[Federal Register: March 9, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 46)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10631-10632]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr07-27]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0024]

 
Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
Plant Protection and Quarantine; Customer Satisfaction Surveys

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to initiate a new information collection for Plant Protection 
and Quarantine Customer Satisfaction Surveys.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
8, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

[[Page 10632]]

    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, 

select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select 
APHIS-2007-0024 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. Information 
on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing 
documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close 
of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User Tips'' 
link.
    Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your 
comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0024, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your 
comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0024.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of 
the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Plant 
Protection and Quarantine customer satisfaction surveys, contact Ms. 
Nancy Heffernan, Management Analyst, Permits, Registrations, Imports 
and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 734-7491. For copies of more detailed information on the 
information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' 
Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Plant Protection and Quarantine; Customer Satisfaction 
Surveys.
    OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: In 2003, the Plant Health Programs (PHP) unit, Plant 
Protection and Quarantine, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 
obtained from the International Organization of Standardization (ISO, a 
nongovernmental worldwide network of national standards institutes) 
certification in the ISO 9001:2000 standard for its permit services. 
The ISO 9001:2000 standard specifies the requirements for a quality 
management system. To meet the ISO 9001:2000 standard, an organization 
must demonstrate its ability to consistently provide a product that 
meets customer quality requirements and applicable regulatory 
requirements, while aiming to enhance customer satisfaction through 
effective application of the system, including processes for continual 
improvement of its performance.
    To remain in compliance with Clause 8.2.1 (Customer Satisfaction) 
of the ISO 9001:2000 standard, PHP must measure the performance of its 
quality management system by monitoring customer perception of its 
service. PHP has determined that the best method for obtaining this 
information is through the use of performance measurement surveys. 
Customers will have the option of completing the surveys by telephone, 
e-mail, or facsimile, or through an automated voice response system. 
PHP will use responses derived from these surveys to develop new 
processes and modify existing procedures to provide customers with the 
optimal level of service.
    We are asking OMB to approve our use of these information 
collection activities for 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate whether the collection of information 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 our estimate of the burden of the 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (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, through use, as appropriate, of automated, 
electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.16 hours per response.
    Respondents: Persons who require a permit.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 500.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 500.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 80 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    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.


    Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of March 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-4240 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]

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