Focus Group Participants

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. COAST GUARD

Merchant Mariner Credentialing – Job Task Analysis

OMB No. 1625-new Exp: mm/dd/yyyy

Who must comply?	Participation is voluntary. We seek input from subject matter experts in the credential endorsement being analyzed to include credentialed mariners, qualified instructors and assessors, shipboard supervisors and shipping company officials.
What is this collection about?	The Coast Guard has a Merchant Mariner Credentialing Program to ensure that mariners are qualified to perform their duties prior to the issuance of a credential. To improve the credentialing process and keep up with technological change, the Coast Guard is initiating a Job Task Analysis of mariners with national rating and officer endorsements to inform the training and assessment processes. Participation in information collection activities is voluntary. The Coast Guard issues credentials to merchant mariners in accordance with 46 CFR Subchapter B.
Where do I find the requirements for this information?	Title 46 CFR Subchapter B is available at—https://www.eCFR.gov, select TITLE 46 – SHIPPING, and follow to Part 11 for requirements for officer endorsements and to Part 12 and Part 13 for requirements for rating endorsements.
When must information be submitted to the Coast Guard?	Information is collected via periodic focus group panel discussions. Information is also collected via an on-line administered survey during an advertised period of availability.
How is the information submitted?	Information is collected during face-to-face focus group panel discussions and on-line administered surveys.
What happens when complete information is received?	The JTA will allow the Coast Guard to determine the most appropriate examination, performance assessment, and training standards for the credentialing of merchant mariners. The information will be used to evaluate the adequacy of current credentialing requirements and policy.
For additional information, contact--	The Coast Guard Program Office representative— Mr. Eric Malzkuhn at [email protected].

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.

The Coast Guard estimates that the average burden per response varies per information collection—about 45 minutes per on-line survey; and up to 6 hours per focus group. You may submit any comments concerning the accuracy of this burden estimate or any suggestions for reducing the burden to: Commandant (CG-MMC), U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE, Washington, DC 20593-7509 or Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (1625-new), Washington, DC 20503.