FRA F 6180.172 Survey#2 Experiences with Discrimination

OMB No. 2130-XXXX

Survey #2: Business Experience with Discrimination

Non-Response Version

24. SWITCHBOARD INTRODUCTION AND COMPANY VERIFICATION

Good Morning/Good Afternoon, my name is ___­­­­­­­­­______ from [Jack Faucett Associates]. I am calling on behalf of the US Federal Railroad Administration. Is [EXECFULL] available?

[IF NO NAME IN EXECFULL] May I please speak with the owner, chief financial officer, or senior manager of [VENDOR]?

IF NOT THE RIGHT COMPANY, GO TO Z.

24. RESPONDENT INTRODUCTION AND COMPANY VERIFICATION

Good Morning / Good Afternoon, my name is from [Jack Faucett Associates, Inc.].

I am calling on behalf of the US Federal Railroad Administration. We are conducting a very brief, two-minute survey of business owners in business and geographical areas related to the railroad industry. I would like to ask you just a few very short questions about your firm. Your answers to this survey are completely confidential. The Federal Railroad Administration will only use answers in aggregate, combined with the responses of other companies, and will not identify your company in any way.

Let me just confirm that the name of this company is [VENDOR]. IF NOT THE RIGHT COMPANY GO TO Z, ELSE GO TO 1

24. INCORRECT OR CHANGED COMPANY INFORMATION

Can you provide any information about [VENDOR]?

Yes, can provide information about named company GO TO Z1

Yes, same owner doing business under a different name GO TO Z6

Company bought/sold/changed ownership GO TO Z3

No, does not have information Thank and End

Refused to give information Thank and End

Z1. [ENTER PHONE OF NAMED COMPANY] -- Update phone --

Z2. Can you provide the name of the owner or senior manager of [VENDOR]? -- Update name --- Thank and End.

Z3. What is the new name of the company that used to be [VENDOR]?

Z4. Can you provide the name of the owner, chief financial officer, or senior manager of the new company?

Z5. Can I have a telephone number for them?—Thank and End. (Screen-out Changed Ownership)

Z6. What is the new name of the company that used to be [VENDOR]? -- Update vendor name -- [GO TO Z6a]

Z6a. INTERVIEWER: Can you provide an updated phone number?

Yes UPDATE PHONE, THEN GO TO Q1

No GO TO Q1

1. COMPANY QUESTIONS

1. In the last five years, has your firm done business or attempted to do business on federally assisted, other publically funded, or private rail transportation projects?

Yes

No

(VOL) Don’t know

(VOL) Refused

2. In general, how have large project sizes affected your ability to obtain either public sector or private sector rail transportation contracts? Would you say…? [READ LIST]

You have no experience with large project sizes

Large project sizes help you obtain contracts

Large project sizes have no effect

Large project sizes make it harder to obtain contracts

Large project sizes make it impossible to obtain contracts

[VOL] Don’t know

[VOL] Refused

3. In your opinion, at any time during the last five years, has your firm been discriminated against while applying for commercial loans? In other words, has your firm been treated less favorably than otherwise similar firms because of the race, ethnicity, or sex of its owners to an extent that you believe caused economic or financial harm or loss to your firm? How often has this happened? Would you say ... [READ LIST]?

Never

1 to 5 times

6 to 20 times

Over 20 times

[VOL] Not applicable

[VOL] Don’t know

[VOL] Refused

4. In your opinion, at any time during the last five years, has your firm been discriminated against while working or attempting to work on public or private sector prime or sub-contracts? In other words, has your firm been treated less favorably than otherwise similar firms because of the race, ethnicity, or sex of its owners to an extent that you believe caused economic or financial harm or loss to your firm? How often has this happened? Would you say ... [READ LIST]?

Never

1 to 5 times

6 to 20 times

Over 20 times

[VOL] Not applicable

[VOL] Don’t know

[VOL] Refused

5. Is 51 percent or more of this firm owned and controlled by women?

Yes

No

Don’t know

Refused

6. Is 51 percent or more of this firm owned and controlled by veterans?

Yes

No

Don’t know

Refused

7. Is 51 percent or more of this firm owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans?

Yes

No

Don’t know

Refused

8. Is 51 percent or more of this firm owned and controlled by African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, or Native Americans?

Yes

No

Don’t know

Refused

CLOSING:

Thank you for your time. Those are all the questions we have, and thank you again for your time.

STAT:

Interviewer, please indicate how this interview was completed:

Interviewer outbound call

Respondent call-in

Public reporting burden for this information collection is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, a federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 2130-XXXX.  All responses to this collection of information are voluntary.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Officer, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E., Washington D.C. 20590

FRA F 6180.172