Overview
Title
Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection wants to know how they can make their services better, so they're asking people like you to share your thoughts on their work. They have a month for folks to tell them what they think, and then they'll look at the suggestions to try and make things better.
Summary AI
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has announced a 30-day period for public comments regarding the extension of a current information collection initiative. This information collection aims to gather qualitative feedback on the agency's service delivery to ensure it meets high standards, in line with Executive Order 12862. The submissions are designed to assess customer satisfaction and improve service efficiency without adding extra burden on respondents. Interested parties can submit comments via the provided government website before the deadline on March 18, 2021.
Abstract
The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be submitting 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 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document titled "Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery" is a notice from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland Security. It outlines an initiative to extend the collection of qualitative feedback regarding the agency's service delivery. This initiative is part of the broader effort to comply with Executive Order 12862, which mandates that federal agencies provide service that is equal to or better than that in the private sector. The document invites public comments to be submitted by March 18, 2021, which would aid in refining and improving these processes.
General Summary
The initiative focuses on collecting qualitative feedback from both individuals and businesses that interact with CBP services. This feedback is essential as it informs the agency about customer satisfaction, service perceptions, and potential areas for improvement. Ultimately, such collections aim to enhance the delivery of CBP services by making them more efficient and effective. The document specifies that the feedback will not be captured through statistical surveys but rather through mechanisms like comment cards and customer surveys. The goal here is to gather insights into perceptions and opinions rather than quantitative data.
Significant Issues and Concerns
One significant issue arises from the lack of specific details on how previous feedback has been used to enact changes or improvements. Transparency in demonstrating the effectiveness of prior feedback could strengthen trust and encourage more public participation. Furthermore, while it is mentioned that the notice is published in the Federal Register to elicit comments, there is no clear indication of targeted outreach efforts to ensure diverse stakeholder engagement. Without proactive outreach, there is a risk of limited commentary, which in turn, may not sufficiently represent the views of all affected individuals and groups. Additionally, the terminology used, such as "Generic Clearance," without adequate explanation, can be confusing for those not familiar with government processes.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, this information collection effort offers the opportunity to be directly involved in shaping how CBP delivers its services. Stakeholders can provide their perspectives, potentially leading to improvements in efficiency and satisfaction with CBP interactions. However, the impact may be limited if individuals are unaware of this opportunity or if their feedback does not lead to visible changes due to the ambiguities mentioned earlier.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Specific stakeholders, particularly businesses and individuals who frequently engage with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, are likely to experience more immediate implications. Positive impacts include a platform to express concerns and offer suggestions, which can lead to improved service delivery and customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, the absence of explicit examples on how feedback has historically driven changes may lead to skepticism among stakeholders about the impact of their contributions.
In conclusion, while the initiative to gather qualitative feedback from public users is valuable and aligns with the objectives of Executive Order 12862, there are notable areas for improvement. Improved clarity on the use of feedback, effective communication strategies to inform stakeholders about the comment period, and clear explanations of technical terms would enhance the effectiveness and inclusivity of the process.
Issues
• The document outlines a request for comments on extending an existing collection of information, but it does not provide specific details on how previous feedback has been utilized or resulted in any changes.
• The abstract mentions that the collection of information is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies, but it may not be clear if there is an effective outreach to ensure that a diverse range of stakeholders are informed and given the opportunity to comment.
• While the document provides specifics on estimated burden hours and number of respondents, it lacks clarity on the specific impacts or changes expected from this feedback. The absence of such detail may lead to ambiguity on the ultimate utility of these inputs.
• The term 'Generic Clearance' might be unclear to some readers, as it assumes background knowledge of government processes. A brief explanation would improve understanding.
• The distinction between 'qualitative feedback' and 'quantitative results' could be better explained to ensure clarity for readers unfamiliar with these terms.
• No specific examples or case studies are provided to illustrate the kind of feedback received in the past and how it has improved service delivery, which would help justify the continuation of this collection effort.