US Codex
Bill
Notes

S. 671 — what changed

Federal Agency Customer Experience Act of 2021

From Reported in Senate to Engrossed in Senate. 6 sections amended and 1 removed between Reported in Senate and Engrossed in Senate.

Sec. 2 Findings; sense of Congress

(a)
Findings— Congress finds that—
(1)
the Federal Government serves the people of the United States and should seek to continually improve public services provided by the Federal Government based on customer feedback;
(2)
changed the people of the United States deserve a Federal Government that provides efficient, effective, equitable, and high-quality services and customer experiences across multiple channels;
(3)
changed many agencies, offices, programs, and Federal employees provide excellent service customer experiences to individuals, but many parts of the Federal Government still fall short on delivering the customer service experience that individuals have come to expect from the private sector;
(4)
changed according to the 2018 2020 American Customer Satisfaction Index, the Federal Government ranks among the bottom of all industries in the United States in customer satisfaction;
(5)
changed providing quality services an equitable, reliable, transparent, and responsive customer experience to individuals improves the confidence of the people of the United States in their Government and helps agencies achieve greater impact and fulfill their missions; and
(6)
changed improving service to individuals requires agencies to work across organizational boundaries, leverage technology, collect and share standardized data, and develop customer-centered mindsets and service experience strategies.
(b)
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
changed all agencies should strive to provide a high-quality, courteous, effective, and efficient services customer experience to the people of the United States and seek to measure, collect, report, and utilize use metrics relating to the experience of individuals interacting with agencies to continually improve services to the customer experience of the people of the United States; and
(2)
changed adequate Federal funding is needed to ensure agency staffing levels that can provide the public with appropriate an improved customer service levels.experience.

Sec. 3 Definitions

In this Act:

(1)
Administrator— The term Administrator means the Administrator of General Services.
(2)
Agency— The term agency has the meaning given the term in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
(3)
changed Covered agency— The term covered agency means an agency or component of an agency that is required by the Director to collect voluntary customer experience feedback for purposes of section 6, 5, based on an assessment of the components and programs of the agency with the highest impact on or number of interactions with individuals or entities.
(4)
Director— The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(5)
changed Voluntary customer experience feedback— The term voluntary customer experience feedback has the meaning given means the term in section 3502 submission of title 44, United States Code, as added information, an opinion, or a concern to an agency by section 4 of this Act.an individual or entity that—
(A)
added is voluntarily made by the individual or entity; and
(B)
added relates to—
(i)
added a particular service provided to the individual or entity by the agency; or
(ii)
added an interaction of the individual or entity with the agency.

Sec. 4 Guidelines for voluntary customer experience feedback

changed Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly known as the “Paperwork Reduction Act”), is amended—Each agency that solicits voluntary customer experience feedback shall ensure that—

(1)
changed in section 3502—individuals and entities providing responses to the solicitation of voluntary customer experience feedback have the option to remain anonymous;
(A)
removed in paragraph (22), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
removed in paragraph (23), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
removed by adding at the end the following:

removed “(24) the term voluntary feedback means any submission of information, opinion, or concern that is—

removed “(A) voluntarily made by a specific individual or other entity relating to a particular service of or transaction with an agency; and

removed “(B) specifically solicited by that agency.”

(2)
changed individuals and entities that decline to participate in section 3518(c)(1)—the solicitation of voluntary customer experience feedback are not treated differently by the agency for purposes of providing services or information;
(3)
added the solicitation includes—
(A)
added the fewest number of questions as is practicable; and
(B)
added not more than 10 questions;
(4)
added the voluntary nature of the solicitation is clear;
(5)
added the proposed solicitation of voluntary customer experience feedback will contribute to improved customer experience;
(6)
added solicitations of voluntary customer experience feedback are limited to 1 solicitation per interaction with an individual or entity;
(7)
added to the extent practicable, the solicitation of voluntary customer experience feedback is made at the point of service with an individual or entity;
(8)
added instruments for collecting voluntary customer experience feedback are accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d); and
(9)
added internal agency data governance policies remain in effect with respect to the collection of voluntary customer experience feedback from individuals and entities.
(A)
removed in subparagraph (C), by striking “or” at the end;
(B)
removed in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
(C)
removed by adding at the end the following:

removed “(E) by an agency that is voluntary feedback.”

