Supporting Statement A

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Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration  
Information Collection Request (ICR)
OMB 2133-0546
Generic Clearance of Customer Satisfaction Surveys

SUPPORTING STATEMENT 
 
INTRODUCTION

This submission is to request a three-year approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection entitled 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys), which expires on November 30, 2026. There are no changes, so this request will be submitted as a renewal of a previously approved collection.

    A. JUSTIFICATION

    1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

Executive Order 12862 directs Federal agencies to provide services to the public that matches or exceeds existing capabilities in the private sector. In an effort to ensure that our programs are effective and continue to meet the needs of our customers, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) requested OMB approval of a generic clearance to collect feedback on our customer service delivery.

Surveys submitted under OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) will be limited to exercises intended to improve customer service delivery in MARAD or collect public feedback about specific programs and benefits available through our agency. The results of these customer surveys will be compiled, reviewed, and wherever possible assist MARAD managers to plan and implement program and customer service satisfaction improvement initiatives. Focus groups that will be considered under the generic clearance will assess customer satisfaction with a direct service, be of limited size or scope, and/or designed to inform a customer satisfaction survey being considered by MARAD. Surveys that have the potential to influence policy will not be considered under this generic clearance.  
The types of forums to be included in this clearance are customer satisfaction surveys, listening sessions, and focus groups. Program offices will be required to submit a generic information collection request that shall include all relevant information, including a statement of need, intended use of information, description of respondents, information collection procedures, expected response rates, justification for incentives and estimated burden along with the survey instrument or tool.

    2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection 
OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) is necessary to enable MARAD to garner customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient and timely manner, in accordance with our commitment to improve service delivery. The information collected from our customers and stakeholders (i.e., merchant marine academy alumni, ship owners and/or managers, etc.), will help ensure that users have an effective, efficient, and satisfying experience with the agency’s programs. This feedback will also provide insight into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and expectations. This collection is also intended to provide early warning about issues with service delivery, or focus attention on areas where communication, training, and/or changes in operations might improve customer service experience. Additionally, this collection will facilitate ongoing, collaborative, and actionable communication between MARAD and its customers and stakeholders. Public feedback is also expected to contribute directly to the improvement of program operations that directly affect the public.

    3. Automation or Use of Information Technology (IT)

Every effort will be made to ensure that all survey and feedback instruments approved under OMB 2133-0546 (Generic Clearance Customer Satisfaction Surveys) will be partially or fully electronic, utilize accessible information technology, and/or allow electronic submission via email or an electronic platform.

    4. Efforts to Identify Duplication  
No similar data is gathered or maintained by MARAD or is available from other sources that fulfill the needs of this collection. 

    5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

There is minimal impact on small businesses or other small entities. Business owners may be asked to participate in a sampling, provide readily available information, and/or be required to complete short instruments as part of this collection. 

    6. Impact of Not Conducting or Less Frequent Collection of Information  
Without this collection of information, MARAD will be unable to access helpful data that can positively impact service delivery.

    7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines 5 CFR 1320.5
There are no special circumstances that would cause this collection to be collected in a different manner such as those outlined below: 

    • Requiring respondents to report information to MARAD more often than quarterly;
    • Requiring respondents to prepare a written response in fewer than 30 days after receipt of a collection instrument;
    • Requiring respondents to submit more than one original copy of any document;
    • Requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;
    • Requiring the use of any statistical data that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;
    • Requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;
    • Requiring any pledge of confidentiality; or 
    • Requiring respondents to submit any proprietary or trade secrets.

    8. Public Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Outside  Consultation 

MARAD published a 60-day notice and request for comments on this information collection in the Federal Register on September 3, 2026 (91 FR 56719), indicating comments should be submitted on or before November 2, 2026.  One non-substantive comment was received, which received a response. A 30-day FR notice will now be published to solicit public comments.

    9. Explanation of Any Payments or Gifts to Respondents

There are no payments or gifts provided to respondents for participation in this collection. 

    10. Assurance of Confidentiality and Protection of Privacy

The information requested is not of a confidential nature. Consequently, no assurance of confidentiality is required.

    11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

	No questions of a personal or sensitive nature are asked.

    12. Estimate of Annualized Burden Hours and Cost 
a.	Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
A variety of instruments and electronic platforms will be used to collect information from respondents. The burden hours requested for three years are 5,274 (1,758 annually), which is based on the estimated number of collections we expect to conduct over the requested period for this clearance and can be calculated as follows in the table below.  







Type of Collection 
Estimated No. of Respondents
 
Annual Frequency of  Responses per Respondents
 
Total Annual  Responses
 
Estimated Time Per Response ( Mins in hours) 
 
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours
Customer Service Satisfaction Survey
5,000









*
 
1








=


5,000








*


10  (. 16666667 hrs.)







=


833
Listening Sessions/ Stakeholder Feedback Forums 
200

1

200

120 (2 hrs.)

400
Focus Group 
200

1

200

120 (2 hrs.)

400
Strategic Planning Online Surveys 
500

1

500

15 (.25 hrs.)

125
ANNUAL TOTAL
5,900
 
 
 
5,900
 
 
 
 
 
 
1,758
THREE-YEAR TOTAL
17,700

17,700

5,274


    13. Estimate of the Total Annual Costs Burden to Respondents and/or Record Keeper
	There are no capital, start-up, operations, or maintenance costs associated with this 
  	information collection.   

    14. Estimate of Federal Government Costs  

The total annual estimated Federal Government costs for processing this collection is: 
$  29,101.63

According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)1 wage tables, the hourly wage rate for one GS-14 (Step 10) with a Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality pay is 
$ 89.65.  When combined with the Federal Employee Compensation rate of 31%2, the total hourly wage rate for this employee is $ 117.44.  This employee will spend on average .042 hours ( i.e., 2.52 minutes) to review and compile responses associated with this generic clearance is for a total $ 29,101.63, which can be calculated as shown below: 




FTE Grade and Step & Program Related  Task
Hourly Wage
Average Hourly Wage Rate with 31% Compensation   
Total Employees 
Total Time for Per Response    (Avg. Hours)
Total Responses
Total Federal Government Wages   
GS 14 (Step 10):  Process Reponses  to Generic Clearance Request 
 $   89.65 
 $    117.44 
1
0.042
5900
 $  29,101.63 

    15. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments 

	There are no program changes or adjustments since the last renewal.

    16. Publication of Data Collection Results

Feedback collected through this generic clearance will provide useful information that will improve customer service delivery. Results will not be published.

    17. Display of OMB Expiration Date

MARAD is not requesting approval to omit publication of the OMB expiration date on 
any instruments implemented under this clearance.

    18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement 

	There are no exceptions to this certification statement.