2023-03833. Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Application for Accreditation as Service Organization Representative

AGENCY:

Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, this notice announces that the Office of General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit 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:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0018.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise and Integration, Data Governance Analytics (008), 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006, [phone] or email [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0018” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority:38 U.S.C. 5901, 5902, 5904; 38 CFR 14.629, 14.633.

Title: Application for Accreditation as Service Organization Representative.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0018.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved 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 and recertify the qualifications of accredited representatives.

Organizations requesting cancellation of a representative's accreditation based on misconduct, 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.

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 at: Volume 87, No. 227, Monday, November 28, 2022, pages 73073 and 73074.

Affected Public: Individuals, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local, or tribal governments.

Estimated Annual Burden: 1,010 hours (750 hours for new applicants, 250 hours for recertifications, and 10 hours for accreditation cancellation information responses).

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 13 minutes (15 minutes for new applicants, 10 minutes for recertifications, and 60 minutes for accreditation cancellation information responses).

Frequency of Response: One time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,510 (3,000 new applicants, 1,500 recertifications, and 10 accreditation cancellation information responses).

By direction of the Secretary.

Maribel Aponte,

VA PRA Clearance Officer, Office of Enterprise and Integration, Data Governance Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.