2900-0548 justification Part B

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Information

1. Approximate Potential Respondent Universe

The VA Form 0745 is distributed to appellants at the close of a hearing before a VLJ. In Fiscal Year 2010, the Board conducted 13,515 hearings and 655 appellants returned a completed hearing survey to the Board (i.e., a five percent return rate). As discussed in the answers to questions 12 and 14, VA estimates that it will distribute approximately 13,000 hearing surveys per year (i.e., one card per hearing), and that 650 completed surveys (i.e., five percent) will be returned to the Board per year.

2. Procedure for Information Collection

The hearing survey card, which is attached to a pre-paid envelope, is made available to appellants at the close of hearings before a VLJ. Thereafter, appellants are free to return their anonymous hearing survey response at their convenience, if they so desire.

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates

The hearing surveys are designed to be easy to read and complete, allowing the respondent to answer seven of the eight questions by merely checking a box. In this regard, the hearing survey requests the minimal amount of information necessary to determine a respondent’s level of satisfaction with his/her hearing. Additionally, the hearing surveys are attached to a pre-paid postage envelope, making it easy for the respondent to return the survey once it is completed.

4. Testing Methods and Procedures

The survey questions and format were created by referencing similar VA survey tests conducted in the past. Testing involved several BVA employees who determined the readability and clarity of the survey instrument and estimated the average survey completion time to be six minutes.