Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Extension of a Previously Approved Collection; DOJ's OMB Circular A-11 Section 280 Information Collection Request: Improving Federal Customer Experience

AGENCY:

Department of Justice, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

ACTION:

30-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of the Chief Information Officer will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 30 days until August 19, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

If you have additional comments especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Catalina Martinez, 950 Penn Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20530, Phone: 202-705-5740, Email: Catalina.martinez@usdoj.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on May 15, 2024, allowing a 60-day comment period. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

—Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the U.S. Department of Justice, 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;

—Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected can be enhanced; 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.

Abstract: Under the PRA, (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) Federal Agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes Agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA requires Federal Agencies to provide a 30-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, DOJ is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.

Whether seeking a loan, Social Security benefits, veteran's benefits, or other services provided by the Federal Government, individuals and businesses expect Government customer services to be efficient and intuitive, just like services from leading private-sector organizations. Yet the 2016 American Consumer Satisfaction Index and the 2017 Forrester Federal Customer Experience Index show that, on average, Government services lag nine percentage points behind the private sector.

A modern, streamlined and responsive customer experience means: Raising government-wide customer experience to the average of the private sector service industry; developing indicators for high-impact Federal programs to monitor progress towards excellent customer experience and mature digital services; and providing the structure (including increasing transparency) and resources to ensure customer experience is a focal point for agency leadership. To support this, OMB Circular A-11 Section 280 established government-wide standards for mature customer experience organizations in government and measurement. To enable Federal programs to deliver the experience taxpayers deserve, they must undertake three general categories of activities: Conduct ongoing customer research, gather and share customer feedback, and test services and digital products.

These data collection efforts may be either qualitative or quantitative in nature or may consist of mixed methods. Additionally, data may be collected via a variety of means, including but not limited to electronic or social media, direct or indirect observation ( i.e., in person, video and audio collections), interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups. Inquiries will be limited to data collections that solicit strictly voluntary opinions or responses. Steps will be taken to ensure anonymity of respondents in each activity covered by this request.

The results of the data collected will be used to improve the delivery of Federal services and programs. It will include the creation of personas, customer journey maps, and reports and summaries of customer feedback data and user insights. It will also provide government-wide data on customer experience that can be displayed on performance.gov to help build transparency and accountability of Federal programs to the customers they serve.

Overview of This Information Collection

1. Type of Information Collection: Extension of a previously approved collection.

2. The Title of the Form/Collection: DOJ's OMB Circular A-11 Section 280 Information Collection Request: Improving Federal Customer Experience.

3. The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection: DOJ, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as the obligation to respond: Affected Public: State, local and tribal governments, individuals and households, Private Sector—for or not for profit institutions, and Federal Government]. The obligation to respond is voluntary.

5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: 2,001,550.

The time per response Varied, dependent upon the data collection method used. The possible response time to complete a questionnaire or survey may be 3 minutes or up to 1.5 hours to participate in an interview.

6. An estimate of the total annual burden (in hours) associated with the collection: Ex: The total annual burden hours for this collection is 101,125.

7. An estimate of the total annual cost burden associated with the collection, if applicable: $0.

If additional information is required contact: Darwin Arceo, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W-218, Washington, DC.