Updated Supporting Statement B - Vegetable Oil Survey - OIRA updated

Title II Vegetable Oil Packaging Survey

PART B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

We are not looking to make any causal claims or statistical comparisons between groups. With this survey we only want to compile the results and share it with survey participants. People will draw their own conclusions.

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

Though it’s not mandatory, we hope everyone who receives the survey will complete it.

We will send this survey out to the following groups:

1. USAID Office of Food For Peace DC Office via the Food for Peace listserv. This I would estimate to be around 190. Not everyone in this group deals with vegetable oil directly but we want everyone in the office to be aware so we don’t leave someone out that should participate in the survey.

2. USAID Office of Food For Peace Field Staff via the Food for Peace field staff listserv. This is around 142 contacts. These people probably handle the vegetable oil the most because they see first-hand how the vegetable oil tins arrive to their final destination. They would know if the oil has been damaged.

3. USAID Office of Food For Peace contractors with MacFadden/PAE through the MacFadden/PAE listserve. This is around 94 contacts. We want the Institutional Support Contracts to receive this survey because I’m sure some have handled vegetable oil issues in their work.

4. USAID Transportation Division via the OAA/T listserv. 6 contacts. The Transportation Office is aware of ongoing vegetable oil packaging issues and should participate in this survey especially since FFP works very closely with them in transporting commodities.

5. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service located in Kansas City. I estimate around 15 people. Food For Peace Operations Division engages with this office frequently and we already have their contacts. We work with this office on food quality/food safety issues and specifications. They also work with vegetable oil vendors and are familiar with issues with vegetable oil packaging. It is important we have them participate in the survey.

6. USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, International Food Assistance Division. I estimate two contacts but they may want to forward survey to others in their Division. This group also deals with food quality and specifications of vegetable oil.

7. Food For Peace vegetable oil vendors/suppliers. I estimate around 14 contacts. Their participation is important because they create the packaging for the vegetable oil and supply the commodity for FFP. They are the beginning of the supply chain.

8. Freight Forwarders who handle the transportation of vegetable oil. I will work with the Operations Division Program Specialist within FFP who engages with our freight forwarders regularly. She will have their contact information. I estimate around 20 contacts. Their participation is important as they are involved in the transport of vegetable oil.

9. Warehouse contractors who work in the warehouses that store FFP commodities. There are three warehouses that store vegetable oil: Houston, Djibouti, and Durban. I will work with the Operations Division Operations Specialists within FFP in sending the survey to their contacts at these warehouses. I’m not sure the exact number but at a minimum three contacts. They should participate because they are part of the supply chain.

10. Implementing partners who distribute the vegetable oil to beneficiaries such as the World Food Programme, Catholic Relief Services, Mercy Corps, Food For the Hungry, Save the Children, World Vision, etc. I do not know the exact number of contacts within this group because I do not have their contact information. I will work with the Geographic Divisions within FFP for them to send the survey to their contacts within these groups. This is hard to estimate since I don’t know how many contacts but I would estimate anywhere between 20-30. They should participate in survey because they are also involved in the supply chain.

11. Vegetable oil working group members who attended the Food Aid Packaging Workshop at Michigan State University in March 2020 (most of whom are already included in the above groups). I compiled a list of contacts when I attended this workshop. 27 contacts are in the working group but most are already included from the above groups. These participants chose to be a part of the working group and therefore is interested in improving vegetable oil packaging.

Estimated response rate – We are trying to aim high for the response rate so that’s why we went with 85% but it could range from 60% – 85%. I will send out reminders for people to complete the survey and give people a month so they have time. Not everyone who receives this survey will respond because some people may not handle vegetable oil as some others do.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information, including:

Collection of information will be done via survey. Survey will be sent to USAID Office of Food for Peace/BHA list serve, field staff, contacts of individuals and groups that handle Title II vegetable oil, OAA/T list serve, and our colleagues from USDA.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

To maximize the response rate, we limited the survey to nine questions, most of them multiple choice because we don’t want to take too much time from the respondents. I will send out reminders for people to complete the survey. Damages to vegetable oil packaging is a widely known issue so we think participants will be willing to share their experiences because they want to improve vegetable oil packaging.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

Testing will not be employed with the survey.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractors, grantees, or other person(s) who will actually collect or analyze the information for the agency.

I, Angela Roberts (703) 775-6140 will be collecting the results of this survey and compiling the data.