[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 56451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21141]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Notice of Intent To Request Approval From the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) To Renew an Existing Collection of 
Information; Registered Traveler (RT) Pilot Program; Satisfaction and 
Effectiveness Measurement Data Collection Instruments

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration (TSA), DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: TSA invites public comment on the information collection 
requirement abstracted below that will be submitted to OMB in 
compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Send your comments by November 22, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be delivered to Pamela Friedmann, Director 
Public Private Initiatives, Office of Transportation Security Policy, 
TSA Headquarters, TSA-9, 601 S. 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220; 
or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Conrad Huygen, Privacy Act Officer, 
Information Management Programs, TSA-17, 601 S. 12th Street, Arlington, 
VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-1954; facsimile (571) 227-2912.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of 
information, unless it displays a valid OMB control number. Therefore, 
in preparation for submission of clearance of the following information 
collection, TSA is soliciting comments to--
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) 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.

Description of Data Collection

    TSA plans to continue to conduct a pilot technology program in 
2005, in a limited number of airports, to test and evaluate the merits 
of the Registered Traveler (RT) concept under OMB control number 1652-
0019. This pilot program (RT Pilot) is designed to positively identify 
qualified, known travelers via advanced identification technologies for 
the purposes of expediting those passengers' travel experience at the 
airport security checkpoints and thereby enabling TSA to improve the 
allocation of its limited security resources.
    TSA will collect and retain a minimal amount of personal 
information from individuals who volunteer to participate in the RT 
Pilot that will be used to verify an applicant's claimed identity, 
complete a background check, and, if applicable, issue an 
identification token prior to enrollment in the program. In addition, 
TSA will administer two instruments to measure customer satisfaction 
and to collect data on the effectiveness of the pilot technologies and 
business processes. The first instrument will be a survey of a 
representative percentage of the RT Pilot participants. The second 
instrument will be an interview conducted with the key stakeholders at 
sites participating in the RT Pilot. All surveys and interviews will be 
voluntary and anonymous.
    The collection of information from individuals who volunteer to 
participate in the RT Pilot will be gathered electronically. This not 
only fulfills the requirements of the Government Paperwork Elimination 
Act, but it also facilitates the collection and processing of the data 
and provides an efficient means of retrieving credential information. 
Due to operational constraints and practical considerations, the RT 
customer service surveys and interviews will be conducted manually. RT 
surveys will be distributed at airports and the respondents may freely 
choose not to participate. The respondents who choose to participate in 
the surveys will be asked to return the completed survey in less than 
30 days from the time of receipt; they may choose not to comply with 
this request. Key stakeholders involved in the RT Pilot will be asked 
to designate representative(s) to participate in short, individual 
interview sessions intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the RT 
Pilot from the stakeholders' perspective and to gather any additional 
feedback the stakeholder may wish to share. Stakeholders who choose to 
participate in the interview sessions will be asked to schedule an 
interview with TSA no later than 30 days after the completion of the RT 
Pilot. Interview sessions will be conducted on a one-on-one basis at 
mutually agreed upon locations. Stakeholders may choose not to 
participate in the interview sessions.

Burden Estimates of Data Collection

    For the RT Pilot program volunteer enrollments, TSA expects a total 
of 40,000 respondents and, based on an estimate of a 10-minute burden 
per respondent, a maximum total burden program-wide of 6,667 hours. For 
the survey submissions, TSA expects a total of 6,000 respondents and, 
based on an estimate of a 15-minute burden per respondent, a maximum 
total burden program-wide of 1,500 hours. For the stakeholder interview 
sessions, TSA expects approximately 20 stakeholder representatives to 
participate and, based on an estimate of a 45-minute burden per 
interview, a maximum total burden of 15 hours. There will be no cost 
burden to any respondent.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on September 10, 2004.
Susan T. Tracey,
Chief Administrative Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-21141 Filed 9-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P