Docp_omb_ssb_6.12.2023

SUPPORTING STATEMENT – PART B

Defense Organizational Climate Pulse (DOCP)—Version 1.0; OMB Control Number 0704-DOCP

B.  COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

1. Description of the Activity

Developed in response to IRC recommendation 3.7a, and authorized under the new DoDI 6400.11, the DOCP is a brief survey tool with flexible content that may be used as part of the command climate assessment process to provide timely feedback to unit commanders and organizational leaders. Unit commanders and organizational leaders can choose to field a DOCP once annually to get targeted information on specific areas of interest identified in the initial command climate assessment for their unit or organization; however, the DOCP may not be administered more than once a year [DoDI 6400.11, 5.d.3]. Unit commanders and organizational leaders will use the DOCP to inform or update their action plans (i.e., Comprehensive Integrated Primary Prevention plans).

The target population for the DOCP is the entire DoD community. The DOCP will be administered at the unit level upon request by unit commanders or organizational leaders. The target population for a DOCP is Active Duty and Reserve component members in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force, DoD Civilians (including foreign national employees), and Military Service Academy (MSA) and MSA Preparatory School members (hereafter, MSA Prep School). Additionally, Active Duty, Reserve, and the Academy for the United States Coast Guard component are included in the target population. Each DOCP fielded acts as a census of a particular unit, organization, or Service Academy population and 100% of members in each unit, organization, MSA and MSA Prep School are contacted to participate in the survey. We anticipate a response rate of 40%.

The DOCP does not employ traditional sampling techniques to identify a subset of a population to be included in the survey sample. Instead, the DOCP is a unit-/organization-level survey that, for each unit or organization, is fielded as a census. The unit/organization survey administrator registers a DOCP by uploading a full roster of its unit/organization members. Because all DoD unit commanders and organization leaders have the opportunity to administer a DOCP annually, all DoD members are considered as part of the annual population frame with the exception of DoD contractors and units or organizations with less than 16 members. There is not a standardized method for defining at which level in the hierarchy units are required to take the DOCP, how to define a unit, or how to define unit membership.

In 2023, we estimate that 158,910 participants will complete a DOCP survey. Additionally, we anticipate a response rate of around 40%.

Table 1. DOCP 1.0 Anticipated Population Summary
Survey	Fielding Year	Anticipated Individual Responses	Anticipated Response Rate
DOCP	2023	158,910	40%

2. Procedures for the Collection of Information

Describe any of the following if they are used in the collection of information:

1. Statistical methodologies for stratification and sample selection;

As described above, the DOCP does not employ traditional sampling techniques because it is a unit-/organizational-level survey. Specifically, the DOCP is a non-probability sample that units/organizations within the DoD, with a minimum size requirement of 16 personnel, administer. Each unit/organization survey is fielded as a census of the unit/organization. The unit/organization survey administrator registers a DOCP by uploading a full roster of its unit/organization members.

2. Estimation procedures;

As a flexible tool designed to provide timely information to commanders and leaders about the climate of their unit or organization, all results will be provided to commanders and leaders at the unit/organization level. Item tabulations will be provided for commands with at least 16 complete responses. Additionally, demographic and administrator defined subgroups will be reported if there are at least five complete responses for each combination.

3. Degree of accuracy needed for the Purpose discussed in the justification;

N/A

4. Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures; and

None.

5. Use of periodic or cyclical data collections to reduce respondent burden.

The DOCP is a tool intended to be a low burden survey that is flexible to provide commands with the timely information they need while also reducing the burden on participants by limiting the survey to topics relevant to their local unit or organization to inform or update their command climate assessment and action planning. Based on the guidance from the DoDI 6400.11, the DOCP is a survey tool that may only be fielded once annually.

3. Maximization of Response Rates, Non-response, and Reliability

Discuss methods used to maximize response rates and to deal with instances of non-response.  Describe any techniques used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of responses is adequate for intended purposes.  Additionally, if the collection is based on sampling, ensure that the data can be generalized to the universe under study.  If not, provide special justification.

