[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 231 (Monday, December 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65965-65967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26043]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 231 / Monday, December 2, 2019 /
Notices
[[Page 65965]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP):
Operating Guidelines, Forms and Waivers
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 information collection. This is a revision of a currently
approved collection. This information collection consists of five
components of State agency reporting and/or recordkeeping: A budget
projection statement, a program activity report, State plans of
operation updates, waiver requests, and other plans and submissions
such as advance planning documents for information systems and for
electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before January 31, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Jane Duffield, Branch Chief, State
Administration Branch, Program Accountability and Administration
Division, 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
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Evan
Sieradzki 703-605-3212.
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: Operating Guidelines, Forms and Waivers.
OMB Number: 0584-0083.
Forms: SNAP Waiver Request Template.
Expiration Date: July 31, 2020.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 16(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the
Act) authorizes 50 percent Federal reimbursement for State agency costs
to administer the program. 7 CFR 272.2(a) of SNAP regulations states
that State agencies shall periodically plan and budget program
operations and establish objectives for the next year. The basic
components of the State Plan of Operation are the Federal/State
Agreement, the Budget Projection Statement (FNS-366A) and the Program
Activity Statement (FNS-366B) (7 CFR 272.2(a)(2)). Under 7 CFR
272.2(c), the State agency shall annually submit to FNS for approval a
Budget Projection Statement which shall contain projections for each
quarter of the next Federal Fiscal Year and a narrative justification
document explaining the assumptions used to arrive at the projections.
The reporting burden [a total of 3,876 burden hours and 267 total
annual responses] for forms FNS-366A, has 696 burden hours and 55 total
annual responses and FNS-366B has 3,180 total burden hours and 212
total annual responses) was merged in the burden for the Food Programs
Reporting System (OMB control number 0584-0594, expiration date
September 30, 2019, currently under review); therefore, reporting hours
associated with these forms are not included in this notice. However,
recordkeeping requirements for these forms remains in this OMB Control
Number. The State agency shall also submit quarterly a Program Activity
Statement soliciting a summary of Program activity for the State
agency's operations during the preceding reporting period. In addition,
certain attachments to the plan as specified in subparagraphs (c) and
(d) are to be submitted. As specified in subparagraph (f), State
agencies only have to provide FNS with changes to these attachments as
they occur. Consequently, these attachments are considered State plan
updates. Under Section 11(o) of the Act, each State agency is required
to develop and submit plans for the use of automated data processing
(ADP) and information retrieval systems to administer SNAP. Section
16(a) of the Act authorizes partial Federal reimbursement of State
costs for State ADP systems that the Secretary determines will assist
meeting the requirements of the Act, meets conditions prescribed by the
Secretary, are likely to provide more efficient and effective
administration of the program, and are compatible with certain other
Federally-funded systems. Under 7 CFR 277.18(c)(1) of SNAP regulations,
State agencies must obtain prior written approval from FNS when it
plans to enhance, replace, or acquire Information System (IS) equipment
with a total acquisition cost of $6 million or more in Federal and
State funds. The State agency must submit an Advance Planning Document
(APD) prior to acquiring planning services and an Implementation APD
prior to acquiring ADP equipment or services. Additionally, State
agencies administering SNAP may submit formal written requests, SNAP
waiver requests, to obtain approval from FNS to deviate from a specific
program rule or regulation. Current procedures require that in order
for FNS to approve a SNAP waiver request, the State agency must submit
the SNAP Waiver Request template to FNS. Due to ongoing
[[Page 65966]]
technical complications, the SNAP Workflow Information Management
(SWIM) system has been suspended however, FNS may consider its use in
the future. This suspension does not modify the currently approved
burden hours in any way and States will continue to submit the SNAP
Waiver Requests electronically via email.
Burden Estimates: The burden within this collection consists of
reporting and recordkeeping burden for the State Plan of Operation
Updates and APD Plans or Updates; and only recordkeeping burden for
forms FNS-366A and FNS-366B. The current burden is 1,095.76 hours
(1,056.04 reporting hours and 39.72 recordkeeping hours. The
calculation of the burden for each of these components is described
below:
Reporting
Reporting Burden Estimates: Affected Public: State, Local and
Tribal Government Agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.35.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 442.3.
