Focus Group for Soliciting Feedback on WSFR Program Communications

OMB Control No. 1090-0011

Expires 10/31/2021

State agency focus group participation request process and scripts

1. DJ Case and Associates (DJ Case) emails Wildlife Management Institute to get a list of 2019 North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference attendees and identifies all state agency attendees on this list, thus creating our universe of potential participants for our three focus groups.

2. List is further reduced to 72 individuals, who are from different U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) regions and states. Two focus groups will be a mix of participant roles, while the third focus group will be for communications and outreach specialists only. Therefore we will need a larger number of communications and outreach specialists to reach out desired number of participants per focus group (8 -12 people). This list would split potential participants to roles, more or less like this:

• 12 Directors

• 12 Biologists

• 12 Federal Aid Coordinators

• 36 Communications and Outreach Specialists

3. 36 names will be selected from the list of 72 ensuring a diversity of geographic location and position, and remaining 36 names will be added to an alternate list.

4. DJ Case will email these 36 potential participants a formal invitation (See Script 1).

5. If participants RSVP yes, DJ Case will email a response confirming participation (See Script 2)

6. If participant hasn’t confirmed within 3 days, DJ Case will send a reminder (See Script 3).

7. If after the initial invitation are made, slots are still available, DJ Case will use the alternate list to make additional invitations following Scripts 1 and 2.

8. Eventually 8 to 12 participants will be booked for each of the three focus groups, resulting in a maximum of 36 participants total.

Script 1: Initial Request for participation

Subject Line: Invitation for focus group participation at North American Conference

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working on a Strategic Communication Plan focused on communicating more effectively about the PR-Wildlife, DJ-Sport Fish and State Wildlife Grant Programs, and the State/Federal/Industry partnership that supports these programs.

As part of the planning process, WSFR is conducting focus groups with state fish and wildlife agency professionals at the upcoming North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Denver. DJ Case and Associates, as a contractor to WSFR, will talk a variety of state agency staff (Directors, biologists and administrators, communication specialists, and Federal Aid Coordinators) to learn more about their knowledge of WSFR programs and gain insight and ideas about communicating more effectively together into the future. It’s really important to gain these insights to ensure success going forward and we think you would be of great help, so we’re asking if you can participate at:

XXXday the XXth at XXX O’clock at xx location.

We appreciate a timely RSVP by replying to this message as soon as possible, as the conference is fast approaching.

Thanks!

Matt Harlow

DJ Case

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from state agency 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 focus group and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 90 minutes 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 Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: AMAD-ARM-PPM, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, or via email at [email protected].

Script 2: Confirmation of willingness to participate

Subject Line: Confirmation of focus group participation at North American Conference

Thank you for your willingness to participate in a WSFR focus group discussion at the North American Conference. We value your perspective and look forward to your participation. The focus group will consist of 8 to 12 state agency employees from across the country talking about how the Service can improve its communications efforts.

We look forward to seeing you at:

XXXday the XXth at XXX O’clock at xx location.

It will last less than two-hours and should be very interesting.

Thanks!

Matt Harlow

DJ Case

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from state agency 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 focus group and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 90 minutes 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 Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: AMAD-ARM-PPM, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, or via email at [email protected].

Script 3: Follow up on Confirmation of willingness to participate

Subject Line: REMINDER: RSVP for focus group participation at North American Conference

It’s been several days since I emailed you about participating in the WSFR focus group at the North American. The group will meet:

XXXday the XXth at XXX O’clock at XX location.

It will last less than two-hours and should be very interesting. We are anxious to confirm your participation. Please let me know as soon as possible.

Thanks!

Matt Harlow

DJ Case

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501) to seek comments from state agency 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 focus group and assigned OMB Control Number 1090-0011.

Estimated Burden Statement: We estimate it will take 90 minutes 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 Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: AMAD-ARM-PPM, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803, or via email at [email protected].