Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Public Participation and Community Engagement With the Federal Government, 19885-19887 [2024-05882]

Agencies

• Management and Budget Office

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19885-19887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05882]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Public Participation 
and Community Engagement With the Federal Government

AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Executive Office of the 
President.

ACTION: Request for Information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: The Federal Government is committed to making it easier for 
the American people to engage with their Government, and to harnessing 
their knowledge, needs, and lived experiences to improve how Government 
works for them and with them. Federal laws and Executive directives 
require agencies to frequently consult with the public to inform 
regulations, policies, program and service design, and other actions. 
However, these consultation efforts may be perceived as inaccessible, 
convoluted, or disconnected from the interests and priorities of 
impacted stakeholders. According to the 2023 Partnership for Public 
Service (PPS) survey on trust in government, only about 1 in 5 
Americans believe that the Federal Government ``listens to the public'' 
or ``is transparent.''
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in partnership with 
Federal agencies and the public, is working to develop a government-
wide framework, common guidelines, and leading practices for public 
participation and community engagement (PPCE or ``participation and 
engagement''). This framework will enable agencies to more frequently, 
effectively, broadly, and meaningfully involve the public, including 
underserved communities, in government decision-making.
    Through this Request for Information (RFI), OMB seeks input on the 
experiences of individuals and organizations, including from 
underserved communities, with informing Federal Government decision-
making and participating in engagement activities with government 
agencies; examples of leading practices in this space; and other 
recommendations on available methods, approaches, and tools that could 
assist in the effort to develop and implement a Federal framework for 
participation and engagement. OMB welcomes input from a wide and 
diverse array of stakeholders in the public, private, advocacy, not-
for-profit, and philanthropic sectors, including State, local, Tribal, 
and territorial governments. OMB will review and consider the usability 
and applicability of responses to this RFI as OMB develops a Federal 
framework for PPCE and supports agencies in their work to ensure that 
their policies and actions are responsive to all Americans.

DATES: Responses to this RFI should be received by May 17, 2024. To the 
extent practicable, OMB will also consider comments received after that 
date.

ADDRESSES: In an effort to improve accessibility, OMB is offering 
multiple options to provide feedback.
    Responses can be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Alternatively, responses may be submitted through a simple form at 
https://www.performance.gov/participation/. Instructions for submitting 
responses through that form can be found on the site, as well as 
options to register for events that OMB will host to gather live input 
and feedback from the public. Participation in these events is not 
required in order to respond to this RFI.
    Instructions for Submission: Written comments should not exceed 10 
pages. Attachments or linked resources or documents are not included in 
the 10-page limit. Please use concise, plain language in narrative or 
bullet format. OMB has provided some key questions on which public 
insights would be most valuable (see Supplementary Information, Part 
III). You may respond to some or all of these questions, and additional 
feedback beyond these questions is also welcome. Any links you provide 
to online materials or presentations must be publicly accessible. Each 
response should include:
     The name of the individual(s) and/or organization(s) 
responding;
     RFI question(s), topic(s), and/or policy suggestions that 
your submission and materials address;
     A brief description of the responding individual(s) and/or 
organization(s)'s mission and/or areas of experience or expertise; and
     A contact for questions or other follow-up on your 
response.
    Please feel free to share this RFI with colleagues or others for 
feedback, including those who may be familiar with effective outreach 
to underserved communities.
    Privacy Act Statement: Response to this RFI is voluntary. The 
information will be used to inform sound decision-making regarding the 
PPCE framework and other related matters. Please note that all 
submissions received in response to this notice may be posted on 
https://www.regulations.gov/ or otherwise released in their entirety, 
including any personal and business confidential information provided. 
Do not include in your submissions any copyrighted material; 
information of a confidential nature, such as personal or proprietary 
information; or any information you would not like to be made publicly 
available. The OMB System of Records Notice, OMB Public Input System of 
Records, OMB/INPUT/01, 88 FR 20913 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/07/2023-07452/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records), 
includes a list of routine uses associated with the collection of this 
information.
    By responding to the RFI, each participant (individual, team, or 
legal entity) warrants that they are the sole author or owner of, or 
has the right to

[[Page 19886]]

