Supporting Statement A 2120-0699 (Final 110524)

Supporting Statement A

AVIATOR Customer Satisfaction Survey

OMB 2120-0699

1. Justification

There is a burden increase due to an increase in the number of individuals responding voluntarily to the AVIATOR Customer Survey.

Some of the increase can be attributed to modifications made to the AVIATOR system in 2022 and early 2023. The system was refreshed to a mobile-friendly layout that was modernized, streamlined, and better implemented the FAA branding (standard layout for web sites). Additionally, database work was completed to implement connection pooling which greatly increased the speed and responsiveness of the AVIATOR system. The number of surveys submitted in 2022 and 2023 easily surpassed those submitted in 2021 and previous years.

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.

AVIATOR is the FAA’s job application system. It supports Human Resources in creating vacancy announcements and collecting applications. Each time an applicant applies, the system provides the applicant a link to complete a voluntary survey regarding his/her experience in using AVIATOR to apply for FAA job announcements. The survey results are reviewed every other week during a meeting with the AVIATOR technical team, the AVIATOR data steward and Human Resources Management liaison, and the AVIATOR system owner. The results are used to make enhancements to the system to improve the AVIATOR application process. This survey will also be used to distinguish between application dissatisfaction with the OPM USAJOBS portion of the application and dissatisfaction with the FAA’s AVIATOR tool as applying for a job is a two-part process involving two separate-but-integrated systems. The results are not made available to the public. The form is not available for public printing off the internet. The URL is only available to applicants who are submitting an application to an FAA vacancy announcement or when the individual returns to AVIATOR to check their application status.

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) Section 2(b)(3) requires agencies to “improve Federal program effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a new focus on results, service quality, and customer satisfaction”. In addition, as stated in the White House “Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies” regarding Executive Order No. 12862, “the actions the order prescribes, such as surveying customers, surveying employees, and benchmarking, shall be continuing agency activities”. The purpose of these actions will remain as indicated in Executive Order No. 12862 – continuing to survey customers to obtain benchmarking and feedback to, in turn, ensure quality service and products.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s, Office of Human Resource Management has as one of its strategic goals to “Make decisions based on reliable data to improve our overall performance and customer satisfaction”. The only way we are going to know if we are making improvements is to survey our customers and get their feedback. This collection supports the DOT strategic goal of Organizational Excellence.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

AVIATOR is the FAA’s job application system. It supports the Office of Human Resource Management in creating vacancy announcements and collecting applications. Each time an applicant applies, the system provides the applicant a link to complete a completely voluntary survey regarding her/his experience in using AVIATOR to applying for FAA job announcements. Again, the survey is completely voluntary and no one is required to respond. Applicants can choose to take the survey at the time of application submission or when they return to AVIATOR to check their application status; they may also choose not to take a survey at all. The survey results are reviewed every other week during a meeting with the AVIATOR Development Staff, the AVIATOR data steward and Human Resources Management liaison, and the System Owners, and is a reporting activity. The results are used to make enhancements to the system to improve/enhance the AVIATOR application process. Results are not shared with the general public.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), all data collection is 100% electronic using an online form provided to the applicant each time she/he applies to an FAA vacancy announcement through the Automated Vacancy Information Access Tool for Online Referral (AVIATOR) via a URL link. The survey is designed to identify potential problems with FAA's automated staffing solution (AVIATOR), as well as to evaluate customer satisfaction with the on-line application process. The survey will also be used to distinguish between application dissatisfaction with the OPM USAJOBS portion of the application and dissatisfaction with the FAA’s AVIATOR tool as applying for a job is a two-part process involving two separate-but-integrated systems. The results are not made available to the public. The form is not available for public printing off the internet. The URL is only available to applicants that have submitted an application to an FAA vacancy announcement or when they return to AVIATOR to check their application status.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

There is no other survey or collection designed to identify potential problems with FAA's automated staffing solution (AVIATOR) and its counterpart, the OPM USAJOBS solution, both on-line application processes. AHR polled the human resource offices that use the tool and verified they are not surveying applicants regarding AVIATOR at any time in the application process. In addition, AHR verified with USAJOBS that they do not provide a survey to applicants regarding the integration with FAA’s on-line application system.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

There is no impact burden on small business or other small entities.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Applicants will be given the opportunity to complete a survey each time they apply for a vacancy announcement. If the FAA’s Office of Human Resource Management (AHR) is not able to initiate the survey, it would not be able to determine customer satisfaction with its AVIATOR system. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to improve our overall performance and customer satisfaction. In addition, AHR will not be able to determine which portion of the application process is causing dissatisfaction – USAJOBS or AVIATOR or both. The survey should be presented to the applicant each time he/she applies since each time an applicant applies could expose the applicant to a different application process based on custom programming for various series and proficiency types. Therefore, it should be presented to the applicant each time she/he applies.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

There are no special circumstances.

8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Published in the Federal Register on June 5, 2024; Vol. 89, No. 109; Pages 48213 - 48214.

No comments were received in response to the 60-day notice in the Federal Register.

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No payment or gifts will be provided to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

The information to be collected by the FAA will not be of a sensitive nature and will not contain any business propriety and/or trade information. Therefore, it will not require assurances of confidentiality.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

No questions of a sensitive or private nature are asked.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

Summary (Annual numbers)	Reporting	Recordkeeping	Disclosure
Number of Respondents	18,424 1
Number of Responses per Respondent	1
Time per Response	3 minutes
Total number of responses	18,424
Total burden (hours)	921

495,972 applicants (from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023) had the opportunity to complete a survey. This gives us a 3-year average of 165,324 applicants per year. We estimate that it takes 3 minutes to complete one survey. Our data indicates that 11.14% of applicants (18,424 averaged for 3 years) completed surveys during this timeframe, resulting in an estimate of 921 hours annually (18,424 respondents X 0.05 (3/60) = 921 x $40.92 (wage base)² = $37,810.08) (source; BLS Mean Hourly Wage for All Occupations, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm 00-0000 All Occupations, May 2023).

¹ Applicant Survey Metrics report: 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023

² The $40.92 Wage Base is derived from the May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for “mean hourly wage for all occupations ($31.48) plus 30% for benefits (31.48 x .3 = 9.44 + 31.48 = 40.92).

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information.

There are no material costs for the respondents.

14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

Annualized cost includes data analysis to determine customer satisfaction and requirements development if issues are identified.  Estimated cost is based upon 1 Government FTE (at the FV-H, or equivalent rate of approximately $36.65 per hour), times 108 hours per year.  Estimate - $3,958 per year.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

The burden increased due to an increase in the number of individuals responding voluntarily to the customer survey. Possibly the new mobile-friendly design and connection pooling.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

There will be no publication of data.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

No request will be made to not display expiration date.

18. Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.”

There are no exceptions.