[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 83 (Friday, May 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20274-20275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10052]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 83 / Friday, May 1, 2009 / Notices  

[[Page 20274]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Store 
Reauthorization Application, Form FNS-252-R

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 proposed information collections. The proposed collection is a new 
information collection requirement.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 30, 2009 to 
be assured of consideration.

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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to Ronald K. Ward, Chief, Retailer Operations 
Branch, Benefit Redemption Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Food and Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 404, 
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the 
attention of Ronald K. Ward at (703) 305-1863 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 during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Room 404.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ronald K. Ward at (703) 305-2523.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--Store 
Reauthorization Application.
    Form Number: FNS-252-R.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Abstract: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture is the Federal agency responsible for the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the 
Food Stamp Program. The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, (7 
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) requires that the FNS determine the eligibility of 
retail food stores and certain food service organizations to accept and 
redeem SNAP benefits and to monitor them for compliance and continued 
eligibility.
    Part of FNS' responsibility is to accept applications from retail 
food stores that wish to participate in the SNAP, review the 
applications in order to determine whether or not applicants meet 
eligibility requirements, and make determinations whether to grant or 
deny authorization to accept and redeem SNAP benefits. FNS is also 
responsible for requiring updates to application information and 
reviewing that information to determine whether or not the retail firms 
continue to meet eligibility requirements. There are currently four 
application forms designed for that purpose approved under OMB No. 
0584-0008--the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Application 
for Stores, Form FNS-252 and FNS-252-E (paper and electronic version, 
respectively); the Meal Service Application, Form FNS-252-2; and the 
Corporate Supplemental Application, Form FNS-252-C used for individual 
(chain) stores under a Corporation.
    Previous submissions to OMB regarding this information collection 
reflected the elimination of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program Application for Stores--Reauthorization, Form FNS-252-R, due to 
FNS' streamlining efforts. Since the elimination of the Form FNS-252-R, 
FNS has determined that additional information is needed to ensure that 
retailers meet the necessary requirements of operation to carry out the 
intent of the SNAP, and to ensure efficient and effective operation of 
the Program.
    Our ability to reduce the information collection burden has been 
hampered by our need to obtain verifiable annual gross sales and food 
sales income from all participating retailers. Because FNS no longer 
has a specific form that captures reauthorization information, we are 
seeking approval from OMB for information collection requirements to be 
imposed on retail/wholesale firms and food service organizations for 
the continued eligibility of such respondents once authorized. Upon OMB 
approval, FNS intends to incorporate this form into the information 
collection associated with OMB No. 0584-0008, as these respondents are 
also considered the ``normal channels of trade'' for delivery of SNAP 
benefits to low-income households.
    It is our experience that most firms will remain eligible and 
continue to deliver Program benefits. Form FNS-252-R is needed to 
obtain verifiable annual gross sales and food sales income from all 
participating retailers, and to ensure continued eligibility for SNAP 
participation. FNS intends to implement the use of this form on October 
1, 2009. FNS is committed to complying with the E-Government Act of 
2002, which requires that, when practicable, Federal agencies use 
electronic forms, electronic filing, and electronic signature to 
conduct official business. Current technological opportunities allow us 
to improve information collection in accordance with these statutes. 
FNS is developing an online application for the Form FNS-252-R, as an 
electronic alternative for retailers who wish to complete and submit 
the reauthorization application

[[Page 20275]]

via the Internet on the FNS Web site. Efforts are being made to 
streamline and simplify the data collection burden imposed on 
respondents. Only those questions that have any relevance to the 
reauthorization process are being asked on Form FNS-252-R. 
Approximately 9 questions will be on Form FNS-252-R.
    In accordance with Section 278.1(j)-(n) of the SNAP regulations, 
all firms must be reauthorized at least once every five years. The 
burden associated with the Form FNS-252-R is determined from the number 
currently authorized stores (178,793) obtained from the STARS Database 
as of February, 2009. Approximately 9 percent of all currently 
authorized retailers (16,381 individual firms) will be subject to 
reauthorization in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010. We do not know how many 
retailers will use the online reauthorization application. We estimate 
that, initially, 6,552 (or 40%) of the 16,381 individual firms subject 
to reauthorization will be completed using the online Form FNS-252-R in 
FY 2010. The remaining 9,829 (or 60%) retailers will complete the paper 
application, Form FNS-252-R. We estimate the hourly burden time per 
response for retailers completing either the online or paper Form FNS-
252-R to be 7 minutes. This burden estimate includes the time to review 
instructions, search existing data resources, gather and copy the data 
needed, complete and review the application and submit the form and 
documentation to FNS.
    Respondents: Retail food stores.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 16,381.
    Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 16,381.
    Estimated Time per Response: .1169 or 7 minutes.
    Estimate Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,915 hours.

    Dated: April 23, 2009.
E. Enrique Gomez,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E9-10052 Filed 4-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P