Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 2008 Visitor Satisfaction Survey DD: 11/16/2007

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Washington, D.C. 20240

October 10, 2007

In Reply Refer To:
8300 (250) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 10/24/2007
Information Bulletin No. 2008-007

To: All State Directors, National Landscape Conservation System Director
Attention: Recreation and National Landscape Conservation System Program Leads

From: Division Chief, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services Division

Subject: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 2008 Visitor Satisfaction Survey DD: 11/16/2007

Program Area: Recreation, Travel, Tourism, Visitor Services, National Landscape Conservation System, and Management Systems

Purpose: This Information Bulletin (IB) documents the decision to continue the Bureau of Land Management Visitor Satisfaction Survey through calendar year 2008. This IB requests that each State Director, except the Eastern States Director, in collaboration with their State Recreation Program and National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) Program Leads, select two sites in their respective area of jurisdiction to survey. The Eastern States Office may participate at their discretion.

The annual visitor survey provides the BLM with both data for reporting results using national performance measures required under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 and information regarding visitors’ satisfaction with value for fees paid. This survey also gives BLM site managers vital information on visitor satisfaction with facilities, interpretation/education programs and materials, road/trail maintenance, staff service, and general recreation management.

Policy/Action: Each State (except Eastern States) is asked to complete the following steps:

1) Review the Visitor Survey Instrument (Attachment 1) – the survey instrument is currently undergoing the OMB approval process for expiration date renewal - and Survey Sampling and Instructions for On-Site Visitor Survey Administration (Attachment 2).

2) Select two sites/areas that can be sampled in 2008 within a 2-month time period during January 15, 2008 – August 31, 2008, in accordance with survey instructions developed by the University of Idaho. Selected sites can be either fee or non-fee, and may be a National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) unit. In choosing these two sites/areas, please consider the following requirements:

· Select sites that have adequate visitation during the 2-month survey time period. It is necessary to distribute approximately 350-400 survey instruments per site to potential respondents; therefore, each State must select sites with adequate visitation to meet this requirement.
· Select sites that either have adequate onsite staffing or can otherwise provide staff to distribute the surveys in accordance with directions from the University of Idaho. Volunteers may be used in this process.
· Select sites where the BLM has made an investment to provide recreation opportunities and benefits, since BLM is asking for survey respondents to report on their satisfaction with BLM’s recreation management activities. Surveying these types of sites will best allow the BLM to understand how effectively its management is meeting the public’s needs.
· Select one site/area, if possible, that provides interpretive programming and/or facilities. It is strongly recommended to choose such a site so that BLM can meet the Departmental requirement in reporting GPRA information on interpretive efforts.

3) Complete a Site Profile (Attachment 3) for each of the two sites/areas selected.

4) Submit the completed Site Profiles to Victoria “Vicki” Josupait, Outdoor Recreation Planner, NSTC, at victoria_josupait@blm.gov by the November 16, 2007 deadline.

Once each State’s site/area nominations have been approved by the Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, the site selections will be forwarded to the Principal Investigator, Jennifer Hoger Russell at the University of Idaho, who in turn will get in touch with the site contact person named on the site profile to develop a sampling procedure. The following will then take place:

1) The University of Idaho will print the computer scannable surveys with the site name and ship them, along with the locked drop boxes, directly to the site contact person. The BLM will oversee the administration of the survey on site during the 2-month sampling period between January 15, 2008 and August 31, 2008. It is necessary to distribute approximately 350-400 survey instruments per site to potential respondents.

2) Once the sampling is completed, the locked drop boxes containing the returned surveys will be shipped to the University of Idaho.

3) The survey data will be entered and analyzed by the University of Idaho, and reports generated and distributed to individual sites. Data relating to BLM national GPRA reporting measures will be available to the BLM by late September 2008. The final and comprehensive national and site specific reports will be delivered to BLM by November 1, 2008.

Timeframe: Each State Office should submit a completed Site Profile (Attachment 3) for each of their two site selections by the November 16, 2007 deadline.

Budget Impact: The BLM Washington Office has a $65,000 contract with the University of Idaho to print the survey (individualized with BLM site names), provide surveys and locked drop boxes for completed surveys, establish a sampling protocol for each site, oversee the sampling process, enter data, analyze the data, and prepare both national and site reports on the results. In addition, administering the survey will require 80 – 140 hours of paid staff or volunteer time at each of the 22 sites selected to participate in the survey.

Background: The BLM Visitor Survey has been conducted annually since 1999 (with the exception of 2002). The 2008 survey instrument meets both the new OMB guidelines and the Department of the Interior’s expedited OMB clearance for customer satisfaction surveys.

Annual visitor surveys are required as part of the Annual Performance Plan mandated under GPRA that stipulates meeting explicit long-term goals related to Recreation and National Landscape Conservation System customer satisfaction measures.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: No manuals or handbooks are affected.

Coordination: Coordination has included the Division of Recreation and Visitor Services (WO250), the National Landscape Conservation System (WO170), and the National Science and Technology Center (NSTC).

Contacts: For more information on the 2008 Recreation Customer Surveys please contact either Andy Tenney, Supervisory Program and Policy Specialist, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services at (202) 452-7735 or Victoria “Vicki” Josupait, Outdoor Recreation Planner, National Science and Technology Center at (303) 236-6313.

Signed by:
Authenticated by:
Robert T. Ratcliffe
Robert M. Williams
Division Chief
Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Recreation and Visitor Services

3 Attachments
1 - BLM Visitor Survey Instrument (2 pp)
2 - Instructions for On-Site Visitor Survey Administration (1 p)
3 - Site Profile (complete 1 for each site administering the survey) (2 pp)