use, any copyrightable works that the submission comprises, that the 
works are wholly original (or is an improved version of an existing 
work that the participant has sufficient rights to use and improve), 
and that the submission does not infringe any copyright or any other 
rights of any third party of which participant is aware.
    Individuals and organizations who respond to this RFI may be 
contacted for additional clarification, related discussions, events, 
surveys, crowdsource campaigns, or competitions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please email 
[email protected] with ``PPCE RFI'' in the subject line, 
or contact Cherie Klein at 202-881-6220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, 
inclusive, effective, and meaningful participation and engagement is 
one of the foundational principles of government decision-making. A 
wide range of Federal statutes provide for participation and engagement 
across routine Federal agency functions--from rulemaking to strategic 
planning and evaluation. These include the Administrative Procedure Act 
of 1946 (Pub. L. 79-404), Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-
13), Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010 
(Pub. L. 111-352), and Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act 
of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-435).
    Consistent with these laws, a range of Executive actions and policy 
directives also encourage and, in many cases, require agencies to 
develop better mechanisms to receive direct feedback from and engage 
with the people, organizations, and communities served by the Federal 
Government. These include:
     Executive Order (E.O.) 13175 on Consultation and 
Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments;
     2011 Open Government Declaration, endorsed by the U.S., as 
a founding member of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and current 
member of the OGP Steering Committee;
     E.O. 13707 on Using Behavioral Science Insights To Better 
Serve the American People;
     E.O. 14058 on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and 
Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government;
     E.O. 14091 on Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support 
for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government;
     E.O. 14094 on Modernizing Regulatory Review;
     E.O. 14096 on Revitalizing Our Nation's Commitment to 
Environmental Justice for All;
     Fifth U.S. Open Government National Action Plan;
     Biden-Harris Administration President's Management Agenda;
     OMB Circular No. A-11 (Preparation, Submission, and 
Execution of the Budget);
     OMB Memorandum on Broadening Public Participation and 
Community Engagement in the Regulatory Process;
     OMB Guidance Implementing Section 2(e) of E.O. 14094;
     OMB Memorandum M-24-08 (Strengthening Digital 
Accessibility and the Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation 
Act);
     OMB Memorandum M-23-22 (Delivering a Digital-First Public 
Experience);
     OMB Memorandum M-22-12 (Advancing Effective Stewardship of 
Taxpayer Resources and Outcomes in the Implementation of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act);
     OMB Memorandum M-21-28 (Interim Implementation Guidance 
for the Justice40 Initiative); and
     OMB Memorandum M-21-20 (Promoting Public Trust in the 
Federal Government through Effective Implementation of the American 
Rescue Plan Act and Stewardship of the Taxpayer Resources).
    A growing body of evidence in the public and private sectors has 
documented a strong relationship between effective PPCE and improved 
public perception of and trust in government. In the 2022 PPS survey on 
trust in government, about one-third of the respondents said that being 
more responsive to the public and being more transparent were among 
their key priorities for government improvement. Meanwhile, a survey 
conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 
(OECD) found that if people believed their feedback would be used to 
improve a program, they trusted government 60 percent of the time, 
whereas if they did not feel it would be used, they trusted government 
only 20 percent of the time.
    Aside from building greater trust, effective PPCE can also improve 
the design, inclusivity, and accessibility of government policies and 
programs. This is particularly true when the Federal Government's 
management of its customer experience and service delivery is 
responsive to customer needs, interests, and priorities, as identified 
through human-centered design methodologies; empirical customer 
research; an understanding of behavioral science and user testing, 
especially for digital services; and other mechanisms of participation 
and engagement. For example, research by the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS) found that when HHS staff consulted with 
program participants and considered their lived experiences,\1\ the 
outcomes and impacts of Federal programs, policies, and practices 
improved and resulted in benefits for both participants and Federal 
staff, including an increased understanding of the needs of HHS's 
customers and other stakeholders.
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    \1\ HHS defines people with lived experience as individuals 
directly impacted by a social issue or combination of issues who 
share similar experiences or backgrounds and can bring the insights 
of their experience to inform and enhance systems, research, 
policies, practices, and programs that aim to address the issue or 
issues.
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    A Federal framework for PPCE will help agencies to:
     Broaden the kinds of people and groups reached;
     Expand the government's knowledge and consideration of the 
range of lived experiences and perspectives;
     Increase and improve participation and engagement across 
different agency functions;
     Identify when to effectively involve the public in 
decision-making processes and provide timely, ongoing opportunities for 
input;
     Better understand how PPCE aligns with and across multiple 
Federal laws, Executive priorities, mandates, and requirements;
     Embed PPCE within different agency functions; and
     Build on successes and model new participation and 
engagement efforts to strengthen a government that is inclusive, 
transparent, accountable, and responsive to the American people.

II. Definitions

    E.O. 14058, E.O. 14091, and various OMB Memoranda use the following 
government-wide definitions, which OMB adopts for purposes of this RFI:
    The term ``customer'' means any individual, business, or 
organization (such as a grantee or State, local, or Tribal entity) that 
interacts with an agency or program, either directly or through a 
federally-funded program administered by a contractor, nonprofit, or 
other Federal entity.
    The term ``customer experience'' means the public's perceptions of 
and overall satisfaction with interactions with an agency, product, or 
service.

