Spanish Language Materials and Outreach Assessment

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of
Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 3245-0398)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION:
Spanish-Language Materials and Outreach Assessment
PURPOSE:
This is the second of two phases of primary research for the SBA Spanish-Language Materials
and Assessment project with the overall aim to enhance communication with Spanish-speaking or
Spanish-dominant business owners and entrepreneurs. It will consist of a series of telephone
interviews with Spanish-dominant small business owners in several locations throughout the
United States (groups of two or three participants per location). The purpose of these
dyads/triads will be to ascertain the business owners’ 1) use of existing SBA and/or SBA
Resource Partner materials in Spanish; 2) need for additional materials for Spanish speakers and
relative priority of the need; and 3) preferred communication channels and resources.
The first research phase was completed in May 2020 and consisted of telephone interviews with
selected SBA Resource Partners (SBA-funded local organizations that mentor, counsel and train
Spanish-speaking small business owners) across the United States. Findings from phase I, in
conjunction with SBA employee recommendations, informed the planned geographic locations
and segmentation strategy for Phase II. As detailed in the matrix below, we will have a total of
16 locations in 8 different geographic areas/states and a total of 78 participants.
Dyad/Triad Segmentation Matrix
Stage in the Business Cycle → Very Early Start Up
(2 years or less in business)
U.S. Geographic Region/Markets ↓
California
- Fresno
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento
Florida
- Miami
- Orlando
Texas
- El Paso
- Houston
Southwest (AZ, NM, NV)
- Las Vegas, NV
- Tucson, AZ
Midwest/Mountain West (e.g.,
Chicago)
- Chicago, IL
- Denver/Aurora, CO
Northeast (e.g., NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA)

Established and Looking to Expand
(growth, exporting, etc.,)
(5-19 years in business)

3 triads (9 total participants)
- 1 triad per market

3 triads (9 total participants)
- 1 triad per market

2 triads (6 total participants)
- 1 triad per market

2 triads (6 total participants)
- 1 triad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)

2 dyads (4 total participants)

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- Hartford, CT
- New York City, NY
Puerto Rico
- San Juan
Mid-Atlantic
- Baltimore, MD
- Washington, DC

-

1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 2 dyads per market
2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

-

1 dyad per market

2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 2 dyads per market
2 dyads (4 total participants)
- 1 dyad per market

Definitions: Triad=3 interviewees scheduled in one interview; Dyad=2 interviewees scheduled in one interview.

This segmentation offers 34 unique “data collection units” (the triad/dyad is the unit of analysis); with
this design, there will be 78 participants split evenly between the two phases in the business cycle,
which represent our two segments.
The “Very Early Start Ups” segment includes Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs that have been in
business two years or less (and may be looking to convert their existing work into “official” businesses
with correct paperwork, documentation, permits, licenses, etc.,). The “Established and Looking to
Expand” segment includes Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs successfully in operation for a
minimum of five years and a maximum of 19 years and are seeking to grow/expand (and may be looking
to “scale-up” domestically and/or internationally such as through exports).

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:
Eligibility Criteria
All participants for the Hispanic business owner dyads and triads must be qualified based on the
following eligibility criteria:
•
•
•
•
•
•

All participants must be Hispanic small business owners or co-owners.
All participants must be fluent in Spanish.
All participants must prefer to consume media that is in Spanish.
All participants must have been in business for 2 years or less (for the “very early start-ups”) OR
between 5 and 19 years (for the small businesses that are “established/looking to expand”).
All participants must have had at least one prior contact with the SBA, with the first contact
occurring within the past 19 years and with the last contact taking place within the past 9 years.
All participants must have been aware of/interacted with the SBA prior to the COVID-19
pandemic.

Demographic Mix
We will recruit participants to reflect a mix of demographic characteristics per dyad/triad, as possible.
These characteristics will include gender, age and country of origin/heritage (with the understanding
that two-thirds of Hispanics in the United States have Mexican ancestry).

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TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)
[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form
[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software
[ ] Focus Group

[ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey
[ ] Small Discussion Group
[x ] Other: Telephone Interviews

CERTIFICATION:
I certify the following to be true:
1. The collection is voluntary.
2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.
3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal
agencies.
4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.
5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential
policy decisions.
6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have
experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.
Name: Paula Tavares (Marketing Director, Office of Communications & Public Liaison)
To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:
Personally Identifiable Information:
1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [x] Yes [ ] No
2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the
Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [x] No
3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [x] No
Gifts or Payments:
Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to
participants? [x] Yes [ ] No

BURDEN HOURS
Category of Respondent

No. of
Participation
Burden
Respondents Time
78
65 minutes
84.5
each (60
hours
minutes
interview and 5
minutes
screener)

Spanish-dominant small business owners
(individuals)

Totals

78

3

65 minutes
each

84.5
hours

•

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $48,000,
which is attributed to the contractor that will be recruiting participants and conducting the
telephone interviews. The estimated cost does not include the incentive cost for the
participants ($5,850). The contractor will provide to each of the 78 respondents a $75
monetary incentive to boost interest and participation in the interview. Additionally, as
standard qualitative research practice, we will need to over-recruit one participant for
each session of interviews, that is, an additional $2,550 expenditure for 34 extra
participants who will be paid $75 each for their time, even if they are excused from actual
participation. Each group of two or three interviews will be approximately 45 minutes in
duration (see attached Telephone Interview Guide).

