A-11 Fast-Track Clearance Request VA.gov

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for Improving Customer
Experience (OMB Circular A-11, Section 280 Implementation)” (OMB
Control Number: 2900-0876)
TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: VA.gov A-11 Surveys
PURPOSE
Collect metrics related to the pillar of “trust” as an overall customer experience metric on VA.gov.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Users of VA.gov
TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)
[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form
[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software
[ ] Focus Group

[X] Customer Satisfaction Survey
[ ] Small Discussion Group
[ ] Other: ______________________

CERTIFICATION:
I certify the following to be true:
1. The collection is voluntary.
2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.
3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal
agencies.
4. Personally identifiable information (PII) is collected only to the extent necessary and is not
retained.
5. Information gathered is intended to be used for general service improvement and program
management purposes.
6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have
experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.
7. All or a subset of information may be released as part of A-11, Section 280 requirements on
performance.gov. Additionally, summaries of the data may be released to the public in
communications to Congress, the media and other releases disseminated by VEO, consistent
with the Information Quality Act.
Name: Evan Albert, Director of Measurement and Data Analytics (Acting), Veterans Experience
Office [email protected] (202) 875-478

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:
Personally Identifiable Information:

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1. Will this survey use individualized links, through which VA can identify particular
respondents even if they do not provide their name or other personally identifiable
information on the survey? [ X ] Yes [] No
2. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No
3. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the
Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No [N/A]
4. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No
[N/A]
Gifts or Payments:
Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to
participants? [ ] Yes [ X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent

Individuals & Households
VA Form (if applicable)
Totals

No. of
Respondents

Participation
Time
( X minutes =)

Burden
(÷ 60 =)

300,000 annually

3

15,000

300,000 annually

3

15,000

Please answer the following questions.
1. Are you conducting a focus group, a survey that does not employ random sampling,
user testing or any data collection method that does not employ statistical methods?

[ ] Yes [X] No
If Yes, please answer questions 1a-1c, 2 and 3.
If No, please answer or attach supporting documentation that answers questions 2-8.
a. Please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of
respondents and how you will select them.

b. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)
[X] Web-based or other forms of Social Media
[ ] Telephone
[ ] In-person
[ ] Mail
[ ] Other- E-mail-based surveys
c. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ X ] No

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2. Please provide an estimated annual cost to the Federal government to conduct this data
collection: $72,000
3. Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.
This includes questionnaires, interviewer manuals (if using interviewers or facilitators), all
response options for questions that require respondents to select a response from a group of
options, invitations given to potential respondents, instructions for completing the data
collection or additional follow-up requests for the data collection.
Done.
4. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any
sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used. Data on the number of entities
(e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the
universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in
tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample.
Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been
conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.
No sampling plan for this survey. Potential respondents will receive a link to the survey after
accessing the VA.Gov portal.

5. Describe the procedures for the collection of information, including:
a. Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection.
b. Estimation procedure.
c. Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification.
d. Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures.
e. Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce
burden.
No sampling plan for this survey. Potential respondents will receive a link to the survey after
accessing the VA.Gov portal.

6. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of nonresponse. The
accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended
uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any
collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.
No sampling plan for this survey. Potential respondents will receive a link to the survey after
accessing the VA.Gov portal.

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7. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an
effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve
utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more
respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in
combination with the main collection of information.
No sampling plan for this survey. Potential respondents will receive a link to the survey after
accessing the VA.Gov portal.

8. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the
design and the name of the agency unit, contractors, grantees, or other person(s) who will
actually collect or analyze the information for the agency.
Statistical Aspects:
Mark Andrews, Statistician, Veterans Experience Office, VA. (703)
483-5305
Collection and Analysis: Evan Albert, Director of Measurement and Data Analytics,
Veterans Experience Office, VA (202) 875-9478
Kevin Hoffman, OIT Digital Services Expert, (732) 278-4842
,

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