69088 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2013 / Notices 

comment that the agencies should have 

in place an internal planning process so 

that completion of the public 

notification and comment period 

required by 5 CFR 1320 occurs prior to 

an information collection’s expiration 

date. Regular order allows the agencies 

and the public to have a meaningful and 

on-the-record dialogue on information 

collection extensions. 

Response: Although ideally it is 

preferable to complete the renewal 

process prior to expiration, an 

emergency extension may be necessary 

in order to allow the public the 

opportunity for input into the process. 

5. The collective burden of 

compliance. 

Comment: The respondent objects to 

the overall collective burden imposed 

by the Government on all respondents. 

Response: The Councils cannot 

effectively address the broad allegations 

with regard to the accuracy and utility 

of the entire collective burden imposed 

on all Federal acquisitions. The 

Councils can only effectively address 

each individual information collection 

requirement that is under consideration 

for OMB approval. The Councils 

constantly review information 

collection requirements imposed by 

FAR regulations for ways to reduce the 

burdens and still achieve the objectives 

of the regulations, whether based on 

policy or statute. 

C. Annual Reporting Burden 

A preaward survey would be needed 

only if the firm had not previously been 

a Government contractor and therefore 

had no record of past performance. The 

data from FPDS for FY 2012 showed a 

total of 11,805 contracts awarded 

Governmentwide that were over the 

$150,000 simplified acquisition 

threshold, and for which commercial 

acquisition procedures were not used. 

Initially, we estimated that preaward 

surveys were completed for 30 percent 

of the total or 3,540. After 

reconsideration, it became obvious that 

a preaward survey would only be 

needed if the firm had not previously 

been a Government contractor. The 

revised estimate is that only 15 percent 

of awards will potentially require a 

preaward survey. The estimate is 

reduced from 3,540 contracts to 1,771 

contracts. Of the six Standard Forms 

(1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 

1408), we estimated that Standard Form 

1403 is used most frequently because it 

is a general form and accounts for 30 

percent or 531 times, Standard Forms 

1404 and 1407 account for 15 percent or 

266 times, Standard Form 1408 

accounts for 20 percent or 354 times, 

and Standard Forms 1405 and 1406 

account 10 percent or 177 times. 

Standard Form 1403—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor (General) 

Respondents: 531. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 531. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 12,744. 

Standard Form 1404—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor Technical 

Respondents: 266. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 266. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 6,384. 

Standard Form 1405—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor Production 

Respondents: 177. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 177. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 4,248. 

Standard Form 1406—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor Quality 

Assurance 

Respondents: 177. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 177. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 4,248. 

Standard Form 1407—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor Financial 

Capability 

Respondents: 266. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 266. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 6,384. 

Standard Form 1408—Preaward Survey 

of Prospective Contractor Accounting 

System 

Respondents: 354. 

Responses Annually: 1. 

Total Responses: 354. 

Hours per Response: 24. 

Total Burden Hours: 8,496. 

D. Public Comments 

Public comments are particularly 

invited on: Whether this collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of functions of the Federal 

Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and 

whether it will have practical utility; 

whether our estimate of the public 

burden of this collection of information 

is accurate, and based on valid 

assumptions and methodology; ways to 

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 

of the information to be collected; and 

ways in which we can minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, through 

the use of appropriate technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. 

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: 

Requesters may obtain a copy of the 

information collection documents from 

the General Services Administration, 

Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F 

Street NW., Washington, DC 20405, 

telephone 202–501–4755. 

Please cite OMB Control Number 

9000–0011, Preaward Survey Forms 

(Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 

1406, 1407, and 1408), in all 

correspondence. 

Karlos Morgan, 

Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy 

Division, Office of Government-wide 

Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition 

Policy, Office of Government-wide Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2013–27450 Filed 11–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–14–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality, HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

intention of the Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request 

that the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approve the proposed 

information collection project: 

‘‘Collection of Information for Agency 

for Healthcare Research and Quality’s 

(AHRQ) Consumer Assessment of 

Healthcare Providers and Systems 

(CAHPS) Health Plan Survey 

Comparative Database.’’ In accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 

U.S.C. 3501–3521, AHRQ invites the 

public to comment on this proposed 

information collection. 

This proposed information collection 

was previously published in the Federal 

Register on August 14th, 2013 and 

allowed 60 days for public comment. No 

substantive comments were received. 

The purpose of this notice is to allow an 

additional 30 days for public comment. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by December 18, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be submitted to: AHRQ’s OMB Desk 

Officer by fax at (202) 395–6974 

(attention: AHRQ’s desk officer) or by 

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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2013 / Notices 69089 

email at OIRA_submission@

omb.eop.gov (attention: AHRQ’s desk 

officer). 