Sec. 5 Customer experience data collection

(a)
added Collection of responses— The head of each covered agency, assisted by and in coordination with the senior accountable official for customer experience of the covered agency, shall collect voluntary customer experience feedback with respect to services of or interactions with the covered agency.
(b)
added Content of questions—
(1)
added Standardized questions— The Director, in coordination with the Administrator, shall develop a set of standardized questions for use by covered agencies in collecting voluntary customer experience feedback under this section that address—
(A)
added overall satisfaction of individuals or entities with the specific interaction or service received;
(B)
added the extent to which individuals or entities were able to accomplish the intended task or purpose of those individuals or entities;
(C)
added whether an individual or entity was treated with respect and professionalism;
(D)
added whether an individual or entity believes that the individual or entity was served in a timely manner; and
(E)
added any additional metrics determined by the Director, in coordination with the Administrator.
(2)
added Additional questions— In addition to the questions developed under paragraph (1), the senior accountable official for customer experience of a covered agency may develop questions relevant to the specific operations or programs of the covered agency.

removed Each agency that solicits voluntary feedback shall ensure that—

(1)
removed responses to the solicitation of voluntary feedback remain anonymous and are not traced to specific individuals or entities;
(c)
changed Additional requirements— individuals and entities who decline to participate in the solicitation of voluntary feedback are not treated differently by To the agency for purposes of providing services or information;extent practicable—
(1)
added each covered agency shall collect voluntary customer experience feedback across every platform or channel through which the covered agency interacts with individuals or other entities to deliver information or services; and
(2)
added voluntary customer experience feedback collected under this section shall be tied to specific transactions or interactions with customers of the covered agency.
(d)
changed Exemption from public notice and comment— the solicitation does The requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) and subparagraphs (B) and (D) of subsection (a)(1) and subsection (b) of section 3507 of title 44, United States Code, shall not include more than 10 questions;apply to the collection of voluntary customer experience feedback by an agency that meets the requirements of this Act.
(e)
added Report—
(1)
added In general— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and not less frequently than quarterly thereafter, each covered agency shall submit to the Director, in a manner determined by the Director, an aggregated report on each solicitation of voluntary customer experience feedback from individuals and entities conducted by the covered agency, which shall include—
(A)
added the intended purpose of the solicitation;
(B)
added the appropriate point of contact within the covered agency for the solicitation;
(C)
added the questions or survey instrument submitted to members of the public as part of the solicitation;
(D)
added a description of how the covered agency uses the voluntary customer experience feedback from the solicitation to improve the customer experience of the covered agency; and
(E)
added the results of the solicitation, including—
(i)
added the responses collected;
(ii)
added the total number of survey responses; and
(iii)
added the rate of response for the solicitation.
(2)
added Centralized website— The Director shall—
(A)
added include and maintain on a publicly available website the information provided by covered agencies under paragraph (1); and
(B)
added for the purpose of subparagraph (A), establish a website or make use of an existing website, such as the website required under section 1122 of title 31, United States Code.
(4)
removed the voluntary nature of the solicitation is clear;
(5)
removed the proposed solicitation of voluntary feedback will contribute to improved customer service;
(6)
removed solicitations of voluntary feedback are limited to 1 solicitation per interaction with an individual or entity;
(7)
removed to the extent practicable, the solicitation of voluntary feedback is made at the point of service with an individual or entity;
(8)
removed instruments for collecting voluntary feedback are accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d); and
(9)
removed internal agency data governance policies remain in effect with respect to the collection of voluntary feedback from individuals and entities.

