51336 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 167 / Thursday, August 28, 2014 / Notices 

and redirect resources and efforts to 

improve or maintain a high quality of 

service to the lay and health 

professional public. 

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden 

Exhibit 1 shows the estimated total 

burden hours for the respondents. Mail 

surveys are estimated to average 15 

minutes, telephone surveys 40 minutes, 

web-based surveys 10 minutes, focus 

groups two hours, and in-person 

interviews are estimated to average 50 

minutes. Mail surveys may also be sent 

to respondents via email, and may 

include a telephone non-response 

follow-up. Telephone non-response 

follow-up for mailed surveys does not 

count as a telephone survey. The total 

burden hours for the 3 years of the 

clearance is estimated to be 10,150 

hours. 

Exhibit 2 shows the estimated cost 

burden for the respondents. The total 

cost burden for the 3 years of the 

clearance is estimated to be $340,127. 

EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED BURDEN HOURS OVER 3 YEARS

Type of information collection Number of 

respondents 

Number of 

responses per 

respondent 

Hours per 

response 

Total burden 

hours 

Mail/email * ............................................................................... 15,000 1 15/60 3,750 

Telephone ................................................................................ 600 1 40/60 400 

Web-based ............................................................................... 15,000 1 10/60 2,500 

Focus Groups .......................................................................... 1,500 1 2.0 3,000 

In-person .................................................................................. 600 1 50/60 500 

Total .................................................................................. 32,700 na na 10,150 

* May include telephone non-response follow-up in which case the burden will not change. 

EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED COST BURDEN OVER 3 YEARS

Type of information collection Number of 

respondents 

Total burden 

hours 

Average hourly 

wage rate * Total cost burden 

Mail/email ................................................................................. 15,000 3,750 $33.51 $125,663 

Telephone ................................................................................ 600 400 33.51 13,404 

Web-based ............................................................................... 15,000 2,500 33.51 83,775 

Focus Groups .......................................................................... 1,500 3,000 33.51 100,530 

In-person .................................................................................. 600 500 33.51 16,755 

Total .................................................................................. 32,700 10,150 na 340,127 

* Based upon the average wages for 29–000 (Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations), ‘‘National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2009.’’ U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

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 healthcare 

research and healthcare 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: August 20, 2014. 

Richard Kronick, 

Director. 

[FR Doc. 2014–20420 Filed 8–27–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

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: ‘‘Generic 

Clearance for Questionnaire and Data 

Collection Testing, Evaluation, and 

Research for the Agency for Healthcare 

Research and Quality.’’ In accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 

U.S.C. 3501–3520, AHRQ invites the 

public to comment on this proposed 

information collection. 

This proposed information collection 

was previously published in the Federal 

Register on May 29th 2014 and allowed 

60 days for public comment. One 

comment was 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 September 29, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, 

Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by 

email at doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov. 

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 doris.lefkowitz@AHRQ.hhs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 167 / Thursday, August 28, 2014 / Notices 51337 

Proposed Project 

Generic Clearance for Questionnaire 

and Data Collection Testing, Evaluation, 

and Research for the Agency for 

Healthcare Research and Quality 

The Agency for Healthcare Research 

and Quality (AHRQ) requests that the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) reinstate generic pre-testing 

clearance 0935–0124 for three years to 

facilitate AHRQ’s efforts to (1) employ 

evaluation-type methods and techniques 

to improve AHRQ’s current data 

collection and estimation procedures, 

(2) develop new collections and 

procedures, including toolkits, and (3) 

revise existing collections and 

procedures. AHRQ uses techniques to 

simplify data collection and estimation 

procedures, reduce respondent burden, 

and improve efficiencies to meet the 

needs of individuals and small business 

respondents who may have reduced 

budgets and staff. AHRQ believes that 

developing, testing, and evaluating data 

collection and estimation procedures 

using survey methods and other 

techniques in anticipation of agencysponsored studies can improve its 

information collection efforts and the 

products it develops and allow AHRQ to 

be more responsive to fast-changing 

developments in the healthcare research 

field. 

