[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49724-49725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19772]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Risk Management Agency

[Docket No. RMA-2013-0001]


Notice To Reopen Comment Period for Federal Crop Insurance 
Program Delivery Cost Survey and Interviews

ACTION: Notice to reopen comment period to request comments on the 
script for interviews of Approved Insurance Providers, and on the 
survey instruments for insurance agents and insured producers.

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

SUMMARY: The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is issuing this notice to 
advise the public that we are reopening the comment period to request 
comments on the script for interviews of Approved Insurance Providers 
(AIPs), and on the survey instruments for insurance agents and insured 
producers, for a new information collection ``Federal Crop Insurance 
Program Delivery Cost Survey and Interviews'' that is currently under 
review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The survey 
instruments will also serve as the scripts for the interviews of 
insurance agents and insured producers, respectively.
    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), RMA has previously sought public comment on an information 
collection request related to a study of Federal crop insurance program 
delivery costs. As part of the study RMA plans to conduct interviews 
with AIPs, insurance agents, and insured producers, and conduct surveys 
of insurance agents and insured producers. RMA will use the information 
collected from the interviews, surveys, and other information to 
construct estimates of the reasonable cost of delivery for the Federal 
crop insurance program.
    Copies of the AIP interview scripts and survey questions may be 
obtained by contacting Kent Lanclos by phone at (202) 205-3933, or by 
email [email protected]. To review the Farmers and Agent's 
surveys you can go to http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewDocument?ref_nbr=201212-0563-001.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 16, 2013 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: FCIC prefers that comments be submitted electronically 
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. You may submit comments, 
identified by Docket ID No. RMA-2013-0001, by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Stan Harkey, Product Analysis & Accounting Division, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, Beacon Facility-
Mail Stop 0811, P.O. Box 419205, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205, (816) 926-
3799.
    All comments received, including those received by mail, will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided, and can be accessed by the public. All 
comments must include the agency name and docket number for this 
notice. For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional 
information, see http://www.regulations.gov. If you are submitting 
comments electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal and want 
to attach a document, we ask that it be in a text-based format. If you 
want to attach a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, it must be 
scanned as text and not as an image, thus allowing FCIC to search and 
copy certain portions of your submissions. For questions regarding 
attaching a document that is a scanned Adobe PDF file, please contact 
the RMA Web Content Team at (816) 823-4694 or by email at 
[email protected].
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received for any dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the 
complete User Notice and Privacy Notice for Regulations.gov at http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice.

[[Page 49725]]


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Kent Lanclos, Office of Compliance, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Mail Stop 0801, Washington, DC 20250-0801, (202) 
205-3933.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Interviews and Surveys

    The purpose of the AIP interviews is to better understand the 
activities performed and types of costs incurred by the AIPs to deliver 
Federal crop insurance to producers, particularly those activities and 
costs that are distinct from those of insurance agents. Information 
collected from the interviews with AIPs include general companies' 
background, competitive strategies, and business operations model in 
selling and servicing the Federal crop insurance, agent compensation, 
expense structure, and financial reporting to RMA. Information obtained 
from the interviews with AIPs will help RMA understand the expenses 
AIPs incur in delivering the Federal crop insurance, their general 
practices in determining agent compensation, and compiling financials 
reported to RMA.
    The purpose of the survey of the insurance agents is to collect 
relevant cost data incurred by the insurance agents in selling and 
servicing the Federal crop insurance policies. General background 
information on the surveyed insurance agents, e.g. geographical region, 
types of crop insurance sold, and number of crop insurance policies 
sold, will also be collected. The survey will serve as an instrument 
collecting information on the levels of effort required to sell and 
service crop insurance policies as well as levels of effort necessary 
to sell and service other lines. Specifically, the survey will collect 
data on agency geographical area (location of policy holders), 
insurance plan type (initial application vs. renewal policy), policy 
size, policy management and support related activities, nature of 
interaction with a policy holder, types of crops covered by Federal 
crop insurance, and other factors. In addition, the survey will obtain 
information on the time agents spend on the tasks related to selling 
and servicing a policy and agents' essential out of pocket costs for 
support staff, travel, overhead, and other out-of-pocket expenses. This 
information will be used to evaluate the factors measurably 
contributing to the costs of Federal crop insurance delivery.
    A parallel survey of the insured farmers to whom the sampled 
insurance agents sell crop insurance will be conducted to determine the 
level of service (e.g. number of insurance agent visits, educational 
services, and other services) that is necessary for the farmers to make 
an informed decision. Several types of data will be collected. These 
will include general background of the producers and of their insurance 
agents. It will also include information about the interaction between 
producers and insurance agents. Data gathered from the survey of 
insured producers will serve as a consistency check to information 
gathered from the survey of insurance agents and will not be directly 
used to estimate the cost of delivery incurred by the insurance agents 
but will provide valuable information on the levels of services 
producers expect from agents.
    As noted previously, the survey instruments will also serve as the 
scripts for the interviews of insurance agents and insured producers, 
respectively. The purpose of the interviews with insurance agents and 
insured producers is to obtain additional context and understanding for 
the responses provided to the surveys by agents and producers, 
respectively. This will assist RMA with interpreting the survey 
responses and results.
    RMA will use the information collected from the interviews and 
surveys in conjunction with the financials reported by AIPs to 
construct estimates of the cost of delivery for the Federal crop 
insurance program. This information could also be used in RMA's program 
planning process before implementing any regulatory and programmatic 
changes in the future. Data collected from the interviews and surveys 
can also provide RMA some useful information on the Federal crop 
insurance program from the perspectives of different stakeholders 
(AIPs, insurance agents, and insured producers) and aid RMA in its 
program management and program planning.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on July 18, 2013.
Brandon Willis,
Manager, Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2013-19772 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-08-P