80 FR 29158 - Proposed Information Collection (Application for Accreditation as Service Organization Representative) Activity: Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 97 (May 20, 2015)

The Office of General Counsel (OGC), 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 revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information needed to determine accredited service organization representatives' qualifications to represent claimants before VA.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29158-29159]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12212]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0018]


Proposed Information Collection (Application for Accreditation as 
Service Organization Representative) Activity: Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of General Counsel (OGC), 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 revision of a 
currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in 
response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on information 
needed to determine accredited service organization representatives' 
qualifications to represent claimants before VA.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before July 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through www.Regulations.gov or to Dana Raffaelli, Office of the General 
Counsel (022O), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20420 or email to [email protected]. Please refer 
to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0018'' in any correspondence. During the 
comment period, comments may be viewed online through the Federal 
Docket Management System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Raffaelli at (202) 461-7699 or 
FAX (202) 273-6404.

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, OGC 
invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of OGC's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of OGC'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: Application for Accreditation as Service Organization 
Representative, VA Form 21; Accreditation Cancellation Information.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0018.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection and 
modification to the collection.
    Abstract: Service organizations are required to file an application 
with VA to establish eligibility for accreditation for representatives 
of that organization to represent benefit claimants before VA. VA Form 
21 is completed by service organizations to establish accreditation for 
representatives, recertify the qualifications of accredited 
representatives.
    Organizations requesting cancellation of a representative's 
accreditation based on misconduct or incompetence or resignation to 
avoid cancellation of accreditation based upon misconduct or 
incompetence, are required to inform VA of the specific reason for the 
cancellation request. VA will use the information collected to 
determine whether service organizations representatives continue to 
meet regulatory eligibility requirements to ensure claimants have 
qualified representatives to assist in the preparation, presentation 
and prosecution of their claims for benefits. VA is modifying the 
collection to include an optional request to permit the organization to 
provide an email address and phone number in which the representative 
may be reached. VA believes that the additional contact information 
pertaining to the organization will be helpful in that it provides an 
additional means of communication between VA and the organization as 
well as provides an additional way that Veterans and their family may 
contact the representative. The organization may choose to provide a 
general phone number and email address for the organization, e.g., 
[email protected], or the representative's individual email address through 
the organization and direct phone number, e.g., [email protected] 
does not anticipate the modification request will result in an 
additional burden. VA believes that the organizations already have the 
information available to them,

[[Page 29159]]

and adding that information to the form should not take additional 
time. This is supported by the fact that many organizations are already 
providing the additional contact information. Finally, this request 
will be optional.
    Affected Public: Not-for profit institutions.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 782 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 15 minutes for new 
applicants, 10 minutes for recertification, and 30 minutes for 
accreditation cancellation information responses.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,157 (2962 new applicants, 170 
recertification, and 25 accreditation cancellation information 
responses).

    By direction of the Secretary.
Crystal Rennie,
Department Clearance Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-12212 Filed 5-19-15; 8:45 am]
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