Summary of Changes in OMB Justification

Summary of Changes in OMB Justification

8-23-06

A revised OMB clearance package was prepared incorporating the revised sampling plan and other supporting materials. At the time of the submission of that package, one of the surveys for which clearance is required, the National Veterans Service Officer (VSOs), was not yet developed. Rather than delay receiving clearance for the other surveys in this package (of Veterans and Survivors), it was agreed by all parties that the submitted package would describe all three surveys (justification and statistical methods) but only contain the completed survey instruments for Veterans and Survivors. OMB subsequently approved these two developed surveys, and postponed its review of the VSO survey until it was developed and pre-tested. The VSO survey has now been developed, pre-tested and further refined. The Veterans Disability Commission is now submitting the VSO survey along with some updates and amendments to the justification and statistical methods for OMB clearance of the VSO survey through this updated submission package.

The VSO survey instrument has been provided as an attachment to OMB. Below are the substantive changes in the justification to accommodate changes based on the development of the VSO survey:

p. 2 – At the conclusion of the project only VA data will be returned to VA. The survey will be distributed by email and by mail.

p.6 – Clarification that CNA analysts will only have access to aggregated data.

p. 9 – The timeline for fielding and completed the survey has been updated.

p. 13-14 – The section describing the VSO survey contains multiple changes regarding its general purpose and main areas of focus.

p. 19 – The population and sample of the VSO’s is discussed.

p. 20 – Response rate discussed.

p. 22 – Methodology for conducting the survey with VSO’s.

p. 25 – The non-response analysis plan to be conducted for the VSO survey is included. The results of this analysis will be shared with OMB.

p. 26 – Pre-test plan for the VSO survey. Note that the pre-test was conducted on August 2 and 4 and the survey was refined using that input.