[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 192 (Thursday, October 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61325-61329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24142]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other 
public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. 
This collection is a new collection for the School Nutrition and Meal 
Cost Study.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
December 2, 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: John Endahl, Senior Program Analyst, 
Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1004, Alexandria, VA 
22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of John 
Endahl at 703-305-2576 or 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 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to John Endahl 
at 703-305-2127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) comes at 
a time of unprecedented change for the National School Lunch Program 
(NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). In the 2012-2013 school year 
(SY), the school meal programs began to undergo far-reaching changes, 
mainly stemming from the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA). Key 
reforms enacted by this legislation include new, more stringent meal 
pattern and nutrient requirements for school meals, new offer-versus-
serve (OVS) rules, gradually increased prices for paid meals, and 
introduction of nutrition standards for competitive foods. School food 
service practices are being revised dramatically. Changes in practices, 
prices, and available foods may influence which students participate in 
the programs. The new requirements are intended to better align USDA 
meals and snacks with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to 
improve participating students' food and nutrient intake. Complying 
with the new requirements might affect the costs of producing school 
lunches and breakfasts. Conducting the SNMCS at this historic juncture 
will provide FNS with crucial information about the effects of the new 
meal standards on nutritional quality and the cost of school meals. No 
national study has concurrently examined the cost of producing school 
meals, the nutritional profile of school meals and the amount of plate 
waste in school meals.
    The SNMCS will collect a broad range of data from nationally 
representative samples of public school food authorities (SFAs), 
schools, students, and parents during SY 2014-2015. These data will 
provide Federal, State, and local policymakers with needed information 
about how federally sponsored school meal programs are operating after 
implementation of the new nutrition standards and other changes in 
regulations. Comparisons of results from the SNMCS with previous 
studies (the School Nutrition and Dietary Assessment [SNDA] and the 
School Lunch and Breakfast Cost [SLBC] studies) will provide 
information to assess the effects of the new nutrition standards on 
foodservice operations, the nutrient content of school meals as offered 
and served, meal costs and revenues, and student consumption of school 
meals and dietary intake. The SNMCS will be the first assessment of 
school meals after implementation of these major changes.
    The SNMCS sample will include 502 unique SFAs, 1,200 schools, 2,400 
students and their parents, and observations of plate waste from 5,040 
lunches and 3,360 breakfasts. The sample is designed to provide 
required levels of statistical precision and data quality while 
minimizing data collection costs and respondent burden. The SNMCS 
sample will be divided into three groups of SFAs, with various levels 
of data collected from each group. The data collection includes the 
administration of several different types of instruments and modes, 
including self-administered web-based SFA director and school principal 
surveys, a

[[Page 61326]]

food service manager survey, an electronic menu survey, competitive 
foods checklists, cafeteria environment observation, plate waste 
observation, Automated Multiple Pass Method 24-hour dietary recalls, 
measurement of student's height and weight, student/parent surveys, 
meal cost interviews, and collection of administrative cost data.
    Affected Public: Respondent groups include: (1) Directors of school 
food authorities (SFAs); (2) State child nutrition officials; (3) local 
education agency business managers, (4) school foodservice managers 
(FSMs); (5) principals; (6) school staff appointed by principals to 
complete observation checklists (school liaisons); and (7) students and 
their parents.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The proposed final samples will 
include 502 unique SFAs; 1,200 schools; 2,400 students and their 
parents; and 5,040 and 3,360 plate waste observations at lunch and 
breakfast, respectively. Group 1 includes 106 SFAs but no schools. 
These SFAs will participate in the SFA Director Survey to provide the 
precision required for estimates of SFA characteristics and policies. 
Group 2 comprises 100 SFAs and 300 schools. The Group 2 sample will 
include the 4 largest SFAs and 12 schools sampled from them plus a 
sample of 96 other SFAs and 288 of their schools (3 per SFA). Group 2 
SFAs and schools will participate in the SFA Director Survey, FSM 
Survey, and Principal Survey; in addition, their FSMs will complete the 
Basic Menu Survey. Interviews will be completed with 2,400 students and 
their parents from these schools to provide information on meal program 
participation, satisfaction, and students' dietary intake from school 
meals and food outside school over 24 hours. Group 3 includes 300 SFAs 
and 900 schools (3 per SFA). The Group 3 sample will include the 4 
largest SFAs and 12 of their schools, plus a sample of 296 other SFAs 
and 888 of their schools (3 per SFA). This group includes participants 
in the SFA Director Survey, Pre-Visit SFA Director Questionnaire and 
Forms, SFA Director and Business Manager Cost Interviews and follow-up 
interviews, interviews to collect administrative data on food prices, 
FSM Survey, and Principal Survey. The additional cost interviews from 
this group will provide data for the meal cost estimates, along with 
completing the Expanded Menu Survey. Plate waste will be observed at a 
subsample of Group 3 schools; we will observe 5,040 NSLP lunches and 
3,360 SBP breakfasts from 56 SFAs and 168 schools. In both the Group 2 
and 3 schools, school liaisons will complete two checklists to provide 
information on competitive foods, and interviewers will complete a 
Cafeteria Observation Form.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: All respondents will 
be asked to respond to each instrument only once.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 24,031.
    Estimated Time per Response: 55 minutes (0.91 hours). The estimated 
response varies from 15 minutes to 600 minutes (10 hours), depending on 
the survey and the respondent group, as shown in the following table.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 21,912. See the table 
below for each type of respondent.