Sec. 6 Customer experience report

(a)
changed Collection of responses—In general— The head of each Not later than 450 days after the date on which all covered agency (or a designee), assisted by agencies have submitted the first reports to the Director required under section 5(e)(1), and in coordination with every 2 years thereafter until the senior accountable official for customer service date that is 10 years after such date, the Comptroller General of the covered agency, United States shall collect voluntary feedback with respect make publicly available and submit to services the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of or transactions with the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives a report assessing the data collected and reported by the covered agency.agencies.
(b)
added Contents— The report required under subsection (a) shall include—
(b)
removed Content of questions—
(1)
removed Standardized questions— The Director, in coordination with the Administrator, shall develop a set of standardized questions for use by covered agencies in collecting voluntary feedback under this section that address—
(A)
removed overall satisfaction of individuals or entities with the specific interaction or service received;
(B)
removed the extent to which individuals or entities were able to accomplish the intended task or purpose of those individuals or entities;
(C)
removed whether the individual or entity was treated with respect and professionalism;
(D)
removed whether the individual or entity believes they were served in a timely manner; and
(E)
removed any additional metrics as determined by the Director, in coordination with the Administrator.
(1)
changed Additional questions— In addition to the questions developed under paragraph (1), the senior accountable official for customer service at a covered agency may develop questions relevant to the specific operations or programs summary of the information required to be submitted by covered agency.agencies under section 5(e)(1);
(2)
added a description of how each covered agency used the voluntary customer experience feedback received by the covered agency to improve the customer experience of the covered agency; and
(3)
added an assessment of the quality of the data collected under this Act and, if applicable, recommendations to improve that quality.
(c)
removed Additional requirements— To the extent practicable—
(1)
removed each covered agency shall collect voluntary feedback across all platforms or channels through which the covered agency interacts with individuals or other entities to deliver information or services; and
(2)
removed voluntary feedback collected under this section shall be tied to specific transactions or interactions with customers of the covered agency.
(d)
removed Reports—
(1)
removed Annual report to the Director—
(A)
removed In general— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, each covered agency shall publish on the website of the covered agency and submit to the Director, in a manner determined by the Director, a report on the voluntary feedback required to be collected under this section that includes—
(i)
removed the detailed results, including a summary of how individuals and entities responded to each question;
(ii)
removed the total number of survey responses; and
(iii)
removed the response rate for each survey administered.
(B)
removed Centralized website— The Director shall—
(i)
removed include and maintain on a publicly available website links to the information provided on the websites of covered agencies under subparagraph (A); and
(ii)
removed for purposes of clause (i), establish a website or make use of an existing website, such as the website required under section 1122 of title 31, United States Code.
(2)
removed Aggregated report— Each covered agency shall publish, on a regular basis, an aggregated report on the solicitation of voluntary feedback sent to individuals or entities, which shall include—
(A)
removed the intended purpose of each solicitation of voluntary feedback conducted by the covered agency;
(B)
removed the appropriate point of contact within each covered agency for each solicitation of voluntary feedback conducted;
(C)
removed the questions or survey instrument submitted to members of the public as part of the solicitation of voluntary information; and
(D)
removed a description of how the covered agency uses the voluntary feedback received by the covered agency to improve the customer service of the covered agency.

Sec. 7 Restriction on use of information

added No information collected pursuant to this Act may be used in any appraisal of the job performance of a Federal employee under chapter 43 of title 5, United States Code, or any other provision of law.

(a)
removed In general— Not later than 15 months after the date on which all covered agencies have submitted the first annual reports to the Director required under section 6(d)(1), and every 2 years thereafter until the date that is 10 years after such date, the Comptroller General of the United States shall make publicly available and submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives a report assessing the data collected and reported by the covered agencies.
(b)
removed Contents— The report required under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
removed a summary of the information required to be published by covered agencies under section 6(d); and
(2)
removed a description of how each covered agency will use the voluntary feedback received by the covered agency to improve service delivery.

Sec. 8 Restriction on use of information

removed

removed Any information collected pursuant to this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, may not be used in any appraisal of job performance of a Federal employee under chapter 43 of title 5, United States Code, or any other provision of law.