[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 108 (Thursday, June 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30930-30932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-14665]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0569]


Proposed Information Collection Activity: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Revision

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain 
information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 
1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 
days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits 
comments on requirements relating to customer satisfaction surveys.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before August 4, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information to 
Lynne R. Heltman, Veterans Benefits Administration (243F), Department 
of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, N.W, Washington, DC 20420. 
Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0569'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne R. Heltman at (202) 273-5440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA of 1995 (Public Law 104-13; 44 
U.S.C., 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being 
made pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
    With respect to the following collection of information, VBA 
invites comments on: (1) whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of VBA's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of VBA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology.
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Veterans Benefits Administration 
Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0569.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The 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. The 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.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, non-profit 
organizations, educational institutions, veterans' service 
organizations, and businesses or other for-profits.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   Estimated                                    
                     Year                          Number of     annual burden        Frequency of response     
                                                  respondents       (hours)                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction With the VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................          22,800           5,700  One-time.                       
1998..........................................          22,800           5,700  One-time.                       
1999..........................................          22,800           5,700  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups                 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             200             400  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             200             400  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             200             400  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 30931]]

                                                                                                                
                     Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction With the VA Education Claims Process                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................           4,000           1,000  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           3,200             800  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           3,200             800  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       VA Education Claims Process Focus Groups (Certifying Official Needs, Montgomery GI Bill, and Service     
                                           Organization Focus Groups)                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             140             220  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             140             220  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             140             220  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        VA Loan Customer Service Survey                                         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................           2,300             575  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           2,300             575  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         VA Loan Guaranty Lender Survey                                         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             909             303  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             909             303  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 VA Regional Office-Based Loan Guaranty Surveys                                 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             980             257  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             980             262  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             980             262  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          VA Regional Office-Based Loan Guaranty Focus Groups (Loan Servicer and Realtor Focus Groups)          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             210             960  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             210             960  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             210             960  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   VA Regional Office-Based Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Surveys                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................           2,174             384  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           2,164             506  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           2,164             506  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Insurance Customer Surveys                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................           2,160             216  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           2,808             280  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           2,808             280  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Survey of Insurance Interactive Voice Response Users                              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             200              41  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             VA Regional Office-Based Customer Satisfaction Surveys                             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................           3,912             423  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           4,056             468  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           4,056             468  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           VA Regional Office-Based Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             402             767  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             402             767  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             402             767  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   VA Regional Office Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             800           4,275  One-time.                       
1998..........................................           1,600           8,550  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           1,600           8,550  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  VA Regional Office-Based Surveys Of Specialized Population Groups (Veterans Service Officers and Persian Gulf 
                                                 War Veterans)                                                  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................             556             125  One-time.                       
1998..........................................             546             115  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             546             115  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 30932]]

                                                                                                                
   VA Regional Office-Based Focus Groups of Specialized Population Groups (Female Veterans, Minority Veterans,  
     Active Duty Military Personnel, and Separating Active Duty Military Personnel) (Note: 2-year surveys)      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997..........................................              60             120  One-time.                       
1999..........................................              60             120  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Service Survey (National Survey)                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................          11,200           5,600  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling Focus Groups (National Survey)                     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998..........................................             300             600  One-time.                       
1999..........................................             300             600  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        VA Loan Customer Service Survey                                         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................          18,400           4,600  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Survey of Educational Institutions                                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................           1,000             250  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Survey of Veterans Who Filed for an Increase in Their Service-Connected Disability Compensation         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................             500             167  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey of Veterans and Their Survivors Who Have Been Denied Claims for Service-Connected Disability Compensation
                                              or Related Benefits                                               
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................             500             167  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Survey of Military Personnel Who Are Separating From Active Duty                        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999..........................................             500             167  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Survey of Veterans Service Officers                                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998..........................................             150              50  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Undetermined Focus Groups (To Assess Issues and Canvass Population Groups Not Yet Identified)          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1998..........................................           2,000           4,000  One-time.                       
1999..........................................           2,000           4,000  One-time.                       
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Most customer satisfaction surveys will be recurring so that the 
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 the VBA's performance. The 
VBA expects to conduct 62 focus groups involving a total of 2,467 hours 
during the remainder of 1997; 282 focus groups involving an estimated 
6,947 hours in 1998; and 292 focus groups involving an estimated 7,067 
hours in 1999. In addition, the VBA expects to distribute written 
surveys with a total annual burden of approximately 13,308 hours in 
1997, 17,559 hours in 1998, and 27,683 hours in 1999. The grand totals 
for both focus groups and written surveys are--15,775 hours in 1997, 
24,506 hours in 1998, and 34,750 hours in 1999.
    The areas of concern to the 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 
and focus groups. Participation in the surveys and focus groups 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. The VBA will consult with OMB regarding 
each specific information collection during this approval period.

    Dated: May 14, 1997.

    By direction of the Secretary
Donald L. Neilson,
Director, Information Management Service.
[FR Doc. 97-14665 Filed 6-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P