[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36515-36516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16220]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Evaluation of
Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit Redemption Through Online
Transactions for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on this proposed information collection. This collection is a new
collection to test the feasibility of online purchasing for SNAP
through Evaluation of Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit
Redemption through Online Transactions for the USDA. The final report
will synthesize findings across pilots and detailed appendix chapters
will integrate implementation and integrity evaluation findings for
each pilot. This collection includes in-depth interviews with key
informants, including SNAP online retailers and their web service
providers, the designated third-party processor for the pilots, EBT
processors, and State Agency EBT coordinators; and preparation and
transmission of data from retailers and their web service providers,
EBT processors, the third-party processor, and state SNAP agencies.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 28,
2018.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Eric Williams, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to
the attention of Eric Williams at 703-305-2576 or 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
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Eric
Williams at 703-305-2576.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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
that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be 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.
Title: Evaluation of Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit
Redemption through Online Transactions for the USDA Food and Nutrition
Service.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
offers nutrition assistance to low-income individuals and families and
provides economic benefits to communities. The Agricultural Act of 2014
(Farm Bill) mandated the Online Purchasing Pilots to test the
feasibility and implications of allowing retail food stores to accept
SNAP benefits through online transactions. Prior to the pilots, SNAP
benefits could only be redeemed in person. The Farm Bill provided FNS
and its stakeholders an opportunity to begin modernizing benefit
redemption through online purchasing for SNAP. For customers using
SNAP, online shopping may increase access to healthy and affordable
foods, save time, and reduce other barriers to better nutrition.
Current participating retailers can offer online shopping, and online
merchants can gain the opportunity to serve SNAP customers. For program
integrity, online shopping represents opportunities to identify
suspicious behavior, but also new ways that benefit misuse and fraud
may occur.
To test the feasibility of online purchasing for SNAP, FNS
established eight online purchasing pilots and requested volunteers on
September 15, 2016 (OMB Control No.: 0584-0606, expiration date 3/31/
2019) for the Evaluation of Technology Modernization for SNAP Benefit
Redemption through Online Transactions (Evaluation of Online Purchasing
Pilots). Through this evaluation, FNS seeks to learn how the pilots
operate, the implementation challenges and lessons learned, the
characteristics of SNAP online customers, the risks and benefits of
online purchasing for the integrity of SNAP, and the requirements for
expansion.
Through the Evaluation of Online Purchasing Pilots, the research
team will address FNS' two interrelated objectives: the analyses of the
pilots' (1) implementation and (2) integrity. Implementation study
questions relate to: The SNAP online transaction approaches; the
process, challenges, and lessons of implementation; the characteristics
of SNAP households that shop online; and the level of effort for
stakeholders (e.g., retailers, states, EBT processors). Integrity study
questions focus on: Delivery patterns and their relationship to
customer addresses and retailer locations; customer profiles and their
relationship to EBT cards and SNAP households; customer shopping
patterns; and problems such as refunds and cart abandonment. To meet
these two overarching objectives, the research team will collect and
analyze qualitative data from key informants and quantitative
administrative data about online transactions, retailers, and SNAP
households that will be provided by FNS, retailers, and state SNAP
agencies. The implementation and integrity analyses will inform FNS'
decisions about whether and how to make SNAP online purchases more
widely available, and how to ensure that protections against abuse
remain strong or grow stronger. Eight retailers in eight states are
participating in the pilot, we anticipate 100 percent participation.
Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Agencies; Business-for-
profit.
Respondent Types: The study includes in-depth interviews with a
total of four respondent groups. Three are business respondents: (1)
Personnel from online retailers, including project managers, customer
service managers,
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staff who handle fulfillment of orders, IT personnel or third-party web
service providers; (2) EBT processor staff; and (3) third-party
processor staff. The fourth state SNAP agency staff, including State
Agency EBT coordinators. Staff from two of these respondent groups
(retailers or their third-party web service providers and state SNAP
agencies) will also provide data files for the quantitative analysis.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 177. This includes: 24 retailer staff who handle the
fulfillment, shipping, and delivery of EBT customer orders; 24 retailer
customer service managers; 16 retailer IT personnel or third-party web
service providers; 32 retailer project managers; 16 retailer personnel
who completed the pilot application; 8 retailer/web provider data
managers; 8 retailer/web provider staff who will prepare and transfer
the detailed transaction file; 8 retailer/web provider staff who will
prepare and transfer the aggregated file; 6 EBT processor managers; 3
third-party processor personnel; 16 State agency EBT coordinators; 8
State Agency SNAP program or data staff.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The total estimated
number of responses is 2.232 responses per respondent. Retailer
personnel (personnel who handle the fulfillment, shipping, and delivery
of EBT customer orders, customer service managers, IT personnel or
third-party web service providers, project managers, and personnel who
completed the pilot application) will respond to one in-person
interview or one telephone interview. Managers for two EBT processors
will respond to one in-person interview and two telephone interviews
for a total of three responses each. Third-party processor managers
will respond to one in-person interview and two telephone interviews.
State EBT coordinators will respond to one in-person interview.
Retailer or web provider data managers will participate in three
meetings to discuss the format and transfer of each of two types of
files (detailed transaction file and aggregated file). These
respondents will transmit detailed and aggregated data files nine
times. State agency SNAP program or data staff will each participate in
discussion and initial programming of the SNAP case record file data
transfer once and provide eight update files.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 395.
Estimated Time per Response: 1.6 hours is the average estimated
time per participant. However, response times varies from 1 hour to 21
hours per response and depending on respondent group, as shown in the
table below.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 37,800 minutes (630
hours). See the table below for estimated total annual burden for each
type of respondent.
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Estimated
Estimated Responses Total annual average number Estimated
Respondent number annually per responses of hours per total hours
respondent respondent response
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Retailer personnel who handle 24 1.00 24.00 1.00000 24.000
the fulfillment, shipping, and
delivery of EBT customer orders
Retailer customer service 24 1.00 24.00 1.00000 24.000
managers.......................
Retailer IT personnel or third- 16 1.00 16.00 1.00000 16.000
party web service provider
personnel......................
Retailer project managers....... 32 1.00 32.00 1.50000 48.000
Retailer personnel who completed 16 1.00 16.00 1.00000 16.000
the pilot application..........
Retailer/web provider data 8 3.00 24.00 2.00000 48.000
managers who will participate
in file transfer discussion....
Retailer/web provider staff who 8 9.00 72.00 1.00000 72.000
will prepare and transfer the
detailed transaction file......
Retailer/web provider staff who 8 9.00 72.00 1.00000 72.000
will prepare and transfer the
aggregated file................
Third-Party processor personnel. 3 3.00 9.00 2.00000 18.000
EBT processor managers.......... 6 3.00 18.00 2.00000 36.000
State agency EBT coordinators... 16 1.00 16.00 1.00000 16.000
State agency SNAP program/data 8 1.00 8.00 21.00000 168.000
staff who will participate in
file transfer discussion and
initial programming............
State agency SNAP program/data 8 8.00 64.00 1.00000 64.000
staff..........................
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Total Reporting Burden...... 177 .............. 395 .............. 622
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Dated: July 19, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-16220 Filed 7-27-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P