlow at DJ Case and Associates. As they reply, DJ Case and Associates will provide specifics about the focus group.

3. If they don’t reply in a week, DJC will respond and give them a gentle reminder.

4. Eventually 8 to 12 participants are booked and sent event specific instructions

Email to association (sent by DJ Case)

<Association membership coordinator or contact>,

We spoke to YYY and he/she said you could give us a hand.

We’re hoping to put together a focus group of a few of your members at XXX show. We’d like talk to them about how WSFR can better keep industry informed regarding the federal/state/industry conservation partnership and its accomplishments.

We are looking for 12 [association] members for the focus group, split out more or less like this:

• 6 principals (CEOs, presidents, owners, etc.)

• 4 financial/operations (CFO, VP Operations, etc)

• 2 marketers (chief marketing officers/VPs of communications, etc.)

It’s important that we get a cross-section of companies. We don’t want every organization to be the same size or to make the same product. They should also have different levels of knowledge and support for WSFR.

Could you take a few minutes and recommend up to 24 people to participate? Please send them the attached invitation and CC me.

If you have questions or want chat about potential focus group candidates, shoot me an email or give me call at 574-258-0100. I will follow up with you next week to see if you have any questions.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Matt

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from key industry partners to achieve greater awareness and understanding of WSFR and to validate messages and strategies in the WSFR communication plan. Your response is voluntary and we will not share your response publicly. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. OMB has reviewed and approved this survey and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 20 minutes per respondent (per each of 5 focus group sessions) to participate in this focus group, including time to read instructions and gather information. You may submit comments on any aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Madonna L. Baucum. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (BPHC-PPM), 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Email to Potential Participants (sent by association)

Subject Line: Would you participate in a short meeting to aid the industry/conservation partnership?

As you may be aware, the outdoor recreation industry has a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program or WSFR) and state fish and wildlife agencies to fund and implement conservation programs throughout the country. Knowledge and understanding within our industry of how this partnership works and is used for conservation varies widely, and the WSFR Program is currently developing a Strategic Communications Plan to help them do a better job communicating this information to us.

As part of the planning process, WSFR is conducting focus groups with some of our members—to learn about their knowledge and impressions of WSFR and how WSFR can improve its communications efforts with us.

I’m hoping you can be available to participate. Would you be willing to help?

The focus group will be conducted XXXday the XXth at XXX O’clock at <name of show/event>. It will last less than two-hours and will be conducted by DJ Case & Associates, a professional communications firm that has been contracted by the WSFR Program for this purpose.

If you are willing to assist, I will ask Matt Harlow from DJ Case (cc’d here) to contact you, sign you up and work out the details. Please respond by <date a week after the email was sent>.

I believe this is an opportunity for our industry to have a greater voice in the communications aspects of the WSFR partnership, and I hope you will be able to make this work in your busy schedule.

Sincerely,

XXXXXX

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from key industry partners to achieve greater awareness and understanding of WSFR and to validate messages and strategies in the WSFR communication plan. Your response is voluntary and we will not share your response publicly. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. OMB has reviewed and approved this survey and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 20 minutes per respondent (per each of 5 focus group sessions) to participate in this focus group, including time to read instructions and gather information. You may submit comments on any aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Madonna L. Baucum. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (BPHC-PPM), 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Reminder Email to Potential Participants (sent by DJ Case & Assoc)

(This email is a response to the email originally sent by the association with the content of the original email included at the bottom)

Subject Line: RE: Would you participate in a short meeting to aid the industry/conservation partnership?

<First name>,

Will you be able to make the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program focus group at <name of show/event>? <Association contact> thinks you would add a lot to the discussion and we could really use your help.

Can you spare the time at the show?

Here are the details:

XXXday the XXth at XXX O’clock

XXXX Room in the XXX Hotel in City

If you have any questions, reply to this email or give me a call at 574-274-2066 anytime.

Hope you can make it!

Matt

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from key industry partners to achieve greater awareness and understanding of WSFR and to validate messages and strategies in the WSFR communication plan. Your response is voluntary and we will not share your response publicly. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. OMB has reviewed and approved this survey and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 20 minutes per respondent (per each of 5 focus group sessions) to participate in this focus group, including time to read instructions and gather information. You may submit comments on any aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, Madonna L. Baucum. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (BPHC-PPM), 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.