[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59506-59507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29487]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 213 / Wednesday, November 4, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 59506]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, 
Comment Request--Food Stamp Program: Federal Collection of State Plan 
of Operations, Operating Guidelines and Forms

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 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. The proposed collection 
is an extension of a collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584-
0083.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 4, 1999, to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of this information 
collection to Joseph H. Pinto, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food 
Stamp Program, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Copies of the estimate of the information 
collection can be obtained by contacting Mr. Pinto.
    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 will 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 collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    All comments will be summarized and included in the request for 
Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection. 
All comments will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph H. Pinto, telephone number 
(703) 305-2383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Operating Guidelines, Forms and Waivers.
    OMB Number: 0584-0083.
    Expiration Date: December, 1998.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: In accordance with section 11(e) of the Food Stamp Act of 
1977 (the Act), 7 U.S.C. 2020(e), State agencies are required to submit 
a Plan of Operation specifying the manner in which the Food Stamp 
Program will be conducted. The State Plan of Operations, in accordance 
with current rules at 7 CFR 272.2, consists of a Federal/State 
Agreement, annual budget and activity statements, and specific 
attachments (such as plans if the State elects to conduct program 
information activities or provide nutrition educational services). 
State Plans of Operation are a one-time effort with updates that are 
provided as necessary.
    Under section 16 of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2025, the Secretary is 
authorized to pay each State agency an amount equal to 50 percent of 
all administrative costs involved in each State agency's operation of 
the Food Stamp Program. Under corresponding Food Stamp Program 
regulations at 7 CFR 272.2, the State agencies must submit annually to 
FNS for approval, a Budget Projection Statement (Form FNS-366A), which 
projects the total costs for major areas of Food Stamp Program 
operations, and a Program Activity Statement (Form FNS-366B), which 
provides a summary of Food Stamp Program operations during the 
preceding fiscal year. The reports are required to substantiate the 
costs the State agency expects to incur during the next fiscal year. 
Form FNS-366A is submitted annually by August 15 for the upcoming 
fiscal year and Form FNS-366B must be submitted no later than 45 days 
after the end of each State agency's fiscal year.
    Beginning July 1997, State agencies were allowed to submit the FNS-
366B data electronically to the national database files stored in FNS' 
Food Stamp Program Integrated Information System in lieu of a paper 
report. The voluntary changeover from paper to electronic reporting of 
FNS-366B data by States was done as part of FNS' State Cooperative Data 
Exchange (SCDEX) Project. This project is being expanded over time as 
more FNS forms are transformed to electronic formats for State data 
entry. For FY 1997, the first year of FNS-366B electronic reporting, 5 
State agencies submitted the FNS-366B data electronically and 48 State 
agencies submitted paper reports.
    Under section 11(o) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2020(o), each State agency 
was required to develop a plan, no later than October 1, 1987, for 
implementing an automated data processing (ADP) and information 
retrieval system to administer the Food Stamp Program. Corresponding 
Food Stamp Program regulations at 7 CFR 277.18 require that a written 
plan of action, called an Advance Planning Document (APD), be prepared 
to acquire proposed ADP services, systems or equipment. The frequency 
of the APD submissions is at the discretion of the State agencies.
    Under section 7(i) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2016(i), the Secretary is 
authorized to permit State agencies to implement on-line electronic 
benefit transfer (EBT) systems. The Secretary is authorized to 
establish standards for the required testing prior to implementation of 
any EBT system and analysis of the results of implementation in a 
limited pilot project area before expansion of the system. Any State 
requesting funding for an EBT system must submit an APD.
    Respondents: State agencies that administer the Food Stamp Program.
    Number of Respondents: 53.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent

    Plan of Operation Updates: 53 State agencies once a year.
    Form FNS-366A: 53 State agencies once a year.
    Form FNS-366B: 53 State agencies once a year.
    Advance Planning Documents: 25 State agencies once a year.
    Advance Planning Documents for EBT Systems: 10 State agencies once 
a year.
    EBT Reporting: 41 State agencies reporting four times a year.

[[Page 59507]]

Estimate of Burden

    Plan of Operation Updates: The State agencies submit Plan updates 
at an estimate of 10 hours per respondent, or 530 total hours.
    Form FNS-366A: The State agencies submit Form FNS-366A at an 
estimate of 13 hours per respondent, or 689 total hours.
    Form FNS-366B: The total burden for the collection of information 
for Form FNS-366B is 1,526 hours. Forty-two State agencies submit Form 
FNS-366B automatically at an estimate of 18 hours per respondent, or 
756 total hours. Eleven State agencies submit Form FNS-366B manually at 
an estimate of 70 hours per respondent or 770 hours.
    Outreach Plans: FNS is planning an initiative to encourage States 
to do outreach to hard-to-serve population groups. Up to 25 States may 
submit an Outreach plan over the next year at an estimate of 1 hour per 
respondent or 25 total hours.
    Advance Planning Documents: Approximately 25 State agencies submit 
an APD each year at an estimate of 15 hours per respondent or 375 total 
hours.
    Advance Planning Documents for EBT Systems: Approximately 10 State 
agencies submit an APD each year for an EBT system at an estimate of 45 
hours per respondent, or 450 total hours.
    EBT Reporting: We estimate that approximately 41 State agencies 
with operational EBT systems will provide additional information about 
their EBT systems during the next burden period. The State agencies 
submit a report approximately 4 times a year at an estimate of one hour 
per response, or 164 total hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents

    The total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 
0584-0083 is estimated to be 3,759, a decrease of 972 hours from the 
previous estimate and currently approved burden of 4,731 hours. Since 
the last notice on this burden in 1996, the number of States with 
operational EBT systems has increased to 35 States, leaving fewer 
States who will need to submit an Advance Planning Document for an EBT 
system. The decrease in the burden is due primarily to a decrease in 
the estimate of the number of States each year who may submit an 
Advance Planning Document for an EBT system.

    Dated: October 26, 1998.
Samuel Chambers, Jr.,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-29487 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
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