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                                                                                                                                           Total annual
                                    Data collection                          Estimated     Frequency of    Total annual       Average         burden
         Affected public               activity           Respondents        number of       response        responses     burden hours      estimate
                                                                            respondents                                    per response       (hours)
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State...........................  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...               3               1               3            0.07             0.2
                                   (Administrative
                                   Data on Indirect
                                   Cost Rates).
                                                      State education                 47               1              47            0.33              16
                                                       agency financial
                                                       officer (Group 3).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              15               1              15            0.07               1
                                   Web Survey (Basic
                                   Menu Survey).
                                                      Foodservice                    300               1             300            8              2,400
                                                       managers (Group
                                                       2).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              49               1              49            0.07               3
                                   Web Survey
                                   (Expanded Menu
                                   Survey).
                                                      Foodservice                    975               1             975           10              9,750
                                                       managers (Group
                                                       3).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              41               1              41            0.07               3
                                   Web Survey (SFA
                                   Director Survey).
                                                      SFA directors                  366               1             366            0.67             245
                                                       (Groups 1, 2, 3).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              64               1              64            0.07               5
                                   Web Survey (FSM
                                   Survey).
                                                      Foodservice                  1,200               1           1,200            0.33             396
                                                       managers (Groups
                                                       2, 3).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...             127               1             127            0.07               9
                                   Web Survey
                                   (Principal
                                   Survey).
                                                      Principals (Groups           1,137               1           1,137            0.5              569
                                                       2 and 3).

[[Page 61327]]

 
Local and Tribal................  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...               2               1               2            0.07             0.1
                                   (SFA Director
                                   Planning
                                   Interview).
                                                      SFA directors                   73               1              73            0.33              24
                                                       (Group 2).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...               7               1               7            0.07             0.5
                                   Web Survey (SFA
                                   Director Pre-
                                   visit
                                   Questionnaire and
                                   Forms).
                                                      SFA directors                  219               1             219            0.83             182
                                                       (Group 3).
Local and Tribal................  In-person           Non-respondents...              11               1              11            0.07             0.8
                                   Interview (SFA
                                   Director and
                                   Business Manager
                                   Cost Interview).
                                                      SFA Directors/LEA              219               1             219            3                657
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
Local and Tribal................  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...              45               1              45            0.07               3
                                   (FSM Pre-visit
                                   Questionnaire).
                                                      Foodservice                    900               1             900            0.25             225
                                                       managers (Group
                                                       3).
Local and Tribal................  In-person           Non-respondents...              49               1              49            0.07               3
                                   Interview (FSM
                                   Cost Interview).
                                                      Foodservice                    975               1             975            0.5              488
                                                       managers (Group
                                                       3).
Local and Tribal................  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...              45               1              45            0.07               3
                                   (Principal Cost
                                   Interview).
                                                      Principals (Group              900               1             900            0.75             675
                                                       3).
Local and Tribal................  In-person           Non-respondents...              11               1              11            0.07             0.8
                                   Interview (Follow-
                                   Up SFA Director
                                   Prep Forms).
                                                      SFA directors/LEA              208               1             208            0.17              35
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
Local and Tribal................  In-person           Non-respondents...              11               1              11            0.07             0.8
                                   Interview (Follow-
                                   Up SFA Director
                                   and Business
                                   Manager Cost
                                   Interview).
                                                      SFA directors/LEA              208               1             208            2                416
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
Local and Tribal................  In-person           Non-respondents...             190               1             190            0.07              13
                                   Interview
                                   (Competitive
                                   Foods Checklist).
                                                      School staff                   760               1             760            0.5              380
                                                       liaisons (Groups
                                                       2 and 3).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Foodservice                    300               1             300            0.17              51
                                   Observation Form    managers (Group
                                   (Point-of-Sale      2).
                                   Form).
Local and Tribal................  Self-Administered   Foodservice                    168               1             168            0.17              29
                                   Observation Form    managers (Group
                                   (Plate Waste        3).
                                   Observations).
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal State, Local &       ..................  ..................           9,625               1           9,625            1.72          16,583
     Tribal Governments.
Private Sector for-Profit.......  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              15               1              15            0.07               1
                                   Web Survey (SFA
                                   Director Survey).

