[Federal Register: December 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 72106-72107]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01de05-26]
[[Page 72106]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration
Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. chapter 35), this notice announces the Grain Inspection, Packers
and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) intention to request an extension
for and revision to a currently approved information collection related
to the delivery of services conducted under the official inspection,
grading, and weighing programs authorized under the United States Grain
Standards Act and the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. This
voluntary survey would give customers of the official inspection,
grading, and weighing programs, who are primarily in the grain,
oilseed, rice, lentil, dry pea, edible bean, and related agricultural
commodity markets, an opportunity to provide feedback on the quality of
services they receive and will provide information on new services that
they would like to receive. This feedback would assist GIPSA's Federal
Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) to improve services and service
delivery provided by the official inspection, grading, and weighing
system.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 30,
2006.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may
submit comments by any of the following methods:
E-Mail: Send comments via electronic mail to
comments.gipsa@usda.gov.
Mail: Send hardcopy written comments to Tess Butler,
GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1647-S, Washington, DC
20250-3604.
Fax: Send comments by facsimile transmission to: (202)
690-2755.
Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to: Tess
Butler, GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1647-S,
Washington, DC 20250-3604.
Instructions: All comments should make reference to the date and
page number of this issue of the Federal Register.
Background Documents: Information collection package and other
documents relating to this action will be available for public
inspection in the above office during regular business hours.
Read Comments: All comments will be available for public inspection
in the above office during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Sharpe, Director, Compliance
Division, e-mail address: John.R.Sharpe@usda.gov, telephone (202) 720-
8262.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Grain Standards Act, as
amended (7 U.S.C. 71-87) (USGSA), and the Agricultural Marketing Act of
1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) (AMA), authorize the Secretary of
the United States Department of Agriculture to establish official
inspection, grading, and weighing programs for grains and other
agricultural commodities. Under the USGSA and AMA, GIPSA's FGIS offers
inspection, weighing, grading, quality assurance, and certification
services for a user-fee, to facilitate the efficient marketing of
grain, oilseeds, rice, lentils, dry peas, edible beans, and related
agricultural commodities in the global marketplace. Under FGIS
oversight, the official inspection, grading, and weighing programs are
a public-private partnership including Federal, State, and private
agencies and provides official inspection, grading, and weighing
services to the domestic and export trade.
There are approximately 2,500 current users of the official
inspection, grading, and weighing programs. These customers are located
nationwide and represent a diverse mixture of small, medium, and large
producers, merchandisers, processors, exporters, and other financially
interested parties. These customers request official services from an
FGIS Field Office; delegated, designated, or cooperating State office;
or designated private agency office.
The goal of FGIS and the official inspection, grading, and weighing
system is to provide timely, high quality, accurate, consistent, and
professional service that facilitates the orderly marketing of grain
and related commodities. To accomplish this goal and in accordance with
Executive Order 12862, FGIS is seeking feedback from customers to
evaluate the services provided by the official inspection, grading, and
weighing programs.
Title: Survey of Customers of the Official Inspection, Grading, and
Weighing Programs (Grain and Related Commodities).
OMB Number: 0580-0018.
Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2006.
Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Abstract: The collection of information using a voluntary customer
service survey will provide all paying customers of FGIS and the
official inspection, grading, and weighing programs an opportunity to
evaluate, on a scale of one to five, the timeliness, cost-
effectiveness, accuracy, consistency, and usefulness of services and
results, and the professionalism of employees. Customers will also have
an opportunity to indicate what new or existing services they would use
if such services were offered or available.
FGIS needs to have a more formal means of determining customers'
expectations or the quality of service that is delivered. To collect
this information, FGIS proposes to distribute, over a 3-year period, a
voluntary customer service survey. The initial survey instrument will
consist of nine questions. Subsequent survey instruments will be
tailored to earlier responses. The information collected from the
survey will allow FGIS to ascertain customers' satisfaction with
existing services, compare results from year to year, and determine
what new services customers desire. The customer service survey
consists of one document comprised of nine questions where customers
assess the timeliness, cost effectiveness, accuracy, consistency, and
usefulness of services and results, and the professionalism of
employees. Some examples of survey questions include the following: ``I
receive results in a timely manner,'' ``Official results are
accurate,'' and ``Inspection personnel are knowledgeable.'' These
survey questions will be assessed using a one to five rating scale with
responses ranging from ``strongly disagrees'' to ``strongly agrees'' or
``no opinion.'' Customers are also asked for which product they
primarily request service, and what percentage of their product is
officially inspected. There is also space available on the survey for
the customer to provide a response to the following statement: ``I
would use the following new/existing services if they were offered/
available.''
By obtaining information from customers through a voluntary
customer service survey, FGIS could continue to improve services and
service delivery provided by the official inspection, grading, and
weighing programs to meet or exceed customer expectations.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 10 minutes (i.e., 0.167 hours) per
response.
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Respondents: The primary respondents will be the direct paying
customers of FGIS and the official inspection, grading, and weighing
programs.
FY 2006: Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,875 (i.e., 2,500 total
customers times 75% response rate = 1,875).
Frequency of Responses: 1.
Estimated Annual Burden: 313 hours. (1,875 responses times 0.167
hours/ response = 313 hours).
FY 2007: Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,875.
Frequency of Responses: 1.
Estimated Annual Burden: 313 hours.
FY 2008: Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,875.
Frequency of Responses: 1.
Estimated Annual Burden: 313 hours.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Tess
Butler, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, FGIS,
at (202) 720-7486.
Comments: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of
the information is necessary for the proper performance of the
functions of FGIS, including whether the information will have a
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of FGIS' estimate of the burden,
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (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 addressed to Tess Butler, as referenced above.
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.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards
Administration.
[FR Doc. E5-6703 Filed 11-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P