[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-29302]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Allowance for Private Purchase of an Outer Burial Receptacle in 
Lieu of a Government-Furnished Graveliner for a Grave in a VA National 
Cemetery

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is updating the 
monetary allowance payable for qualifying interments that occur during 
calendar year (CY) 2021, which applies toward the private purchase of 
an outer burial receptacle (or ``graveliner'') for use in a VA national 
cemetery. The allowance is equal to the average cost of Government-
furnished graveliners less any VA administrative costs. The purpose of 
this notice is to notify interested parties of the average cost of 
Government-furnished graveliners; administrative costs that relate to 
processing and paying the allowance; and the amount of the allowance 
payable for qualifying interments that occur during CY 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. William Carter, Chief of Budget 
Execution Division, National Cemetery Administration, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420. The 
telephone number is 202-461-9764 (this is not a toll-free number).

DATES: This notice is effective January 1, 2021.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VA is authorized by 38 U.S.C. 2306(e)(3) and 
(4) to provide a monetary allowance for the private purchase of an 
outer burial receptacle for use in a VA national cemetery where its use 
is authorized. The allowance for qualified interments that occur during 
CY 2021 is the average cost of Government-furnished graveliners in 
fiscal year (FY) 2020, less the administrative cost incurred by VA in 
processing and paying the allowance in lieu of the Government-furnished 
graveliner.
    The average cost of Government-furnished graveliners is determined 
by taking VA's total cost during a fiscal year for single-depth 
graveliners that were procured for placement at the time of interment 
and dividing it by the total number of such graveliners procured by VA 
during that fiscal year. The calculation excludes both graveliners pre-
placed in gravesites as part of the cemetery gravesite development 
projects and all double-depth graveliners. Using this method of 
computation, the average cost was determined to be $381.00 for FY 2020.
    The administrative cost is based on the costs incurred by VA during 
CY 2020 that relate to processing and paying an allowance in lieu of 
the Government-furnished graveliner. This cost has been determined to 
be $9.00.
    Therefore, the allowance payable for qualifying interments 
occurring during CY 2021, is $372.00.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Brooks D. 
Tucker, Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs, 
Performing the Delegable Duties of the Chief of Staff, Department of 
Veterans Affairs, approved this document on December 31, 2020, for 
publication.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulation Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2020-29302 Filed 1-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P