To reduce respondent burden, web-based surveys use “smart skip” technology to ensure respondents only answer questions that are applicable to them. To maximize response rates, Office of People Analytics (OPA) offers the survey via the web and uses reminder emails to encourage participation throughout the survey’s fielding window. E-mail reminders will be sent to unit members until they respond or indicate that they no longer wish to be contacted. The outreach communications include text highlighting the importance of the surveys. As DOCP’s are administered at the unit level, commanders conducting a DOCP are also able to monitor response rates and promote the DOCP in meetings, e-mails, and unit common areas.

4. Tests of Procedures

In accordance with the DoD Survey Burden Action Plan, we went to great lengths to develop a survey instrument that collected only the information required to support policy and program development and/or assessments—specifically to adhere to both the Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military recommendations for the DoD (IRC-FULL-REPORT-FINAL-1923-7-1-21.PDF (defense.gov)) and the policy requirements specified in DoDI 6400.11. To accomplish this, we constructed a flexible and brief survey tool that allows for customization of the DOCP to best meet a unit’s/organization’s needs for assessing command climate. We curated the DOCP pool of available items based on policy office and Service recommendations. Through extensive coordination, we have identified the relevant questions to meet the needs of unit commanders/leaders through the fielding of the DOCP. The development of the DOCP specifically focused on its unique contribution as a survey tool and how it could be used to inform the required Command Climate Assessments (CCA; DoDI 6400.11). The DOCP is designed to be a brief and flexible survey that contains skip patterns, asking only relevant questions to the appropriate populations, and contains no more than 16 custom substantive questions. A full DOCP is anticipated to take roughly 7 minutes to complete.

Additionally, to ensure and further enhance the utility of the DOCP, weighting and coverage assessments, validation analyses, and aggregation functionality for within and between units/organization may be tested and further implemented.

5. Statistical Consultation and Information Analysis

1. Provide names and telephone number of individual(s) consulted on statistical aspects of the design.

• Dr. Zhiwei Zhang, Chief Survey Methodology and Analytics, Statistical Methods Branch – OPA, [email protected]

• Mr. Stephen Busselberg, Associate Director – STAT, Fors Marsh, [email protected]

2. Provide name and organization of person(s) who will actually collect and analyze the collected information.

Data will be collected by Data Recognition Corporation, OPA’s operations contractor. Contact information is listed below.

• Ms. Valerie Waller, Vice President, Data Recognition Corporation, [email protected]

• Mr. Michael Knutson, Director – Surveys, Data Recognition Corporation, [email protected]

• Mr. Brad Goenner, Senior Business Analyst, Data Recognition Corporation, [email protected]

Data will be analyzed by OPA social scientists & analysts. Contact information is listed below.

• Dr. Rachel Lipari, Chief of Military Sociology, Health & Resilience Research Division – OPA, [email protected]

• Dr. Austin Lawhead, Senior Applied Anthropologist, Health & Resilience Research Division – OPA, [email protected]

• Dr. Ashlea Klahr, Director, Health & Resilience Research Division – OPA, [email protected]

• Dr. Abigail Moore, Senior Researcher, Health & Resilience Research Division – OPA, [email protected]

• John Paul Bisciotti, Operations Research Analyst, Statistical Methods Branch – OPA, [email protected]

• Ms. Lisa Davis, Deputy Director, Health & Resilience Research Division – OPA, [email protected]

• Dr. Anna Sheveland, Managing Researcher, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Ms. Amanda Barry, Director, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh Group, [email protected]

• Dr. Sela Harcey, Senior Researcher, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Rachel Trump-Steele, Senior Researcher, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Marissa Oliver, Quantitative Research Associate, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Tina Killoran, Senior Researcher, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Ms. Alyssa McHoes, Research Analyst, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Mr. Willie Cosner, Research Analyst, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Andrew Pomerville, Research Associate, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Ms. Kimberly Hylton, Principal Scientist, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Chelsea Lonergan, Research Associate, Military Workplace Climate Research – Fors Marsh, [email protected]

• Dr. Nick Mararac, Research Associate, Military Workplace Climate Research—Fors Marsh, [email protected]

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