Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0569]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.

), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefit Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before December 4, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8030 or FAX (202) 273-5981. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0569.”

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title:

Generic Clearance for the Veterans Benefits Administration Customer Satisfaction Surveys.

OMB Control Number:

2900-0569.

Type of Review:

Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract:

VBA administers integrated programs of benefits and services, established by law for veterans and their survivors, and service personnel. Executive Order 12862, Setting Customer Service Standards, requires Federal agencies and departments to identify and survey its customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing service. VBA uses customer satisfaction surveys to gauge customer perceptions of VA services as well as customer expectations and desires. The results of these information collections lead to improvements in the quality of VBA service delivery by helping to shape the direction and focus of specific programs and services.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The

Federal Register

Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on July 17, 2000 at pages 44094-44096.

Affected Public:

Individuals or households, Business or other for-profit.

National Survey Activities

Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with The VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

22,800

5,700

One-time.

2002

22,800

5,700

One-time.

2003

22,800

5,700

One-time.

Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the VA Education Claims Process

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

3,200

800

One-time.

2002

3,200

800

One-time.

2003

3,200

800

One-time.

Survey of Educational Institution Certifying Officials

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2002

1,000

330

One-time.

2003

1,000

330

One-time.

Loan Guaranty Customer Satisfaction Survey—Veteran

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

7,200

1,202

One-time.

2002

7,200

1,202

One-time.

2003

7,200

1,202

One-time.

Loan Guaranty Customer Satisfaction Survey—Lender

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

1,000

330

One-time.

2002

1,000

330

One-time.

2003

1,000

330

One-time.

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program Survey

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

10,800

2,700

One-time.

2002

10,800

2,700

One-time.

2003

10,800

2,700

One-time.

Insurance Customer Surveys

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

2,800

280

One-time.

2002

2,800

280

One-time.

2003

2,800

280

One-time.

Undetermined Focus Groups

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

500

1,000

One-time.

2002

500

1,000

One-time.

2003

500

1,000

One-time.

National Telephone Survey

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

7,200

1,224

One-time.

2002

7,200

1,224

One-time.

2003

7,200

1,224

One-time.

VA Regional Office-Based Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

600

1,800

One-time.

2002

600

1,800

One-time.

2003

600

1,800

One-time.

VA Regional Office-Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated

annual burden

(in hours)

Frequency of response

2001

139,200

11,554

One-time.

2002

139,200

11,554

One-time.

2003

139,200

11,554

One-time.

Most customer satisfaction surveys will be recurring so that VBA can create ongoing measures of performance and to determine how well the agency meets customer service standards. Each collection of information will consist of the minimum amount of information necessary to determine customer needs and to evaluate VBA's performance. VBA expects to conduct an estimated 100 focus groups and receive up to 139,200 comment cards involving a total of 14,354 hours each year for 2001, 2002, and 2003. In addition, VBA expects to distribute written surveys with a total annual burden of approximately 12,236 hours in 2001, 12,566 hours in 2002, and 12,566 hours in 2003. The grand totals for both focus groups, comment cards, and written surveys are: 26,590 hours in 2001, 26,920 hours in 2002, and 26,920 hours in 2003.

Anyone may view the results of previously administered surveys on the internet by going to the following VBA surveys website: http://www.vba.va.gov/surveys/.

The areas of concern to VBA and its customers may change over time, and it is important to have the ability to evaluate customer concerns quickly. OMB will be requested to grant generic clearance approval for a 3-year period to conduct customer satisfaction surveys, focus groups and to send out comment cards. Participation in the surveys, focus groups, and comment cards will be voluntary and the generic clearance will not be used to collect information required to obtain or maintain eligibility for a VA program or benefit. In order to maximize the voluntary response rates, the information collection will be designed to make participation convenient, simple, and free of unnecessary barriers. Baseline data obtained through these information collections will be used to improve customer service standards. VBA will consult with OMB regarding each specific information collection during this approval period.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 (202) 395-7316. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0569” in any correspondence.

Dated: September 25, 2000.

By direction of the Acting Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.

[FR Doc. 00-28074 Filed 11-1-00; 8:45 am]

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