[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 178 (Tuesday, September 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 55322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23123]
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Notices
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 178 / Tuesday, September 15, 2015 /
Notices
[[Page 55322]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Economic Research Service
Notice of Intent To Request New Information Collection
AGENCY: Economic Research Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Economic Research Service (ERS) invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a proposed new
information collection, the Generic Clearance for Survey Research
Studies.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by November 16, 2015 to
be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Pheny
Weidman, ERS Clearance Officer, Economic Research Service, Room 4-163B,
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Mail Stop 1800, Washington, DC 20050-1800.
Submit electronic comments to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pheny Weidman at the address in the
preamble. Tel. 202-694-5013.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance for Survey Research Studies.
OMB Number: 0536-NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from the date of approval.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(Pub. L. 104-13) and OMB regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978,
August 29, 1995), this notice announces the ERS' intention to request
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a generic
clearance that will allow ERS to rigorously develop, test, and evaluate
its survey methodologies, instruments, and administration. The mission
of ERS is to provide economic and other social science information and
analysis for public and private decisions on agriculture, food, natural
resources, and rural America. This request is part of an on-going
initiative to improve ERS data product quality, as recommended by both
its own guidelines and those of OMB.
The purpose of this generic clearance is to allow ERS to evaluate,
adopt, and use state-of-the-art and multi-disciplinary research to
improve and enhance the quality of its current data collections. This
clearance will also be used to aid in the development of new surveys.
It will help 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.
ERS envisions using a variety of survey improvement techniques, as
appropriate to the individual project under investigation. These
include focus groups, cognitive and usability laboratory and field
techniques, exploratory interviews, behavior coding, and respondent
debriefing.
Following standard OMB requirements, ERS will inform OMB
individually in writing of the purpose, scope, time frame, and number
of burden hours used for each survey improvement or development project
it undertakes under this generic clearance. ERS will also provide OMB
with a copy of the data collection instrument (if applicable), and all
other materials describing the project.
Authority: These data will be collected under the authority of 7
U.S.C. 2204(a).
ERS intends to protect respondent information under the Privacy Act
of 1974, Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985, and 7 U.S.C.
2276. ERS has decided not to invoke the Confidential Information
Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). The
complexity and cost necessary to invoke CIPSEA is not justified given
the nature of the collection; the collections would generally be
conducted by ERS' contractors and designed to be hosted in non-
government owned computer systems, where CIPSEA compliance could not be
assured.
Specific details regarding information handling will be specified
in individual submissions under this generic clearance.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for these collections
of information is estimated to average from 1 to 2 hours per
respondent, depending upon the information collection and the technique
used to test for that particular collection.
Respondents: Individuals or households, farms, and businesses or
other for-profits.
Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 3,500.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,600 hours. Public
reporting burden for these collections of information is estimated to
average from 1 to 2 hours per respondent, dependent upon the survey and
the technique used to test for that particular survey.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Pheny
Weidman at the address in the preamble.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) 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; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
(d) ways to 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. Comments should be
sent to the address in the preamble. All responses to this notice will
be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All
comments will also become a matter of public record.
Dated: September 3, 2015.
Mary Bohman,
Administrator, Economic Research Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23123 Filed 9-14-15; 8:45 am]
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