[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 31 (Thursday, February 14, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10592-10593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03340]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State 
Issuance and Participation Estimates--Forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 a revision of a currently approved collection for the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the form FNS-388, State 
Issuance and Participation Estimates, and FNS-388A, Project Area Data 
Format.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 15, 2013.

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 Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration 
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition 
Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, VA 22302. 
Comments may also be submitted via email to [email protected]. 
Comments will also be accepted through the federal eRulemaking Portal. 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments electronically.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Kelly 
Stewart at 703-305-2425.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: State Issuance and Participation Estimates.
    Form Number: FNS-388 and FNS-388A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0081.

[[Page 10593]]

    Expiration Date: 5/31/2013.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act, (the Act) 7 
U.S.C. 2027(b), limits the value of allotments paid to SNAP households 
to an amount not in excess of the appropriation for the fiscal year. If 
allotments in any fiscal year would exceed the appropriation, the 
Secretary of Agriculture is required to direct State agencies to reduce 
the value of SNAP allotments to the extent necessary to stay within 
appropriated funding limits. Timely State monthly issuance estimates 
are necessary for FNS to ensure that it remains within the 
appropriation. The estimates will also have a direct effect upon the 
manner in which allotments would be reduced if necessary. While benefit 
reductions have never been ordered in the past under Section 18(b) nor 
are they anticipated based on current data, the Department must 
continue to monitor actual program costs against the appropriation.
    Section 11(e)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C. 
2020(e)(12), requires that the State Plan of Operations provide for the 
submission of reports required by the Secretary of Agriculture. State 
agencies are required to report on a monthly basis on the FNS-388, 
State Issuance and Participation Estimates, estimated or actual 
issuance and participation data for the current month and previous 
month, and actual participation data for the second preceding month. 
The FNS-388 report provides the necessary data for an early warning 
system to enable the Department to monitor actual and estimated costs 
for all benefit types against the appropriation.
    State agencies in general only submit one Statewide FNS-388 per 
month, which covers benefits from their electronic benefit transfer 
(EBT) system. The exception is that State agencies which choose to 
operate an approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as 
a cash-out system submit a separate report for each additional type of 
issuance system.
    In addition, State agencies are required to submit a project area 
breakdown on the FNS-388 of issuance and participation data twice a 
year. The project area breakdown attached to the FNS-388 twice a year 
is known as the FNS-388A. This data is useful in identifying project 
areas that operate fraud detection units in accordance with the Act.
    As of December, 2012, 100 percent of respondents submitted the FNS-
388 and FNS-388A data electronically.
    Affected Public: State agencies that administer SNAP.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 27.17.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 3.581.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1440.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual reporting 
and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081, is estimated to be 
5,157 hours. For the FNS-388, the frequency of response has decreased 
slightly from an estimated 11.509 times per year to 11.32. This results 
in a burden reduction of 86 hours annually. See the table below for 
estimated total annual burden for each type of respondent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                            Time per
              Affected public                           Forms               Number of     Frequency of    Total annual      response      Annual burden
                                                                           respondents      response        responses         (hrs)           hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Agencies.............................  FNS-388...................              53           11.32             600            5.6            3360
                                             FNS-388A..................              53            2.26             120           14.83           1779.6
                                                                        --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Reporting Burden.......................  ..........................              53  ..............             720  ..............           5139.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                          Annual record-
              Affected public                           Forms                Number of     Frequency of    Total annual      Time per      keeping hours
                                                                           recordkeepers     response         records     response (hrs)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Agencies.............................  FNS-388....................              53          11.32              600            .024           14.4
                                             FNS-388A...................              53           2.26              120            .024            2.88
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Recordkeeping Burden...................  ...........................              53  ..............             720  ..............           17.28
                                                                         ----------------
        Grand Total........................  ...........................              53          27.170            1440           3.581         5156.88
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: January 31, 2013.
Jeffrey J. Tribiano,
Acting Administrator, Food Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-03340 Filed 2-13-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P