Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0569]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), 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 and it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before February 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Submit written comments on the collection of information through

www.Regulations.gov

; or to VA's OMB 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Initiative Coordination Service (005G1), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 565-8374, FAX (202) 565-7870 or e-mail:

denise.mclamb@mail.va.gov

. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0569.”

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title:

VA Voluntary Customer Surveys to Implement E.O. 12862.

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. Customer satisfaction surveys are used to gauge customer perceptions of VA services as well as customer expectations and desires.

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 November 1, 2006, at pages 64335-64338.

Affected Public:

Individuals or households and businesses or other for-profits.

Listing of Survey Activities

Year

Number of

respondents

Estimated annual

burden

Frequency of response (hours)

Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction With the VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process—20 Minutes

2007

24,000

8,000

One-time.

2008

24,000

8,000

One-time.

2009

24,000

8,000

One-time.

Survey of Veterans'/Dependents' and Servicemembers' Satisfaction With the VA Education Claims Process—20 Minutes

2007

2,968

989

One-time.

2008

2,968

989

One-time.

2009

2,968

989

One-time.

Survey of Educational Institution Certifying Officials—20 Minutes

2007

1,000

333

One-time.

2008

1,000

333

One-time.

2009

1,000

333

One-time.

Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction With the VA Home Loan Guaranty Process—10 Minutes

2007

7,560

1,260

One-time.

2008

7,560

1,260

One-time.

2009

7,560

1,260

One-time.

VA Loan Guaranty Lender Satisfaction Survey—20 Minutes

2007

1,992

498

One-time.

2008

1,992

498

One-time

2009

1,992

498

One-time.

VA Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction With the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program—20 Minutes

2007

3,300

1,100

One-time.

2008

3,300

1,100

One-time.

2009

3,300

1,100

One-time.

Insurance Customer Surveys—6 Minutes

2007

2,800

280

One-time.

2008

2,800

280

One-time.

2009

2,800

280

One-time.

Outreach Surveys—15 Minutes

2007

4,500

1,125

One-time.

2008

4,500

1,125

One-time.

2009

4,500

1,125

One-time.

Undetermined Focus Groups (Targeted population groups are to be decided)—2 Hours

2007

380

760

One-time.

2008

380

760

One-time.

2009

380

760

One-time.

Telephone Survey—7 Minutes

2007

6,400

747

One-time.

2008

6,400

747

One-time.

2009

6,400

747

One-time.

VA Regional Office-Based Survey Activities

Year

Number of respondents

Estimated annual burden (hours)

Frequency of response

Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups—3 Hours

2007

360

1,080

One-time.

2008

360

1,080

One-time.

2009

360

1,080

One-time.

VA Regional Office-Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)—5 Minutes

2007

40,000

3,333

One-time.

2008

40,000

3,333

One-time.

2009

40,000

3,333

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.

Anyone may view the results of previously administered surveys on the internet by going to the following VBA surveys Web site:

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.

Dated: December 26, 2006.

By direction of the Secretary.

Denise McLamb,

Program Analyst, Initiative Coordination Service.

[FR Doc. E6-22656 Filed 1-5-07; 8:45 am]

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