[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 4 (Monday, January 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 846-848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22656]


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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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[[Page 847]]

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: [email protected]. 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
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                                                                  Estimated
                      Year                          Number of       annual       Frequency of response (hours)
                                                   respondents      burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        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.
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                             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.
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                                      Insurance Customer Surveys--6 Minutes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007...........................................           2,800          280  One-time.
2008...........................................           2,800          280  One-time.
2009...........................................           2,800          280  One-time.
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                                          Outreach Surveys--15 Minutes
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2007...........................................           4,500        1,125  One-time.
2008...........................................           4,500        1,125  One-time.
2009...........................................           4,500        1,125  One-time.
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                Undetermined Focus Groups (Targeted population groups are to be decided)--2 Hours
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2007...........................................             380          760  One-time.
2008...........................................             380          760  One-time.
2009...........................................             380          760  One-time.
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                                           Telephone Survey--7 Minutes
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2007...........................................           6,400          747  One-time.
2008...........................................           6,400          747  One-time.
2009...........................................           6,400          747  One-time.
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                                   VA Regional Office-Based Survey Activities
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                                                                  Estimated
                                                    Number of       annual
                      Year                         respondents      burden           Frequency of response
                                                                   (hours)
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                                   Customer Satisfaction Focus Groups--3 Hours
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2007...........................................             360        1,080  One-time.
2008...........................................             360        1,080  One-time.
2009...........................................             360        1,080  One-time.
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              VA Regional Office-Specific Service Improvement Initiatives (Comment Card)--5 Minutes
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2007...........................................          40,000        3,333  One-time.
2008...........................................          40,000        3,333  One-time.
2009...........................................          40,000        3,333  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 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]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P