This clearance request is limited to 

research on data collection, toolkit 

development, and estimation 

procedures and reports and does not 

extend to the collection of data for 

public release or policy formation. The 

current clearance was granted on May 

27th, 2011 and expires on May 31st, 

2014. 

This generic clearance will allow 

AHRQ to draft and test toolkits, survey 

instruments and other data collection 

and estimation procedures more quickly 

and with greater lead time, thereby 

managing project time more efficiently 

and improving the quality of the data 

AHRQ collects. In some instances, the 

ability to test and evaluate toolkits, data 

collection and estimation procedures in 

anticipation of work or early in a project 

may result in the decision not to 

proceed with additional activities, 

thereby saving both public and private 

resources and effectively eliminating 

respondent burden. 

Many of the tools AHRQ develops are 

made available to the private sector to 

assist in improving health care quality. 

The health and health care environment 

changes rapidly and requires a quick 

response from AHRQ to provide refined 

tools. This generic clearance will 

facilitate AHRQ’s response to this 

changing environment. 

These preliminary research activities 

will not be used by AHRQ to regulate 

or sanction its customers. They will be 

entirely voluntary and the 

confidentiality of respondents and their 

responses will be preserved. Proposed 

information collections submitted under 

this generic clearance will be reviewed 

and acted upon by OMB within 14 days 

of submission to OMB. 

Method of Collection 

The information collected through 

preliminary research activities will be 

used by AHRQ to employ techniques to 

(1) improve AHRQ’s current data 

collection and estimation procedures, 

(2) develop new collections and 

procedures, including toolkits, and (3) 

revise existing collections and 

procedures in anticipation or in 

response to changes in the health or 

health care field. The end result will be 

improvement in AHRQ’s data 

collections and procedures and the 

quality of data collected, a reduction or 

minimization of respondent burden, 

increased agency efficiency, and 

improved responsiveness to the public. 

Estimated Annual Respondent Burden 

Exhibit 1 shows the estimated burden 

hours, over the full 3 years of this 

clearance, for the respondents’ time to 

participate in the research activities that 

may be conducted under this generic 

clearance. Mail surveys will be 

conducted with about 6,000 persons 

(2,000 per year for 3 years) and are 

estimated to average 20 minutes. Mail 

surveys may also be sent to respondents 

via email, and may include a telephone 

non-response follow-up. Telephone 

non-response follow-up for mailed 

surveys is not counted as a telephone 

survey in Exhibit 1. Not more than 600 

persons, over 3 years, will participate in 

telephone surveys that will take about 

40 minutes. Web-based surveys will be 

conducted with no more than 3,000 

persons and will require no more than 

10 minutes to complete. About 1,500 

persons will participate in focus groups 

which may last up to two hours, while 

in-person interviews will be conducted 

with 600 persons and will take about 50 

minutes. Automated data collection will 

be conducted for about 1,500 persons 

and could take up to 1 hour. Cognitive 

testing will be conducted with about 

600 persons and is estimated to take 

11/2 hours to complete. The total 

burden over 3 years is estimated to be 

8,900 hours (about 2,967 hours per 

year). 

Exhibit 2 shows the estimated cost 

burden over 3 years, based on the 

respondents’ time to participate in these 

research activities. The total cost burden 

is estimated to be $298,239. 

EXHIBIT 1—ESTIMATED BURDEN HOURS OVER 3 YEARS

Type of information collection Number of 

respondents 

Number of 

responses per 

respondent 

Hours per 

response 

Total burden 

hours 

Mail/email * ............................................................................... 6,000 1 20/60 2,000 

Telephone ................................................................................ 600 1 40/60 400 

Web-based ............................................................................... 3,000 1 10/60 500 

Focus Groups .......................................................................... 1,500 1 2.0 3,000 

In-person .................................................................................. 600 1 1.0 600 

Automated ** ............................................................................ 1,500 1 1.0 1,500 

Cognitive Testing *** ................................................................ 600 1 1.5 900 

