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Paperwork Reduction: Mixed Effects on Agency Decision Processes and Data Availability

PEMD-89-20 Published: Sep 07, 1989. Publicly Released: Oct 12, 1989.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) efforts to minimize the burden that information requests placed on the public, focusing on: (1) how OMB handled agency requests for data collection and the timeliness and technical adequacy of its reviews; (2) how OMB policies and practices influenced agencies' decisions to gather information; and (3) the influence of agency and OMB actions on information availability.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of Management and Budget Given that many agencies have developed systematic procedures for reviewing data collection requests, the Director, OMB, should employ existing authority to delegate primary review responsibility to the senior officials within designated agencies that have demonstrated capability. The performance of these agencies could be monitored through spot-checks conducted by OMB. For executive agencies with less effective internal means for procedural and technical review, OMB should help improve those means.
Closed – Implemented
In a November 21, 1990 letter to GAO, OMB indicated it agreed with the recommendation and had established four criteria for delegation. OMB reports that three agencies sought delegation, but in no case was it approved.
Office of Management and Budget OMB should enhance its guidance and assistance to agencies for improving the efficiency and quality of their data collections through increased use of conventional sampling procedures, measures to improve response rates, safeguards to control response bias or estimate the bias, and more precise design of data collection instruments.
Closed – Implemented
In its response to open recommendations, OMB did not indicate any specific response to the items in the recommendation, but cited a monograph and a seminar on the quality of federal data, with attendance by about 250 agency personnel.
Office of Management and Budget To facilitate sound reviews within OMB, the Director, OMB, should develop an ongoing training program for the agency's paperwork review staff to ensure that technical and nontechnical criteria are appropriately and consistently applied to submissions.
Closed – Implemented
In its response to open recommendations, OMB indicated that it began a mandatory training program for all Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs staff in February 1990. Topics include statistics, surveys, and review criteria for information collection requests. All staff have taken this training, which is now being given to all new staff as well.
Office of Management and Budget The Director, OMB, should augment the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs' capacity to perform technical reviews of new and recurrent collections. Measures appropriate to this end may include expansion of technical staff and consultation with external experts.
Closed – Implemented
In its response to open recommendations, OMB indicated that, consistent with overall resource limitations, it is committed to enhancing the number and quality of the technical staff at OMB. Independently, GAO has learned that OMB has established a new evaluation office.
Office of Management and Budget OMB should conduct its review of information collection requests concurrently with the public comment period for these requests.
Closed – Implemented
In its response to open recommendations, OMB restated the agency policy, which was in effect at the time of data collection.

Full Report

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Topics

Data collectionFederal administrative lawFederal formsFederal records managementGovernment informationInteragency relationsPaperwork reductionReporting requirementsStaff utilizationFederal agencies