Ad Hoc Clearance for Board-Wide Use

Potential Sample Topics for the
Ad Hoc Clearance for Board-Wide Use
(FR 3100; OMB No. 7100-NEW)
The Board collects several categories of information (described below) via this clearance
through a variety of methods, including small discussion groups; focus groups; cognitive
laboratory studies, such as those used to refine questions or assess usability of a website;
qualitative customer satisfaction surveys (e.g., post-transaction surveys or opt-out web surveys);
and other surveys and questionaries. Individual information collections may be conducted inperson, via telephone or paper, or electronically, through, for example, mobile devices or virtual
meetings. The Board collects information electronically and uses online tools to reduce burden
where appropriate.
1. Public Engagement on the Financial System: The Board uses the FR 3100 to augment
its understanding of the financial system and current economic and financial events
through outreach to relevant stakeholders. Previously, this has been accomplished
through informal outreach. For example, the Board recently gained insights on financial
and digital asset technologies and their impacts on banking institutions and the financial
system via targeted engagement with specific firms and organizations. This effort has
helped the Board support responsible innovation in the financial sector. Under the
FR 3100, information may be collected, for example, via web- or email-based surveys,
telephone surveys, virtual or in-person interviews, paper-based surveys, or focus groups.
2. Enhancing Administration of Board Programs: A core goal of the Board is to
optimize its operations and capabilities and, in particular, to enhance the efficiency and
effectiveness of supervision and regulatory activities. Adapting and improving Board
programs requires soliciting feedback from Board-supervised institutions and the general
public. The Board uses the FR 3100 to gather the views of interested parties in a variety
of ways, including hosting Board-sponsored conferences and conducting focused
outreach. Information that is collected may include experiences with Board programs,
reasons for wanting to participate in Board programs, and ideas for improving Board
programs. The Board may, for example, conduct informal surveys to identify strengths
and weaknesses of current Board services and make improvements in service delivery
based on feedback, to test response rates for future surveys, or to compare results of small
inquiries to the results or larger, more rigorous studies.
3. Research Projects: The Board uses the FR 3100 to conduct low-burden, low-impact
research projects, such as seeking information from schools, state and local governments
or other public institutions, or specific small groups of private citizens. Such projects may
involve seeking easily provided information or public records of interest to the Board.
Information collected may be used to generate ideas about possible future projects (such
as currency design, educational outreach, or public relations campaigns), but is not used
to provide sole justification for such initiatives and would not yield data that could be
generalized to the overall population. Such data uses would require more rigorous
designs that would require a separate PRA clearance with public notice and opportunity
for comment.