Totals ................................................................................ 13,800 na na 8,900 

* May include telephone non-response follow-up in which case the burden will not change 

** May include testing of database software, CAPI software or other automated technologies. 

*** May include cognitive interviews for questionnaire or toolkit development, or ‘‘think aloud’’ testing of prototype Web sites. 


pmangrum on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
51338 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 167 / Thursday, August 28, 2014 / Notices 

EXHIBIT 2—ESTIMATED COST BURDEN OVER 3 YEARS

Type of information collection burden Number of 

respondents 

Total burden 

hours 

Average hourly 

wage rate * Total cost 

Mail/email ................................................................................. 6,000 2,000 $33.51 $67,020 

Telephone ................................................................................ 600 400 $33.51 $13,404 

Web-based ............................................................................... 3,000 500 $33.51 $16,755 

Focus Groups .......................................................................... 1,500 3,000 $33.51 $100,530 

In-person .................................................................................. 600 600 $33.51 $20,106 

Automated ................................................................................ 1,500 1,500 $33.51 $50,265 

Cognitive Testing ..................................................................... 600 900 $33.51 $30,159 

Totals ................................................................................ 13,800 8,900 na $298,239 

* Based upon the average wages for 29–000 (Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Occupations), ‘‘National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, May 2009,’’ U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

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 healthcare 

research and healthcare 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: August 20, 2014. 

Richard Kronick, 

Director. 

[FR Doc. 2014–20421 Filed 8–27–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4160–90–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention 

[30Day–14–0260] 

Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork 

Reduction Act Review 

The Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) has submitted the 

following information collection request 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for review and approval in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995. The notice for 

the proposed information collection is 

published to obtain comments from the 

public and affected agencies. 

Written comments and suggestions 

from the public and affected agencies 

concerning the proposed collection of 

information are encouraged. Your 

comments should address any of the 

following: (a) Evaluate whether the 

proposed collection of information is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; (b) Evaluate the 

accuracy of the agencies estimate of the 

burden of the proposed collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; (d) 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, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses; and (e) Assess information 

collection costs. 

To request additional information on 

the proposed project or to obtain a copy 

of the information collection plan and 

instruments, call (404) 639–7570 or 

send an email to omb@cdc.gov. Written 

comments and/or suggestions regarding 

the items contained in this notice 

should be directed to the Attention: 

CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 

and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 or 

by fax to (202) 395–5806. Written 

comments should be received within 30 

days of this notice. 

Proposed Project 

Health Hazard Evaluations/Technical 

Assistance and Emerging Problems 

(0920–0260, Expiration 11/30/2014)— 

Revision—National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention (CDC). 

Background and Brief Description 

The Occupational Safety and Health 

Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety 

and Health Act of 1977, mandates the 

National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) respond to 

requests for health hazard evaluations 

(HHE) to identify chemical, biological or 

physical hazards in workplaces 

throughout the United States. Each year, 

NIOSH receives approximately 300 such 

requests. Most HHE requests come from 

the following types of companies: 

service, manufacturing, health and 

social services, transportation, 

construction, agriculture, mining, 

skilled trade and construction. 

A printed HHE request form is 

available in English and in Spanish. The 

form is also available on the Internet 

and differs from the printed version 

only in format and in the fact that it can 

be submitted directly from the Web site. 

The request form takes an estimated 12 

minutes to complete. The form provides 

the mechanism for employees, 

employers, and other authorized 

representatives to supply the 

information required by the regulations 

governing the NIOSH HHE program (42 

CFR 85.3–1). 

If employees are submitting the form, 

it must contain the signatures of three 

or more current employees. However, 

regulations allow a single signature if 

the requestor: is one of three (3) or fewer 

employees in the process, operation, or 

job of concern; or is any officer of a 

labor union representing the employees 

for collective bargaining purposes. An 

individual management official may 

request an evaluation on behalf of the 

employer. The information provided is 

used by NIOSH to determine whether 

there is reasonable cause to justify 

conducting an investigation and 

provides a mechanism to respond to the 

requestor. 


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