```

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58364-58365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23239]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Energy Information Administration

Agency Information Collection Extension

AGENCY: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Department of Energy.

ACTION: Information collection extension; notice and request for 
comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, proposes 
to extend without changes for three years the Form DOE-887, ``DOE 
Customer Surveys'' with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, 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 respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be 
received on or before November 19, 2012. If you anticipate difficulty 
in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed in 
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to Colleen Blessing, EI-40, 
Energy Information Administration, Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, or by fax at (202) 586-
0114, or by email at colleen.blessing@eia.gov. Alternatively, Colleen 
Blessing may be contacted by telephone at (202) 586-6482.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Colleen Blessing at the address listed, above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection request 
contains:
    (1) OMB No.: 1901-0302;
    (2) Information Collection Request Title: ``DOE Customer Surveys;''
    (3) Type of Request: Three-year extension without changes;

[[Page 58365]]

    (4) Purpose: The DOE-887, ``DOE Customer Surveys,'' data collection 
involves contacting users of The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 
products or other services, and individuals or businesses in 
partnership agreements with DOE. These customers are contacted to 
determine their needs and also the methods by which DOE can improve its 
products and services to better meet these needs. DOE customer surveys 
are conducted by EIA primarily using Web-based questionnaires to 
collect the customer feedback data.
    Customer information is needed to make DOE products and services 
more effective, efficient, and less costly. Data from some customer 
surveys may also help develop benchmarks to evaluate DOE customer 
service performance.
    Both quantitative and qualitative studies are developed by EIA. 
Quantitative studies classify and count questionnaire response items 
and examine the statistical significance of response types in 
attempting to explain what is observed. EIA conducts quantitative 
studies in asking questions concerning satisfaction with timeliness, 
courtesy, accuracy and other particular aspects of the agency's 
operations. Qualitative studies seek to find patterns in the words and 
actions of study participants and involve these participants providing 
detailed descriptions, in their own words. Examples of qualitative 
studies conducted by EIA include a focus group of customers assembled 
to discuss a specific set of questions, and a cognitive laboratory 
experiment that asks volunteer subjects to describe their opinions 
regarding a product or service;
    (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 50,000;
    (6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 50,000;
    (7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 12,500 hours (50,000 
respondents times 1 response per year, times .25 hours per response);
    (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: There 
are not any anticipated reporting or recordkeeping costs for these 
surveys;

    Statutory Authority: Executive Order 12862 Sec.  1, 58 FR 48257 
(Sept. 11, 1993).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 14, 2012.
Stephanie Brown,
Director, Office of Survey Development and Statistical Integration, 
Energy Information Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-23239 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
```