Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request, Proposed Collection Requests: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery

AGENCY:

Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities.

ACTION:

Submission for OMB Review, comment request.

SUMMARY:

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announces the following information collection has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The purpose of this Notice is to solicit comments as part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery. IMLS has submitted a Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR entitled “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery ” to OMB for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below on or before December 14, 2020.

OMB is particularly interested in comments that help the agency to:

• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses).

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn.: OMB Desk Officer for Education, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, 202-395-7316.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Matthew Birnbaum, PhD., Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20024-2135. Dr. Birnbaum can be reached by telephone at 202-653-4760, by email at mbirnbaum@imls.gov, or by teletype (TTY/TDD) for persons with hearing difficulty at 202-653-4614.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grant making, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov.

Current Actions: The Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery information collection activity will garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the Administration's commitment to improving service delivery. By qualitative feedback, we mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of study. This feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and expectations; provide an early warning of issues with service; and/or focus attention on areas where communication, training, or changes in operations might improve delivery of products or services. These collections will allow for ongoing, collaborative and actionable communications between the Agency and its customers and stakeholders. They will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of program management.

Feedback collected under this generic clearance will provide useful information, but it will not yield data that can be generalized to the overall population. This type of generic clearance for qualitative information will not be used for quantitative information collections that are designed to yield reliably actionable results, such as monitoring trends over time or documenting program performance. Such data uses require more rigorous designs that address the target population to which generalizations will be made, the sampling frame, the sample design (including stratification and clustering), the precision requirements or power calculations that justify the proposed sample size, the expected response rate, methods for assessing potential non-response bias, the protocols for data collection, and any testing procedures that were or will be undertaken prior to fielding the study. Depending on the degree of influence the results are likely to have, such collections may still be eligible for submission for other generic mechanisms that are designed to yield quantitative results.

This action is to seek approval for the information collection for the Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery for the next three years.

The 60-day notice for the Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery, was published in the Federal Register on September 14, 2020 (85 FR 56639). One comment was received and acknowledged.

Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.

Type of Review: Renewal.

OMB Number: 3137 0081.

Agency Number: 3137.

Affected Public: Individuals and Households; Businesses and Organizations; State, Local or Tribal Governments; Museums; Libraries.

Average Expected Annual Number of Activities: 11.

Annual Responses: 9,854.

Frequency of Response: Once per request.

Average Minutes per Response: 56 minutes.

Burden Hours: 2,376.4 hours.

Total Annual Costs: $69,153.82.