Social Science

Social Science Research in Parks and for the NPS

OMB Memorandum:The Office of Management and Budget released the following Memorandum (45.5k) regarding household surveys between March 2010 and August 2010.

Please Note: Qualifying survey submissions for review under the "Programmatic Approval for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys" must be submitted to the NPS Social Science Program a minimum of 60 days prior to the first day the survey is to be administered in the field. There tend to be an increased number of submissions during the months of May, June, and July. During these busy months, survey review and approval may be somewhat delayed. Please plan accordingly and get submissions in as early as possible.

The National Park Service (NPS) sponsors social science surveys of the public to provide park managers with information needed for park planning and management. Various approval processes and research permits apply to surveys conducted, funded, or sponsored by the NPS, and to independent research conducted in parks. The booklet Social Science Surveys and Interviews in the National Parks and for the National Park Service: A Guide to NPS and OMB Review (483k) outlines the approvals needed.

The NPS has developed, in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of the Interior (DOI), an expedited review process for NPS-sponsored surveys of the public. The expedited review process streamlines the standard Paperwork Reduction Act process for NPS-sponsored surveys that collect data from park visitors, potential park visitors, and/or residents of communities near parks that cover specific, pre-approved topic areas.

NPS Study Ahead

The NPS Social Science Program has developed guidelines that specify how researchers can use this process to submit proposed surveys for expedited review. A copy of the Guidelines and Submission Form for Expedited Review for NPS-Sponsored Public Surveys, Focus Groups and Field Experiments (revised, June 2006) can be downloaded (in PDF format, 386k).  An electronic version of the expedited review form is available (in Rich Text Format, 417k).

The NPS Social Science Program prepares an annual report about the expedited review program each year. The FY 2006 Annual Report (402k), FY 2005 Annual Report (370k), FY 2004 Annual Report (347k), FY 2003 Annual Report (250k), FY 2002 Annual Report (188k), FY 2001 Annual Report (248k), FY 2000 Annual Report (60k), and FY 1999 Annual Report (96k) are currently available.

Surveys outside the scope of expedited review require approval through the standard information collection review process outlined by the Paperwork Reduction Act. This process takes 6-8 months. For more information, please contact Megan McBride in the NPS Social Science Program.

The NPS Social Science Program has prepared sample Paperwork Reduction Act Compliance Statements that are appropriate for inclusion in various types of information collection activities. These samples are available for download.