[Federal Register: August 11, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 154)] [Notices] [Page 42832-42833] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr11au98-67] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Customer Satisfaction Surveys AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) requests comments on proposed surveys and other information-collection activities to determine the kind and quality of services CPSC customers want and customers' level of satisfaction with existing services. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget. DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary not later than October 13, 1998. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Customer Satisfaction Surveys'' and mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or delivered to that office, room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Written comments may also be sent to the Office of the Secretary by facsimile at (301) 504-0127 or by e-mail at cpsc-os@cpsc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed collection of information, or to obtain a copy of the questions to be used for this collection of information, call or write Robert E. Frye, Director, Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207; (301) 504-0416, Ext. 2264. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Background This request for clearance, in general, of several planned customer satisfaction surveys, is in response to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)-related evaluations of service quality and customer satisfaction, and in response to the Vice President's call for ``Conversations with America,'' to survey customers and determine the type and quality of services they want and to obtain information on how to improve existing government services. ``Customers'' of CPSC include any individual or entity interested in or affected by agency activities. These would include, but not be limited to, (1) consumers telephoning the Hotline to report product-related incidents, or to receive information; (2) consumers, industry members, or others contacting the National Injury Information Clearinghouse for information; (3) State representatives who work with CPSC on cooperative programs; (4) firms using CPSC's Fast-Track Product Recall Program to report and simultaneously propose satisfactory product recall plans; (5) small [[Page 42833]] businesses that have sought information or assistance from the CPSC's small business ombudsman; and (6) other individuals CPSC is providing information to, such as those through the CPSC's Office of Information and Public Affairs. The information will be used by the CPSC Office of Planning and Evaluation to prepare sections of the agency's annual performance report (required by the GPRA). This information will provide measures of the quality and effectiveness of agency efforts related to three goals in its strategic plan (informing the public, industry services, and customer satisfaction). Also, the information will be used to guide improvements in initiatives related to the ``Conversation with America'' program. If this information is not collected, the Commission would not have useful measures of its effectiveness in providing useful services to consumers and others, and information necessary to guide program development would not be available. B. Estimated Burden The surveys and other information collection activities would be conducted by various methods, including contractors or in-house staff. They may be by (1) amending CPSC's web site's comment page, ``Tell us what you think of our site,'' to solicit feedback on the level of satisfaction with CPSC's services, (2) the periodic use of brief customer service follow-up queries (on-line) with samples of telephone hotline callers, (3) surveying a sample of firms using the Fast-Track Product Recall Program to assess their views and suggestions for improvements in the service aspects of the program, (4) including customer comment cards within the pages of the Consumer Product Safety Review, and (5) conducting mail surveys of state partners and samples of customers of the National Injury Information Clearinghouse. Fewer than 10 customer surveys or information collection activities a year would be conducted using this clearance. The Commission staff estimates the number of annual respondents to be about 1,550. Among the anticipated sources and annual respondents are: Sources Web site...................................................... 500 CPS Review.................................................... 100 Recall Round-ups.............................................. 100 Hotline....................................................... 300 National Injury Information Clearinghouse..................... 300 Small Businesses.............................................. 100 State Partners................................................ 50 Fast Track Product Recall Program............................. 100 ------- 1,550 The average time needed for each response is estimated at two minutes. Thus, the annual time burden would be about 3,100 (2 x 1,550) minutes or 51.7 hours. Using $12 an hour (the average hourly wage for all private industry workers, according to the 1996 edition of the Statistical Abstract of the U.S.) times 51.7 hours, the cost would be negligible (a total of about $620 per year). For CPSC staff, the average time needed to process each response is estimated at five minutes. Thus, this information collection activity would require about 7,750 (5 x 1,550) minutes or 129.2 hours per year. Based on the average hourly Commission salary of $37.37, the 129.2 hours of CPSC staff time would be valued at about $4,828. C. Requests for Comments The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed surveys. The Commission specifically seeks information relevant to the following topics: --Whether the surveys described above are necessary for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the information would have practical utility; --Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collections of information are accurate; --Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and --Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology. Dated: August 5, 1998. Sadye E. Dunn, Secretary Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. 98-21541 Filed 8-10-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6355-01-P