[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 211 (Wednesday, November 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64335-64338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18418]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0569]


Proposed Information Collection Activity: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is announcing an 
opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain

[[Page 64336]]

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 requirements relating to customer satisfaction 
surveys.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before January 2, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through http://www.Regulations.gov: or to Nancy Kessinger, Veterans 
Benefits Administration (20M35), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 
Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420 or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0569'' 
in any correspondence. During the comment period, comments may be 
viewed online through the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at 
http://www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Kessinger at (202) 273-7079 or 
FAX (202) 275-5947.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 
U.S.C. 3501-3521), 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: 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.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households and businesses or other 
for-profits.

                                          Listing of Survey Activities
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Number of
                  Year                      respondents     Estimated annual burden      Frequency of response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the VA Compensation and Pension Claims Process--20 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................          24,000  8,000 hours...............  One-time.
2008....................................          24,000  8,000 hours...............  One-time.
2009....................................          24,000  8,000 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Survey of Veterans'/Dependents' and Servicemembers' Satisfaction with the VA Education Claims Process--20
                                                     minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           2,968  989 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           2,968  989 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           2,968  989 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Survey of Educational Institution Certifying Officials--20 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           1,000  333 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           1,000  333 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           1,000  333 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the VA Home Loan Guaranty Process--10 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           7,560  1,260 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           7,560  1,260 hours...............  One-time
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           7,560  1,260 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             VA Loan Guaranty Lender Satisfaction Survey--20 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           1,992  498 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           1,992  498 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           1,992  498 hours.................  One-time.
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     VA Survey of Veterans' Satisfaction with the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Program--20 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           3,300  1,100 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           3,300  1,100 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           3,300  1,100 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Insurance Customer Surveys--6 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           2,800  280 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           2,800  280 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           2,800  280 hours.................  One-time.
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                                          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 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................             380  760 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................             380  760 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Telephone Survey--7 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................           6,400  747 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................           6,400  747 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................           6,400  747 hours.................  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             VA Regional Office-Based Survey Activities Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups--3 hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................             360  1,080 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................             360  1,080 hours...............  One-time.
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2009....................................             360  1,080 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              VA Regional Office-Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)--5 minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007....................................          40,000  3,333 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008....................................          40,000  3,333 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009....................................          40,000  3,333 hours...............  One-time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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    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

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consult with OMB regarding each specific information collection during 
this approval period.

    Dated: October 19, 2006.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Denise McLamb,
Program Analyst, Initiative Coordination Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-18418 Filed 10-31-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P