[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44563-44565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19175]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0571]


Proposed Information Collection Activity: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 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 extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 
60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice 
solicits comments on the burden estimates relating to customer 
satisfaction surveys involving the National Cemetery Administration 
(NCA), and the Office of Inspector General (IG).

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before September 29, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information to 
Ronald Cheich, National Cemetery Administration (402A), Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420 or e-
mail [email protected]. Please refer

[[Page 44564]]

to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0571'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Cheich at (202) 273-8087.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 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, VA invites 
comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of VA's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of VA'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 National Cemetery Administration 
(NCA), and the Office of Inspector General (IG) Customer Satisfaction 
Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0571.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: 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. NCA, and IG 
use 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 VA 
service delivery by helping to shape the direction and focus of 
specific programs and services.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, Business or Other For-
Profit and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Listing of Survey Activities: The following list of activities is a 
compendium of customer satisfaction survey plans by the NCA, and IG. 
The actual conduct of any particular activity listed could be affected 
by circumstances. A change in, or refinement of, our focus in a 
specific area, as well as resource constraints could require deletion 
or substitution of any listed item. If these organizations substitute 
or propose to add a new activity that falls under the umbrella of this 
generic approval, including those activities that are currently in a 
planning stage, OMB will be notified and will be furnished a copy of 
pertinent materials, a description of the activity and number of burden 
hours involved. NCA, and IG will conduct periodic reviews of ongoing 
survey activities to ensure that they comply with the PRA.

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                                                            Estimated
                  Year                      Number of     annual burden                 Frequency
                                           respondents       (hours)
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                                       I. National Cemetery Administration
                 Focus Groups With Next of Kin (10 participants per group/3 hours each session)
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2004...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2005...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2006...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
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              Focus Groups With Funeral Directors (10 participants per group/3 hours each session)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2005...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2006...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
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        Focus Groups With Veterans Service Organizations (10 participants per group/3 hours each session)
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2004...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2005...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
2006...................................              50             150  5 Groups Annually.
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                  Visitor Comments Cards (Local Use) (2,500 respondents/5 minutes per response)
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2004...................................           2,500             208  Annually.
2005...................................           2,500             208  Annually.
2006...................................           2,500             208  Annually.
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     Next of Kin National Customer Satisfaction Survey (Mail to 10,000 respondents/30 minutes per response)
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2004...................................          15,000           7,500  Annually.
2005...................................          15,000           7,500  Annually.
2006...................................          15,000           7,500  Annually.
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   Funeral Directors National Customer Satisfaction Survey (Mail to 1,000 respondents/30 minutes per response)
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2004...................................           4,000           2,000  Annually.
2005...................................           4,000           2,000  Annually.
2006...................................           4,000           2,000  Annually.
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   Veterans-At-Large National Customer Satisfaction Survey (Mail to 5,000 respondents/30 minutes per response)
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2004...................................           5,000           2,500  Annually.
2005...................................           5,000           2,500  Annually.

[[Page 44565]]

 
2006...................................           5,000           2,500  Annually.
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             Program/Specialized Service Survey (Mail to 1,000 respondents/15 minutes per response)
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2004...................................           2,000             500  Annually.
2005...................................           2,000             500  Annually.
2006...................................           2,000             500  Annually.
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                                         II. Office of Inspector General
                        Patient Questionnaire (1,440 respondents/10 minutes per response)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004...................................           1,440             240  Annually.
2005...................................           1,440             240  Annually.
2006...................................           1,440             240  Annually.
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    Most customer satisfaction surveys will be recurring so that NCA, 
and IG can create and maintain ongoing measures of performance and to 
determine how well VA meets customer service standards. Each collection 
of information will consist of the minimum amount of information 
necessary to determine customer needs and to evaluate each 
organization's performance. NCA expects to conduct 15 focus groups 
annually involving a total of 450 hours during the approval period. In 
addition, NCA expects to conduct mail surveys with a total annual 
burden of 12,000 hours and will distribute comment cards with a total 
annual burden of 208 hours. NCA also plans to conduct mail surveys with 
customers of specific programs (e.g. Headstones and Markers, 
Presidential Memorial Certificates, State Veterans Cemeteries) to 
determine levels of service satisfaction. Program specific surveys are 
estimated at 500 burden hours annually during the approval period. The 
IG expects to distribute 1,440 surveys to patients with a total annual 
burden of 240 hours.

    Dated: July 8, 2003.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Loise Russell,
Acting Director, Records Management Service.
[FR Doc. 03-19175 Filed 7-28-03; 8:45 am]
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