[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 908-909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-33]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections; 
Comment Request--A Case Study: Modernization of the Food Stamp Program 
in Florida

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 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 proposed information collections.
    This notice announces the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) intent 
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
new information collection in the state of Florida. The Food and 
Nutrition Service (FNS) plans to systematically examine Florida's 
modernization model in order to understand better the relationship 
between Food Stamp Program structure, operations, costs, and 
performance. This review will consist of both a quantitative study 
using extant data and a qualitative study relying on the responses of 
state and local food stamp staff, community partners, food stamp 
applicants and participants and eligible non-participants. Project 
results will inform FNS policy discussion, provide technical 
information to States, and offer Florida's Department of Children and 
Family Services a tool for responding efficiently to the variety of 
stakeholder queries received.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 7, 2006.

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 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 Erika Jones, Project Officer, Food and 
Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Erika Jones at 703-305-2576 or via e-mail to 
[email protected].
    All written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service, through prior arrangement 
with the project officer, during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, 
Virginia 22302, Room 1014.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB 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 Erika Jones 
on 703-305-2124.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: A Case Study: Modernization of the Food Stamp Program in 
Florida.
    OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Expiration Date: To be determined.
    Type of Request: New collection of information.
    Abstract: The Florida Department of Family and Children's Services 
(DCFS) is implementing organizational changes, simplifying policies, 
streamlining procedures and introducing a variety of technology 
improvements to improve access and customer service while improving 
administrative efficiency. DCFS is in the process of modernizing its 
program districts which are at different stages of implementation. Key 
features of the State's organizational changes include toll-free phone 
access to regional call centers, an interactive voice response system, 
an Internet-based application, document scanning, and automated support 
for some verification procedures. DCFS also is developing partnerships 
with community-based service providers to engage them in client 
application support and other customer assistance activities.
    In an effort to understand outcomes associated with program 
modernization, The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plans to 
systematically examine Florida's modernization model in order to 
understand better the relationship between Food Stamp Program 
structure, operations, costs and performance. Project results will 
inform FNS policy discussions, provide technical and procedurally 
relevant information to States, and offer Florida DCFS a tool for 
assessing potential model enhancements and responding efficiently to 
the variety of stakeholder queries received.
    Specifically, the project will be guided by following objectives: 
(1) Developing a description of changes to food stamp policies and 
procedures that have been made in support of Automated Community 
Connection to Economic Self-Sufficiency Florida (ACCESS Florida), (2) 
Identifying how technology is used to support the range of food stamp 
eligibility determination and case management functions; (3) Describing 
the roles and experiences of State food stamp staff, vendors, and 
community partners working at different levels; (4) Understanding the

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experiences and satisfaction of food stamp participants, applicants and 
eligible non-participants; and (5) Describing Food Stamp Program 
performance overtime.
    A descriptive case study, incorporating both qualitative and 
quantitative data, will be implemented to address these objectives. The 
study will rely on extant data to describe FSP performance before and 
after the State's modernization initiative with respect to 
participation rates, payment accuracy, administrative costs and other 
outcomes. Data will also be obtained through interviews with local, 
regional and state-level staff as well as community partners; and 
include discussion groups with food stamp participants and eligible 
non-participants.
    While state-level performance data will be collected, along with 
interviews of state program staff, there will be a special focus on 6 
of the 13 program districts providing food stamp services. Districts 
will be chosen to reflect diversity of modernization implementation 
across Florida. In each of these districts, a combination of in-person 
and telephone interviews will be conducted with FSP staff and community 
partners. In each region, the study will also conduct focus groups with 
participants, applicants, and eligible non-participants.
    Interview and focus group questions will be kept as simple and 
respondent-friendly as possible. Responses to all questions will be 
voluntary. The contractor will take the following steps to treat the 
data provided in a confidential manner: (1) No data will be released in 
a form that identifies individual respondents by name and (2) 
information collected through interviews will be combined across other 
respondents in the same category and reported only in aggregate form. 
Respondents will be notified of these confidentiality measures during 
data collection.
    Respondents: Staff associated with ACCESS Florida at the state and 
regional level, including regional call centers; staff from local food 
stamp service and case maintenance centers, state, regional and local 
staff from community partners assisting with the modernization efforts; 
and food stamp participants, applicants, and eligible non-participants.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The study will collect data from a 
total of 118 respondents. This number represents the sum of 23 State, 
districts and phone center staff (composed of 7 phone interviews and 16 
in-person interviews); 33 local FSP staff (including 17 phone 
interviews and 16 in-person interviews); 26 staff members from 
community partners involved in modernization (12 phone interviews and 
14 in-person interviews); 24 FSP participants and applicants and 12 
eligible non-participants.
    Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Time per Response: All burden estimates include 
respondents' time to prepare for and complete interviews or focus 
groups. In-person interviews: 1.5 hours each; Phone interviews: 1.5 
hours each; and Focus groups: 1.5 hours per participant.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: Total of 177 hours, 
including: State, regional and phone center staff, 34.5 hours; local 
ACCESS Florida staff, 49.5 hours; community partners, 39 hours; FSP 
applicants participants and eligible non-participants, 54 hours.

    Dated: December 30, 2005.
Steven N. Christensen,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-33 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P