Estimated Reporting Time per Response: 2.3876.
Estimated Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 1,056.04.
State Plan of Operation Updates. 53 State agencies submit one 1
response annually for a total of 53 annual responses. The reporting
burden for submission of updates to State Plans of Operation is 6.58
hours per respondent, resulting in estimated burden hours of 348.74 (53
x 6.58 = 348.74).
APD Plans or Updates. We estimate that up to 53 State agencies may
submit on an average of 4 APD, plan, or update submission for a total
of 212 annual responses at an average estimate of 2.5 hours per
respondent. The reporting burden is 530 hours.
SNAP Waiver Requests. FNS estimates that out of 53 State agencies
45 State will submit 3.94 of the three identified waivers annually for
a total number of 177.3 Waivers annually. Completion and submission of
these waivers take approximately 1 hour for a total of 177.3 burden
hours annually.
Reporting
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Annual
Affected public Burden activities Forms CFR citations Number of Frequency of Total annual Time per reporting
respondents response responses response (hrs) burden hours
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State Agencies.......................... Plan of Operations........ .......................... 272.2 53.00 1.00 53.00 6.58 348.74
Other APD Plan or Update.. .......................... 277.18 53.00 4.00 212.00 2.50 530.00
SNAP Waiver Requests...... SNAP Waiver Template...... 272.3(c) 45.00 3.94 177.30 1.00 177.30
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Reporting Total Burden Estimates............................................................................ 53.00 8.35 442.30 2.3876 1,056.04
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Recordkeeping
Recordkeeping Burden Estimates: Affected Public: State, Local and
Tribal Government Agencies.
Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 53.
Estimated Number of Records per Recordkeepers: 9.85.
Estimated Total Annual Records: 522.
Estimated Recordkeeping Time per Recordkeepers: 0.07609.
Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden Hours: 39.72.
FNS-366A. State agencies are required to submit to FNS for approval
a Budget Projection Statement, Form FNS-366A, which includes
projections of the total Federal costs for major areas of program
operations. There is a total of 53 recordkeepers for each activity.
Each State agency submits 1 response annually for a total of 53 annual
responses. A copy is maintained for 3 years. It takes approximately
0.05 minutes to maintain each record. Total annual recordkeeping burden
for FNS-366A is estimated at 2.65 hours annually per recordkeeper.
FNS-366B. State agencies are required to submit to FNS quarterly, a
Program Activity Statement, Form FNS-366B, providing a summary of
program activity for the State agency's operations during its preceding
quarter. Each State agency submits 4 responses annually for a total of
212 annual responses; each record takes approximately 0.05 minutes to
maintain. The annual recordkeeping burden for FNS-366B is estimated
annually at 2.65 hours per recordkeeper.
State Plan of Operation Updates. Each State agency submits 1
response annually for a total of 45 annual responses; each record takes
approximately 0.07 minutes to maintain. The annual recordkeeping burden
for updates to State Plans of Operation as attachments to the FNS-366B
is 3.15 hours per recordkeeper.
Other APD Plans and Updates. FNS estimated that up to 53 State
agencies may submit an average of 4 APD, Plan, or Update submissions
and approximately 212 records at an average estimate of 0.11 minutes
per recordkeeper for an estimated total of 23.32 recordkeeping burden
for this activity hours.
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Estimate total
Affected public Form No. or activity Number Number records annual records Hours per Total burden
recordkeepers per respondent (c x d) recordkeeper (e x f)
(b)......................... (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)
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Recordkeeping
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State Agencies............................ FNS-366A.................... 53.00 1.00 53.00 0.05 2.65
FNS-366B.................... 53.00 4.00 212.00 0.05 10.60
Plan of Operations Updates.. 45.00 1.00 45.00 0.07 3.15
Other APD Plan or Update.... 53.00 4.00 212.00 0.11 23.32
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Recordkeeping Total Burden Estimates ............................ 53.00 9.85 522.00 0.076091954 39.72
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[[Page 65967]]
Dated: November 18, 2019.
Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-26043 Filed 11-29-19; 8:45 am]
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