Copies of the proposed collection 

plans, data collection instruments, and 

specific details on the estimated burden 

can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports 

Clearance Officer. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports 

Clearance Officer, (301) 427–1477, or by 

email at dorislefkowitz@AHRO.hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Proposed Project 

Collection of Information for Agency 

for Healthcare Research and Quality’s 

(AHRQ) Consumer Assessment of 

Healthcare Providers and Systems 

(CAHPS) Health Plan Survey 

Comparative Database 

Request for information collection 

approval. The Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality (AHRQ) requests 

that the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) reapprove, under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

AHRQ’s collection of information for 

the AHRQ Consumer Assessment of 

Healthcare Providers and Systems 

(CARPS) Database for Health Plans: 

OMB Control number 0935–0165, 

expiration July 31, 2013. The CAHPS 

Health Plan Database consists of data 

from the AHRQ CAHPS Health Plan 

Survey. Health plans in the U.S. are 

asked to voluntarily submit data from 

the survey to AHRQ, through its 

contractor, Westat. The CAHPS 

Database was developed by AHRQ in 

1998 in response to requests from health 

plans, purchasers, and the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to 

provide comparative data to support 

public reporting of health plan ratings, 

health plan accreditation and quality 

improvement. 

Background on the CAHPS Health 

Plan Survey. The CAHPS Health Plan 

Survey is a tool for collecting 

standardized information on enrollees’ 

experiences with health plans and their 

services. The development of the 

CAHPS Health Plan Survey began in 

1995, when AHRQ awarded the first set 

of CAHPS grants to Harvard, RTI, and 

RAND. In 1997 the CAHPS 1.0 survey 

was released by the CAHPS Consortium. 

The CAHPS Consortium refers to the 

research organizations involved in the 

development, dissemination, and 

support of CAHPS products. The 

current Consortium includes AHRQ, 

CMS, RAND, Yale School of Public 

Health, and Westat. 

Since that time, the Consortium has 

clarified and updated the survey 

instrument to reflect field test results; 

feedback from industry experts; reports 

from health plan participants, data 

collection vendors, and other users; and 

evidence from cognitive testing and 

focus groups. In November 2006, the 

CAHPS Consortium released the latest 

version of the instrument: The CAHPS 

Health Plan Survey 4.0. The 

development of this update to the 

Health Plan Survey has been part of the 

‘‘Ambulatory CAHPS (A–CAHPS) 

Initiative,’’ which arose as a result of 

extensive research conducted with 

users. AHRQ released the CAHPS 

Health Plan Survey 4.0, along with 

guidance on how to customize and 

administer it. The National Quality 

Forum endorsed the 4.0 version of the 

Health Plan Survey in July 2007. 

Rationale for the information 

collection. The CAHPS Health Plan 

Database uses data from AHRQ’s 

standardized CAHPS Health plan survey 

to provide comparative results to health 

care purchasers, consumers, regulators 

and policy makers across the country. 

The Database also provides data for 

AHRQ’s annual National Healthcare 

Quality and National Healthcare 

Disparities Reports. Voluntary 

participants include public and private 

employers, State Medicaid agencies, 

State Children’s Health Insurance 

Programs (SCHIP), the Centers for 

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), 

and individual health plans. 

This study is being conducted by 

AHRQ through its contractor, Westat, 

pursuant to AHRQ’s statutory authority 

to conduct and support research on 

healthcare and on systems for the 

delivery of such care, including 

activities with respect to: The quality, 

effectiveness, efficiency, 

appropriateness and value of healthcare 

services; quality measurement and 

improvement; and database 

development. 42 U.S.C. 299a(a)(1), (2), 

and (a)(8). 

Method of Collection 

Each year State Medicaid agencies, 

and individual health plans decide 

whether to participate in the database 

and prepare their materials and dataset 

for submission to the CARPS Health 

Plan Database. Participating 

organizations are typically State 

Medicaid agencies with multiple health 

plans. However, individual health plans 

are also encouraged to submit their data 

to the CARPS Database. The number of 

data submissions per registrant varies 

from participant to participant and year 

to year because some participants 

submit data for multiple health plans, 

while others may only submit survey 

data for one plan. 

Each organization that decides to 

participate in the database must have 

their point-of-contact (POC) complete a 

registration form providing their contact 

information for access to the on-line 

data submission system, sign and 

submit a DUA, and provide health plan 

characteristics such as health plan 

name, product type, type of population 

surveyed, health plan state, and plan 

name to appear in the reporting of their 

results. 

Each vendor that submits files on 

behalf of a Medicaid agency or 

individual health plan must also 

complete the registration form in order 

to obtain access to the on-line 

submission system. The vendor, on 

behalf of their client, may also complete 

additional information about survey 

administration (CAHPS survey version 

used, mode of survey administration, 

total enrollment count, description of 

how the sample was selected), submit a 

copy of the questionnaire used, and 

submit one data file per health plan. 

Commercial health plan data is received 

directly from NCQA. Medicare health 

plan data is received from CMS. 