[[Page 61328]]

 
                                                      SFA directors                  136               1             136            0.67              91
                                                       (Groups 1, 2, 3).
Private Sector for-Profit.......  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...               1               1               1            0.07             0.1
                                   (SFA Director
                                   Planning
                                   Interview).
                                                      SFA directors                   27               1              27            0.33               9
                                                       (Group 2).
Private Sector or-Profit........  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...               2               1               2            0.07             0.1
                                   Web Survey (SFA
                                   Director Pre-
                                   visit
                                   Questionnaire).
                                                      SFA directors                   81               1              81            0.83              67
                                                       (Group 3).
Private Sector for-Profit.......  In-person           Non-respondents...               4               1               4            0.07             0.3
                                   Interview (SFA
                                   Director and
                                   Business Manager
                                   Cost Interview).
                                                      SFA directors/LEA               81               1              81            3                243
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
Private Sector for-Profit.......  In-person           Non-respondents...               4               1               4            0.07             0.3
                                   Interview (Follow
                                   Up SFA Director
                                   Prep Forms).
                                                      SFA directors/LEA               77               1              77            0.17              13
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
Private Sector for-Profit.......  In-person           Non-respondents...               4               1               4            0.07             0.3
                                   Interview (Follow-
                                   Up SFA Director
                                   and Business
                                   Manager Cost
                                   Interview).
                                                      SFA directors/LEA               77               1              77            2                154
                                                       business managers
                                                       (Group 3).
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal Private Sector for-  ..................  ..................             509               1             509            1.13           579.1
     Profit Business.
Individual......................  In-person           Non-respondents...             359               1             359            0.07              25
                                   Interview (24-
                                   Hour Dietary
                                   Recall, Day 1).
                                                      Students..........           2,400               1           2,400            0.83            1992
                                                      Parents...........             800               1             800            0.50             400
Individual......................  Telephone Survey    Non-respondents...             106               1             106            0.07               7
                                   (24-Hour Dietary
                                   Recall, Day 2).
                                                      Students..........             600               1             600            0.75             450
                                                      Parents...........             200               1             200            0.75             150
Individual......................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...             120               1             120            0.07               8
                                   Form (Food Diary,
                                   Day 1).
                                                      Parents...........             800               1             800            0.17             136
Individual......................  Self-Administered   Non-respondents...              35               1              35            0.07               3
                                   Form (Food Diary,
                                   Day 2).
                                                      Parents...........             200               1             200            0.17              34
Individual......................  In-person           Non-respondents...             359               1             359            0.07              25
                                   Interview (Child/
                                   Youth Interview).
                                                      Students..........           2,400               1           2,400            0.17             408
Individual......................  In-person or        Non-respondents...             359               1             359            0.07              25
                                   Telephone
                                   Interview (Parent
                                   Interview).
                                                      Parents...........           2,400               1           2,400            0.42            1008
Individual......................  In-person           Non-respondents...             359               1             359            0.02               7
                                   Interview (Height
                                   and Weight
                                   Measurement Form).

[[Page 61329]]

 
                                                      Students..........           2,400               1           2,400            0.03              72
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal Individuals........  ..................  ..................          13,897               1          13,897            0.34           4,750
    Grand Total.................  ..................  ..................          24,031               1          24,031  ..............          21,912
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     Dated: September 26, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-24142 Filed 10-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P