[[Page 19887]]

    The term ``public participation'' in government means any process 
that involves members of the public in government decision-making. It 
seeks and facilitates the involvement of those affected by, or 
interested in, a government decision, including individuals; State, 
local, Tribal, and territorial governments; non-profit organizations; 
educational institutions; businesses; and other entities.
    The term ``community engagement'' is a more specific concept within 
public participation that involves agency actions to build trust-based, 
long-term, and two-way relationships with all communities, including 
underserved communities that have been historically left out of 
government decision-making.
    The term ``human-centered design'' means an interdisciplinary 
methodology of putting people, including those who will use or be 
impacted by what one creates, at the center of any process to solve 
challenging problems.
    The term ``service delivery'' means actions by the Federal 
Government related to providing a benefit or service to a customer of a 
Federal Government entity. Such actions pertain to all points of the 
Government-to-customer delivery process, including when a customer 
applies for a benefit or loan, receives a service such as health care 
or small business counseling, requests a document such as a passport or 
Social Security card, files taxes or declares goods, uses resources 
such as a park or historical site, or seeks information such as notices 
about public health or consumer protection.
    The term ``underserved communities'' refers to those populations as 
well as geographic communities that have been systematically denied the 
opportunity to participate fully in aspects of economic, social, and 
civil life, and may include Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native 
American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander persons 
and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; women and 
girls; LGBTQI+ persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in 
rural areas; persons who live in United States Territories; persons 
otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality; and 
individuals who belong to multiple such communities. (While not 
mentioned explicitly in this definition, underserved communities also 
include individuals with limited English proficiency, whether they use 
spoken language, sign language, or other methods to communicate.)
    The term ``user'' means any individual that interacts with a 
website or a digital service, often to complete a task or transaction.

III. Topics and Key Questions

    OMB seeks feedback on the following three topic areas: (1) 
experiences individuals and organizations, including from underserved 
communities, have had in participating (or trying to participate) in 
Federal Government PPCE activities (e.g., notice and comment processes, 
Requests for Information, consultations, listening sessions, customer 
feedback surveys, user research, crowdsourcing) that inform government 
decision-making; (2) content to incorporate in a Federal framework for 
PPCE, including common guidelines and leading practices that can help 
Federal employees better use these methods; and (3) how OMB might 
continue to pursue a collaborative process to co-develop such a 
framework with the public. OMB encourages respondents to answer each 
question listed below and to include any other related input that 
respondents believe OMB should consider. However, respondents do not 
have to answer every question and may provide additional feedback for 
OMB to consider in developing and implementing this Federal framework 
for participation and engagement. Whenever possible, OMB requests that 
respondents share examples, data, and/or research or academic 
literature. Respondents may also include links to publicly accessible 
online materials and presentations.
    1. Experience participating in Federal Government PPCE activities:
     What is the Federal Government doing well when you (or 
your organization) participate in or try to participate in government 
PPCE activities? Please include any specific examples.
     What challenges, including any physical or digital 
accessibility barriers, have you encountered when you (or your 
organization) participate in or try to participate in Federal 
Government PPCE activities? How could those challenges have been 
avoided or mitigated? Please include any specific examples.
     What might the Federal Government do to make it easier or 
more likely for you (or your organization) to participate and engage 
with the Federal Government to inform government decision-making (e.g., 
to share concerns, recommendations, experience, knowledge, or expertise 
on government policies, regulations, programs, plans, priorities, and 
services)?
     What is your understanding of how individuals and 
organizations can engage with the Federal Government to inform 
government decision-making, and of various opportunities (both past and 
present) to do this? What can the Federal Government do to reach and 
include a broader and more diverse range of people and groups, 
especially those who might typically be missed?
    2. Content in a Federal framework for PPCE:
     What types of content (e.g., methods, tools, definitions, 
research on the value of participation and engagement, promising 
practices) could OMB include in a Federal framework for PPCE that would 
be effective and informative for Federal agencies to initiate or 
improve their participation and engagement activities, including those 
carried out with underserved communities? Please share any specific 
examples.
     How might OMB facilitate agencies adopting and effectively 
applying such practices, given the wide range of possible PPCE 
activities and focus areas?
     What are effective ways for the Federal Government to 
provide updates to the public about the feedback it receives during, 
and decisions made after, PPCE activities? Please include any specific 
promising practices.
     What goals and objectives should OMB consider when 
developing a Federal framework for PPCE?
     What guidance might OMB provide to agencies for developing 
their own goals and objectives for participation and engagement? What 
metrics could OMB suggest to help agencies assess the success and/or 
impact of their PPCE activities (e.g., participant diversity, breadth 
and saturation of reach, new or unique perspectives gained, engagement 
quality, engagement satisfaction, usability of feedback on government 
decision-making)?
    3. Collaborative process to co-develop a Federal framework for 
PPCE:
     In co-developing a Federal framework for PPCE, what 
specific steps should OMB take that involve the Federal Government and 
the public, especially engaging members of underserved communities, to 
ensure collaborative development of the framework? Please share any 
promising practices and successful examples.

Loren Schulman,
Associate Director, Office of Performance and Personnel Management, 
Office of Management and Budget.
Samuel Berger,
Associate Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 2024-05882 Filed 3-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3110-01-P