[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56646-56648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22253]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State
Issuance and Participation Estimates--Forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment a
summary of a proposed information collection. This is a revision of a
currently approved collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) forms: FNS-388, State Issuance and Participation
Estimates and FNS-388A, Project Area Data Format. FNS plans to update
form FNS-388, to separately capture and differentiate Disaster
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefit issuance and
participation data from ongoing SNAP issuance and participation data.
This form update will clearly distinguish D-SNAP data from ongoing SNAP
data, thereby ensuring the speed and accuracy of FNS response to
requests from multiple agencies on contributions to Federal disaster
relief efforts. There are no changes to form FNS-388A.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 12,
2013.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be
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collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
818, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via email to
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the
federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Kelly
Stewart at 703-305-2425.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: State Issuance and Participation Estimates.
Form Number: FNS-388 and FNS-388A.
OMB Number: 0584-0081.
Expiration Date: July 31, 2016.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act, (the Act) 7
U.S.C. 2027(b), limits the value of allotments paid to SNAP households
to an amount not in excess of the appropriation for the fiscal year. If
allotments in any fiscal year would exceed the appropriation, the
Secretary of Agriculture is required to direct State agencies to reduce
the value of SNAP allotments to the extent necessary to stay within
appropriated funding limits. Timely State monthly issuance estimates
are necessary for FNS to ensure that it remains within the
appropriation. The estimates will also have a direct effect upon the
manner in which allotments would be reduced if necessary. While benefit
reductions have never been ordered in the past under Section 18(b) nor
are they anticipated based on current data, the Department must
continue to monitor actual program costs against the appropriation.
Section 11(e)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C.
2020(e)(12), requires that the State Plan of Operations provide for the
submission of reports required by the Secretary of Agriculture. State
agencies are required to report on a monthly basis on the FNS-388,
State Issuance and Participation Estimates, estimated or actual
issuance and participation data for the current month and previous
month, and actual participation data for the second preceding month.
The FNS-388 report provides the necessary data for an early warning
system to enable the Department to monitor actual and estimated costs
for all benefit types against the appropriation.
Disaster SNAP is authorized by sections 402 and 502 of the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5121 et seq.) and the temporary emergency provisions contained in
Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and in 7 CFR Part 280
of the SNAP regulations. State agencies may request FNS approval to
operate a Disaster SNAP in an area that has received a Presidential
declaration as a Major Disaster area eligible for Individual
Assistance. In accordance with 7 CFR 274.4, State agencies shall keep
records and report SNAP participation and issuance totals to FNS.
FNS currently requires State agencies to report Disaster SNAP
issuance and participation data using form FNS-292B Report of Disaster
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Issuance. Form FNS-
292B must be submitted to the agency within 45 days of the termination
of a Disaster SNAP operation and captures final issuance and
participation data. The information collection burden for the FNS-292B
is included in OMB 0584-0037, expiration date July 31, 2014.
States operating D-SNAP may also use the ``remarks'' section of the
current FNS-388 form to indicate issuance and participation data,
however this is not required and is currently not reported consistently
or in a uniform manner that allows FNS to readily access this
information. However, recent evaluation of Federal disaster response
efforts has identified a critical need for timely periodic reporting
while a disaster response is ongoing. Disaster response updates are
frequently requested by the Secretary of Agriculture, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, the White House and Congress during an
ongoing relief effort. Updating the FNS-388, to include separate
reporting of D-SNAP benefit issuance and participation will improve
data accountability and ensure data is available on a monthly basis for
timely response to Federal, State and other inquiries. Requiring
monthly D-SNAP data on the FNS-388, will not duplicate any data
collection currently in place, as the FNS-292B, serves as a final
summary and closeout of the disaster response period and is not meant
to provide periodic updates.
Revisions to the FNS-388, are not yet finalized, however the
following updates are projected:
Addition of data elements ``D-SNAP (New Households)'' and
``Disaster Supplements (Ongoing SNAP Households)'' in the Issuance
section. ``Current Month'' data will not be required for these
elements.
Addition of data elements ``D-SNAP (New Participants)''
and ``Disaster Supplements (Ongoing SNAP Participants)'' in the
Participants section. ``Current Month'' data will not be required for
these elements.
Addition of data elements ``D-SNAP (New Households)'' and
``Disaster Supplements (Ongoing SNAP Households)'' in the Households
section. ``Current Month'' data will not be required for these
elements.
The update to form FNS-388, is occurring in coordination with an
update to form FNS-46, Issuance Reconciliation Report (OMB 0584-0080,
expiration date March 31, 2014) to incorporate separate D-SNAP benefit
issuance data points that mirror those collected on the FNS-388. The
alignment of these two forms will ensure that the monthly D-SNAP
benefit issuance data collected on the FNS-388, will have associated
and corresponding final issuance reconciliations on the FNS-46.
State agencies in general only submit one statewide FNS-388 per
month, which covers benefits from their Electronic Benefit Transfer
(EBT) system. The exception is State agencies which choose to operate
an approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as a cash-
out system submit a separate report for each additional type of
issuance system. The addition of D-SNAP estimates on FNS-388, will not
impact the frequency of response or recordkeeping, but the update will
minimally increase the burden associated with completing the form. As
there are an average of six disasters requiring D-SNAP issuance each
year, this change will not impact all States in all months. As a result
of these program changes, FNS estimates the burden hours associated
with completing the FNS-388, will increase by 30 minutes for each State
responding to a disaster (estimated at 6). This will increase the time
per response from 5.6 to an average of 5.65 per month ([(5.6*47) +
(6*6)]/53) thereby increasing the total reporting burden hours for the
FNS-388 to 3,389.8.
[[Page 56648]]
In addition, State agencies are required to submit a project area
breakdown on the FNS-388, of issuance and participation data twice a
year. The project area breakdown attached to the FNS-388, twice a year
is known as the FNS-388A. This data is useful in identifying project
areas that operate fraud detection units in accordance with the Act.
The information provided on FNS-388A, will not change and the burden
associated with this form remains as is.
As of August 2013, 100 percent of respondents submitted the FNS-388
and FNS-388A data electronically.
Affected Public: State agencies that administer SNAP.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 27.17.
Estimated Hours per Response: 3.602.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,440.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The current burden
inventory for this collection is 5,157. This revised annual reporting
and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081, is estimated to be
5,186.6 hours. For the FNS-388, the response time has increased
slightly from an estimated 5.6 hours per month to 5.71. This results in
a burden increase of 29.6 hours annually. See the table below for
estimated total annual burden for each type of respondent.
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Time per
Affected public Forms Number of Frequency of Total annual response Annual burden
respondents response responses (hrs) hours
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State Agencies............................. FNS-388...................... 53 11.32 600 5.65 3,389.8
FNS-388A..................... 53 2.26 120 14.83 1,779.6
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Reporting Burden....................... ............................. 53 ............. 720 ............. 5,169.4
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Time per Annual
Affected public Forms Number of Frequency of Total annual response recordkeeping
record-keepers response records (hrs) hours
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State Agencies............................. FNS-388....................... 53 11.32 600 .024 14.4
FNS-388A...................... 53 2.26 120 .024 2.88
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Record-keeping Burden.................. .............................. 53 ............. 720 ............. 17.28
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Grand Total........................ .............................. 53 27.170 1,440 3.602 5,186.6
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Dated: September 5, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-22253 Filed 9-12-13; 8:45 am]
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