[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23228-23229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11538]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, 
Comment Request--Grants To Improve Food Stamp Program Access (OMB No. 
0584-0506)

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, this notice invites the general public, other public 
agencies, and grantees referred to in this Notice to comment on the 
proposed information collection. The proposed collection is an 
extension of a previously approved collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and request for copies of this information 
collection to Barbara Hallman, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food 
Stamp Program, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance 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 be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Hallman, telephone number 
(703) 305-2383 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Food Stamp Program: Grants to Improve Food Stamp Program 
Access.

[[Page 23229]]

    OMB Number: 0584-0506.
    Expiration Date: July 31, 2001.
    Type of Request: Extension of previously approved collection.
    Abstract: In December, 2000, FNS announced a program for 
competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research 
that will improve the administrative effectiveness of the Food Stamp 
Program (FSP) in delivering nutrition related benefits (65 FR 81819, 
December 27, 2000). FNS solicited proposals to that would support 
research on the effects of community partnerships to reach underserved 
populations such as working families, children, immigrants, and 
elderly.
    This action described in this Notice is authorized under section 
17(a)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, (7 U.S.C. 2026(a)(1)) with 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 funding set aside for grants projects to educate 
potentially eligible persons about the nutritional benefits of the FSP. 
As specified in the Notice, competitive grants would be awarded to non-
food stamp governmental authorities such as local school districts, 
public health clinics, non-profit community based organizations, and 
institutions of higher education, foundations and other non-profit 
research institutes. Grantees (winning respondents) may operate their 
projects for up to two years.
    FNS will use the information reported from the grantees to 
consolidate a report of success stories, and lessons learned from the 
projects. Moreover, this information will be used to inform FNS about 
useful strategies that promote access and are successful in increasing 
participation of eligible persons in the FSP. FNS also intends to share 
widely with the public so others may replicate effective strategies of 
public education and outreach.
    OMB approval for the collection burden associated with the 
solicitation for grant proposals was approved on an emergency basis for 
6 months. This Notice summarizes the burden estimates that were 
presented in the emergency approval. This Notice will also provide 
burden estimates that will continue to apply to the winning grantees 
for the remaining period in which the projects are in operation. In 
January, 2001, FNS announced that it was awarding grants to 14 of the 
responding applicants. Each grantee was awarded no more than $300,000 
for their project.
    Respondents: Respondents to the ``Request for Applications for 
Research Grants to Improve FSP Access Through Partnerships and New 
Technology'' are non-food stamp governmental authorities, nonprofit 
local organizations, institutions of higher learning, foundations, and 
other non-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Under the initial 
collection burden, FNS estimated that 250 respondents would request and 
submit an application for the research grants and up to 15 of these 
respondents would be selected to receive grant funds from FNS. The 
actual number of applications received by FNS was 108, of which 14 were 
selected to receive funding.
    Estimate of Burden: Under the initial collection burden, FNS 
estimated that each applicant (respondent) would need 80 hours to 
complete the application as specified in the Request for Applications. 
The winning respondents (grantees) would subsequently be required to 
submit quarterly reports (total of 8) and a draft and final report. The 
burden estimates for these actions are as follows
     Submission of Application--250 respondents times 80 hours 
equals 20,000 hours.
     Quarterly Reports--14 grantees times 8 quarterly reports 
times 3 hours equals 336 hours.
     Draft and Final Report--14 grantees times 2 reports times 
60 hours (approximate for each report) equals 1,680 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total reporting 
and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0506 is estimated to be 
22,016 hours for the entire grant period. For the remaining two year 
period, the total annual burden placed on the 14 grantees is estimated 
to be 2,016 hours (estimate for quarterly and draft and final report) 
divided by 2 (time in which grants may be in operation) equals 1,008.

    Dated: May 2, 2001.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-11538 Filed 5-7-01; 8:45 am]
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