[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 178 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54985-54986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21918]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Title: Pre-testing of Evaluation Surveys.
OMB No.: 0970-0355.
Description: The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
(OPRE), in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to request
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal of
a generic clearance to allow OPRE to pre-test data collection
instruments with more than nine participants to identify and resolve
any question or procedural problems in survey administration.
OPRE studies ACF programs, and the populations they serve, through
rigorous research and evaluation projects. These include evaluations of
existing programs, evaluations of innovative approaches to helping low-
income children and families, research syntheses and descriptive and
exploratory studies. To improve the development of its research and
evaluation surveys, OPRE uses the pre-testing of evaluation surveys
generic clearance to employ a variety of techniques including cognitive
and usability laboratory and field techniques, behavior coding,
exploratory interviews, respondent debriefing questionnaires, split
sample experiments, focus groups, and pilot studies/pre-tests. These
activities allow OPRE to identify if and when a survey may be
simplified for respondents, respondent burden may be reduced, and other
possible improvements.
Following standard OMB requirements, OPRE will submit a change
request for each individual data collection activity under this generic
clearance. Each request will include the individual instrument(s), a
justification specific to the individual information collection, and
any supplementary documents. OPRE requests OMB review within 10 days of
receiving each change request.
Respondents: Participants in ACF programs being evaluated;
participants in ACF demonstrations; comparison group members; and other
relevant populations, such as individuals at risk of needing ACF
services.
[[Page 54986]]
Annual Burden Estimates
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Number of Average burden
Instrument Total number of Annual number responses per hours per Total burden Annual burden
respondents of respondents respondent response hours hours
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Survey development field tests, respondent 5100 1700 1 .75 3,825 1,275
debriefing questionnaires, cognitive interviews,
split sample experiments, focus groups...........
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In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW.,
Washington, DC 20447, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email
address: [email protected]. All requests should be
identified by the title of the information collection.
The Department specifically requests comments on (a) whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Karl Koerper, Reports
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-21918 Filed 9-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-79-P