[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64425-64427]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28365]


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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.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501-20), 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 December 12, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Denise 
McLamb, Records Management Service (005E3), Department of Veterans 
Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8030, 
FAX (202) 273-5981 or e-mail: [email protected]. Please refer 
to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0569.''
    Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the 
information collection 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.

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,

[[Page 64426]]

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 September 2, 2003, at pages 52270-52272.

                                           National Survey Activities
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                                                                  Estimated
                     Year                         Number of    annual  burden        Frequency of  response
                                                 respondents       (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................          24,000           7,920  One-time.
2005.........................................          24,000           7,920  One-time.
2006.........................................          24,000           7,920  One-time.
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      Survey of Veterans'/Dependents' and Servicemembers' Satisfaction with the VA Education Claims Process
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           2,968             979  One-time.
2005.........................................           2,968             979  One-time.
2006.........................................           2,968             979  One-time.
----------------------------------------------
                             Survey of Educational Institution Certifying Officials
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005.........................................           1,000             330  One-time.
2006.........................................           1,000             330  One-time.
----------------------------------------------
                     Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the VA Home Loan Guaranty Process
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           7,560           1,262  One-time.
2005.........................................           7,560           1,262  One-time.
2006.........................................           7,560           1,262  One-time.
----------------------------------------------
                                   VA Loan Guaranty Lender Satisfaction Survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           1,992             498  One-time.
2005.........................................           1,992             498  One-time.
2006.........................................           1,992             498  One-time.
----------------------------------------------
           VA Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           3,300           1,089  One-time.
2005.........................................           3,300           1,089  One-time.
2006.........................................           3,300           1,089  One-time.
----------------------------------------------
                                           Insurance Customer Surveys
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           2,800             280  One-time.
2005.........................................           2,800             280  One-time.
2006.........................................           2,800             280  One-time.
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                    Undetermined Focus Groups (Targeted population groups are to be decided)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................             500           1,000  One-time.
2005.........................................             500           1,000  One-time.
2006.........................................             500           1,000  One-time.
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                                                Telephone Survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................           7,200           1,224  One-time.
2005.........................................           7,200           1,224  One-time.
2006.........................................           7,200           1,224  One-time.
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                  VA Regional Office-Based Survey Activities Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................             600           1,800  One-time.
2005.........................................             600           1,800  One-time.
2006.........................................             600           1,800  One-time.
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[[Page 64427]]

 
                   VA Regional Office-Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004.........................................          80,000           6,640  One-time.
2005.........................................          80,000           6,640  One-time.
2006.........................................          80,000           6,640  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 
80,000 comment cards involving a total of 6,640 hours each year for 
2004, 2005, and 2006. In addition, VBA expects to distribute written 
surveys with a total annual burden of approximately 16,052 hours in 
2004, 16,382 hours in 2005, and 16,382 hours in 2005. The grand totals 
for the focus groups, comment cards, and written surveys are 22,692 
hours in 2004, 23,022 hours in 2005, and 23,022 hours in 2006.
    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: November 3, 2003.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Jacqueline Parks,
IT Specialist, Records Management Service.
[FR Doc. 03-28365 Filed 11-12-03; 8:45 am]
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