[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57142-57143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26606]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Performance Reporting System, Management Evaluation

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 proposed information collection which concerns the Performance 
Reporting System for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 
This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection under 
OMB No. 0584-0010 which is due to expire March 31, 2010.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before January 4, 2010.

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 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.
    Comments may be sent to: Harriet Kornegay, Senior Program Analyst, 
Program Design Branch, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 814, Alexandria, VA 22302. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Harriet 
Kornegay at 703-305-2486 or via e-mail to 
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. http://www.regulations.gov, and follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
    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, 
Room 814, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    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 Harriet 
Kornegay at 703-305-2501.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Performance Reporting System, Management Evaluation.
    OMB Number: 0584-0010.
    Expiration Date: March 31, 2010.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The purpose of the Performance Reporting System (PRS) is 
to ensure that each State agency and project area is operating the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in accordance with the 
requirements of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) (7 U.S.C. 
2011, et seq.), as amended, and corresponding program regulations. 
Under Section 11 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 2020), State agencies must 
maintain necessary records to ascertain that SNAP is operating in 
compliance with the Act and regulations and must make these records 
available to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for inspection and 
audit. The only changes to the existing collection are to the burden 
amount which has been slightly adjusted to account for a correction to 
the number of respondents, and a refined assessment, based on past 
experience, to the number of responses. Despite these edits, the 
estimated total hours are very nearly the same.
    Management Evaluation (ME) Review Schedules--Unless the State 
receives approval for an alternative Management Evaluation review 
schedule, each State agency is required, under 7 CFR Part 275, to 
submit one review schedule every one, two, or three years, depending on 
the project area make-up of the State.
    Data Analysis--Under 7 CFR Part 275, each State must establish a 
system for analysis and evaluation of all data available to the State. 
Data analysis and evaluation is an ongoing process that facilitates the 
development of effective and prompt corrective action.
    Corrective Action Plans--Under 7 CFR Part 275, State agencies must 
prepare a corrective action plan (CAP) addressing identified 
deficiencies. The State agencies must develop a system for monitoring 
and evaluating corrective action and submit CAP updates, as necessary.
    Affected Public: Respondent groups identified include SNAP State 
and local agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 53. This includes 53 State agencies.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Based on past 
experience FNS estimates that State agencies will submit one review 
schedule and ME review plan per year, and will conduct and document ME 
reviews for a total of 30 responses each.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 53 x 30 = 1,590.
    Estimated Time per Response: FNS estimates that it takes 4 hours to 
prepare a review schedule, and that each of the 53 State agencies will 
submit one review schedule per year resulting in a total burden of 212 
hours (53 State agencies x 1 review schedule x 4 hours). FNS estimates 
that it takes on average approximately 80 hours to develop a 
comprehensive State review plan, resulting in a total of 4240 hours (80 
hours x 53 State plans). FNS estimates that it takes an average of 340 
hours to conduct a review. It is estimated that ME reviews are 
conducted for one-half of the total number of project areas (1,430) 
annually. FNS estimates that it takes approximately 487,820 hours 
annually to (340 hours x 1430 ME reviews). FNS also estimates that the 
time necessary for record keeping, that is, the time necessary to find 
and file a record in the conduct of an ME review, is based on 53 record 
keepers x approximately 30 hours (1590 hours). The total estimated 
annual reporting burden is as follows:
    Prepare Review Schedules 4 x 53 = 212 hours
    Prepare Review Plans 80 x 53 = 4,240 hours
    Conduct ME Reviews 340 x 1,430 = 486,200 hours
    Recordkeeping 30 x 53 = 1,590 hours
    Total Annual Reporting Burden = 492,242 hours

[[Page 57143]]

    The estimated time of response is 309.58 hours, as shown in the 
table below.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 29,534,520 minutes 
(492,242 hours). See the table below for estimated total annual burden 
for each type of respondent.

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                                                                                  Estimated avg.
                                     Estimated       Responses     Total annual      mumber of       Estimated
           Respondent                number of     annually per      responses       hours per      total hours
                                    respondents     respondent      (col. bxc)       response       (col. dxe)
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Reporting Burden:
    State and local agencies....              53              30            1590          309.58         492,242
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        Total Reporting Burden..              53  ..............            1590  ..............         492,242
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    Dated: October 27, 2009.
Julia Paradis,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E9-26606 Filed 11-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P