Survey data from the CAHPS Health 

Plan Database is used to produce four 

types of products: (1) An annual 

chartbook available to the public on the 

CAHPS Database Web site (https://

www.cahpsdatabase.ahrq.gov/

CAHPSIDB/Public/Chartbook.aspx); (2) 

individual participant comparative 

reports that are confidential and 

customized for each participating 

organization (e.g., health plan, Medicaid 

agency) that submits their data; (3) a 

research database available to 

researchers wanting to conduct 

additional analyses; and (4) data tables 

provided to AHRQ for inclusion in the 

National Healthcare Quality and 

National Healthcare Disparities Reports. 

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden 

Exhibit 1 shows the estimated burden 

hours for the respondent to participate 

in the database. The burden hours 

pertain only to the collection of 

Medicaid data from State Medicaid 

agencies and individual Medicaid 

health plans because those are the only 

entities that submit data through the 

data submission process (other data are 

obtained directly from NCQA and CMS 

as noted earlier in Section 2). The 80 

POCs in exhibit 1 are a combination of 

an estimated 60 State Medicaid agencies 

and individual health plans, and 20 

estimated vendors. 

Each State Medicaid agency, health 

plan or vendor will register online for 

submission. The online Registration 

form will require about 5 minutes to 

complete. Each submitter will also 

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69090 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 222 / Monday, November 18, 2013 / Notices 

complete a Health Plan information 

form of information about each Health 

Plan such as the name of the plan, the 

product type (e.g., HMO, PPO), the 

population surveyed (e.g., adult 

Medicaid or child Medicaid), the health 

plan State, total enrollment at the time 

the sample frame was generated, mode 

of survey administration (mail, 

telephone, IVR) and how the sample 

was selected. The online Health Plan 

Information form takes on average 30 

minutes to complete per health plan 

with each POC completing the form for 

4 plans on average. The data use 

agreement will be completed by the 60 

participating State Medicaid agencies or 

individual health plans. Vendors do not 

sign or submit DUAs. The DUA requires 

about 3 minutes to sign and return by 

fax or mail. Each submitter will provide 

a copy of their questionnaire and the 

survey data file in the required file 

format. Survey data files must conform 

to the data file layout specifications 

provide by the CAHPS Database. Since 

the unit of analysis is at the health plan 

level, submitters will upload one data 

file per health plan. Once a data file is 

uploaded the file will be automatically 

checked to ensure it conforms to the 

specifications and a data file status 

report will be produced and made 

available to the submitter. Submitters 

will review each report and will be 

expected to fix any errors in their data 

file and resubmit if necessary. It will 

take about one hour to submit the data 

for each plan, and each POC will submit 

data for 4 plans on average. The total 

burden is estimated to be 490 hours 

annually. 

Exhibit 2 shows the estimated 

annualized cost burden based on the 

respondents’ time to complete one 

submission process. The cost burden is 

estimated to be $20,202 annually. 

EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS

Form name 

Number of 

respondents/ 

POCs 

Number of 

responses 

per POC 

Hours per 

response 

Total 

burden hours 

Registration Form ............................................................................................ 80 1 5/60 7 

Health Plan Information Form ......................................................................... 80 4 30/60 160 

Data Use Agreement ....................................................................................... 60 1 3/60 3 

Data Files Submission ..................................................................................... 80 4 1 320 

Total .......................................................................................................... 300 NA NA 490 

EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED COST BURDEN

Form name 

Number of 

respondents/ 

POCs 

Total burden 

hours 

Average 

hourly wage 

rate* 

Total cost 

burden 

Registration Form ............................................................................................ 80 7 47.34\a\ $331

Health Plan Information Form ......................................................................... 80 160 47.34\a\ 7,574 

Data Use Agreement ....................................................................................... 60 3 85.02\b\ 255 

Data Files Submission ..................................................................................... 80 320 37.63\c\ 12,042 

Total .......................................................................................................... 300 490 NA 20,202 

*National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States May 2012, ‘‘U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.’’ 

(a) Based on the mean hourly wage for Medical and Health Services Managers (11–9111). 

(b) Based on the mean hourly wage for Chief Executives (11–1011). 

(c) Based on the mean hourly wages for Computer Programmer (15–1131). 

Request for Comments 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, comments on AHRQ’s 

information collection are requested 

with regard to any of the following: (a) 

Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of AHRQ health care 

research and health care information 

dissemination functions, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

AHRQ’s estimate of burden (including 

hours and costs) of the proposed 

collection(s) of information; (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 upon the 

respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and 

included in the Agency’s subsequent 

request for OMB approval of the 

proposed information collection. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Dated: October 31, 2013. 

Richard Kronick, 

Director. 

[FR Doc. 2013–27176 Filed 11–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

[60 Day–14–0636] 

Proposed Data Collections Submitted 

for Public Comment and 

Recommendations 

In compliance with the requirement 

of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for 

opportunity for public comment on 

proposed data collection projects, the 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic 

summaries of proposed projects. To 

request more information on the 

proposed projects or to obtain a copy of 

the data collection plans and 

instruments, call 404–639–7570 and 

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