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please
provide answers to the following questions:
The selection of your targeted respondents
1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential
respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe?
[ ] Yes [X ] No
If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If
the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of
respondents and how you will select them?
Our recruitment process for Phase II is described below.
•

•

•

Our research contractor, The Hannon Group (THG), will be mostly responsible for
participant recruitment. Participants will be recruited using multiple means and
platforms. The Hannon Group’s Spanish-language recruitment specialist will use her
networks to contact individuals and organizations via email and telephone in an effort to
identify, and then recruit, qualified participants. Interested potential participants will then
have the recruitment screener (attached) administered to them. Those who meet the
eligibility criteria and needs of the research, based on the recruitment screener, will be
invited to participate.
The Hannon Group will create a promotional/recruitment ad in Spanish (based on the
attached SBA-approved English language version) that provides a referral number and
email address for potential participants to contact a THG Spanish-speaking recruitment
coordinator. Our Spanish language recruiter will post this recruitment ad in social media
groups in the markets identified in this segmentation plan. If circumstances allow, this ad
may also be shared with SBA District Offices in the selected locations. Upon reaching
out to THG, potential participants will then have the screener administered to them; those
who meet the eligibility criteria and needs of the research, based on the recruitment
screener, will be invited to participate.
SBA OCPL will also promote the dyad/triad interview opportunity through other
mechanisms (e.g., SBA website, SBA social media platforms, SBA national and selected
District Offices’ online newsletters, teleconferences).

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•
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The recruiters will send participants all necessary call-in information prior to the
dyad/triad telephone interviews.
All interviews will be conducted in Spanish only. Report of findings will be prepared in
English with illustrative quotes translated from Spanish to English.

This is a qualitative assessment and we have an allocated budget for a total of 78 telephone
interviews. We based our sampling in proportion to the Hispanic population in the selected
locations and geographic areas/states. All selected locations are in highly Hispanic/Spanishspeaking populated geographic areas.
In addition, in selecting the locations, we considered two additional factors: Proximity to an
SBA District Office or an SBA Resource Partner, and attaining a mix of settings (e.g.,
urban/rural/proximity to the US Mexico border).
SBA OCPL has approved the attached recruitment ad that will be translated and used by the
contractor to recruit potential participants. We will identify 156 potential respondents
(estimated) and recruit and confirm 78 participants. All participants will need to answer the
screener to qualify for participation in the interview.
Administration of the Instrument
1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)
[ ] Web-based or other forms of Social Media
[x ] Telephone
[ ] In-person
[ ] Mail
[ ] Other, Explain
2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ x ] Yes [ ] No
Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the
request.
Attachments
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Participant recruitment ad
Screener Questionnaire--PRE-INTERVIEW DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS
[SCREENING GUIDE]
Telephone SPANISH-DOMINANT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS INTERVIEW
GUIDE

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Instructions for completing Request for Approval under the “Generic
Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback”
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Provide the name of the collection that is the
subject of the request. (e.g. Comment card for soliciting feedback on xxxx)
PURPOSE: Provide a brief description of the purpose of this collection and how it will be used.
If this is part of a larger study or effort, please include this in your explanation.
DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Provide a brief description of the targeted group or
groups for this collection of information. These groups must have experience with the program.
TYPE OF COLLECTION: Check one box. If you are requesting approval of other
instruments under the generic, you must complete a form for each instrument.
CERTIFICATION: Please read the certification carefully. If you incorrectly certify, the
collection will be returned as improperly submitted or it will be disapproved.
Personally Identifiable Information: Provide answers to the questions. Note: Agencies
should only collect PII to the extent necessary, and they should only retain PII for the period of
time that is necessary to achieve a specific objective.
Gifts or Payments: If you answer yes to the question, please describe the incentive and provide
a justification for the amount.
BURDEN HOURS:
Category of Respondents: Identify who you expect the respondents to be in terms of the
following categories: (1) Individuals or Households; (2) Private Sector; (3) State, local, or tribal
governments; or (4) Federal Government. Only one type of respondent can be selected per row.
No. of Respondents: Provide an estimate of the Number of Respondents.
Participation Time: Provide an estimate of the amount of time (in minutes) required for a
respondent to participate (e.g. fill out a survey or participate in a focus group)
Burden: Provide the Annual burden hours: Multiply the Number of Respondents and the
Participation Time then divide by 60.
FEDERAL COST: Provide an estimate of the annual cost to the Federal government.
If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please
provide answers to the following questions:
The selection of your targeted respondents. Please provide a description of how you plan to
identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them. If the answer is yes,
to the first question, you may provide the sampling plan in an attachment.
Administration of the Instrument: Identify how the information will be collected. More than
one box may be checked. Indicate whether there will be interviewers (e.g. for surveys) or
facilitators (e.g., for focus groups) used.

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Submit all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

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