[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44986-44992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20117]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Third National Survey of WIC Participants (NSWP-III)

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Department of Agriculture 
(USDA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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. This collection is a new 
collection to conduct the Third National Survey of WIC Participants 
(NSWP-III).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 27, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Anthony Panzera, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Anthony Panzera 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.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Anthony 
Panzera at [email protected], or 703-305-2309.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Third National Survey of WIC Participants (NSWP-III).
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The Third National Survey of WIC Participants (NSWP-III) 
is designed to provide nationally representative estimates of improper 
payments in the WIC program arising from errors in the certification or 
denial of WIC applicants, to investigate potential State and local 
agency characteristics that may correlate with these errors, and to 
assess WIC participants' reasons for satisfaction or dissatisfaction 
with the program. The NSWP-III builds on three previous studies and 
reports spanning several decades.
    The study has two purposes. The first is to obtain the data 
necessary to accomplish the study objectives. To accomplish study 
objectives, the following data collections are planned: (1) A 
Certification Survey with up to 2,000 recently certified WIC 
participants; (2) a Denied Applicant Survey with up to 240 WIC 
applicants who did not qualify for the program; (3) a Program 
Experiences Survey with up to 1,500 current WIC program participants; 
(4) a Former Participant Case Study with 520 inactive WIC program 
participants who have stopped redeeming WIC benefits; (5) a State 
Agency Survey with 90 agencies, including 50 States and the District of 
Columbia, the 34 Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), and 5 U.S. 
Territories; (6) and a Local WIC Agency Survey with 965 local WIC 
agency directors. In addition, 20 Local WIC Agency staff will be 
maintaining a Denied Applicants Log.
    The second purpose is to pilot a new methodology for the future 
annual estimates of improper payments in the WIC program. Under this 
approach, the data collection instruments and recruiting materials, 
developed for the 2018 Certification Survey and Denied Applicants 
Survey, will be fielded in 2019 and 2020 by replacing one of 10 
``panels'' from the 2018 sample with newly selected WIC participants 
(180 per year) and denied applicants (24 per year); these data will be 
pooled with the extant 2018 data from the remaining (non-replaced) 
panels to update the estimates of improper payments in each year. Data 
collection activities in these 2 years will include recruiting recently 
certified WIC participants to complete the Certification Survey and 
denied WIC applicants to complete the Denied Applicant Survey.
    Comments are invited on the following topics: (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, and/or other forms of information 
technology.
    Affected Public: This study includes two respondent groups: (1) 
State, Local, and Tribal Government (State WIC agency directors and 
local WIC agency directors); and (2) Individuals or Households (current 
WIC program participants, denied applicants, and former WIC 
participants).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 6,517. This figure includes 4,355 respondents and 2,162 
non-respondents. This study will include six data collection 
activities.
    The initial sample for the State Agency Survey will consist of 90 
State WIC agency directors. Assuming that 100 percent respond to the 
web-based survey, the resulting respondent sample will include 
approximately 90 State WIC agency directors.
    Local WIC agency directors will also complete a web-based survey, 
the Local WIC Agency Survey. The initial sample will include 965 local 
WIC agency directors and, assuming an 80 percent response rate, the 
final sample will result in 772 local WIC agency directors.
    The initial sample size for the Certification Survey is 2,000 
current WIC program participants. A portion of the current WIC program 
participants in the sample unit may complete up to two surveys, the 
Certification Survey and the Program Experiences Survey. A sample of 
1,000 current WIC program participants, a subset of the sample of 2,000 
WIC program participants, will be recruited to complete both the 
Certification Survey and the Program Experiences Survey interviews in 
person during the same visit. Assuming an 80 percent response rate for 
each survey, a total of 1,600 current WIC program participants will 
complete Certification Surveys, and 800 will also complete the Program 
Experiences Survey.
    An additional sample for the Program Experiences Survey will be 
administered by telephone or in person during a follow-up home visit. 
The initial sample size is 1,500 current WIC program participants, and 
assuming an 80 percent response rate, the final sample will include 
1,200 current program participants (750 by telephone and 450 in-
person).
    The Denied Applicant Survey, administered in person, will include 
an initial sample of 240 recently denied WIC program applicants. 
Assuming an 80 percent response rate, the final sample will be 192 
recently denied WIC program applicants.
    This study includes a Former WIC Participant Case Study with an 
initial sample of 520 former WIC program participants. As a qualitative 
case study with people who are no longer participating in the program, 
the expected response rate is 30 percent. This response rate will 
result in 156 respondents who will be asked screening questions. 
Assuming 20 percent are screened out, the final screened sample will be 
125 former participants.
    The Alternative Methodology Pilot Studies will take place in 2019 
and 2020. The initial sample size for each is estimated to be 180 
current WIC program participants for the Certification Survey sample 
and 24 recently denied WIC program applicants for the Denied Applicant 
Survey sample. Assuming an 80 percent response rate for each sample, 
the resulting respondent sample will include approximately 150 current 
WIC program participants and 19 recently denied WIC program applicants 
for each year.
    As part of the 2018 data collection activities, an initial sample 
of 20 Local Agency staff will maintain a Denied Applicants Log. FNS 
expects that all of the staff will maintain this log.
    There is pre-testing burden associated with this collection that 
was reviewed and approved by OMB on September 22, 2016, under OMB 
#0584-0606 FNS Generic Clearance Pre-Testing, Pilot, and Field Test 
Studies. A total of 2,213 responses and 102 burden hours were approved 
under the generic clearance.
    Estimated Frequency of Responses per Respondent: FNS estimates that 
the frequency of responses per respondent will average 5.35 responses 
per

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respondent (including respondents and non-respondents) across the 
entire collection. State agency directors, local WIC agency directors, 
denied applicants, and former WIC participants will provide a one-time 
response during their respective survey or interview. A portion of the 
current WIC participants will be invited to complete two surveys, 
although most will provide responses on only one survey. Each 
respondent type may be contacted several times by telephone, mail, 
email, and home visits to encourage participation and, when 
appropriate, to remind the respondent of the importance of their 
contribution to this study.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The total number of responses 
(including respondents and non-respondents) expected across all 
respondent categories is 34,859. FNS estimates that 34,839 responses 
are related to the reporting burden and 20 responses for the 
recordkeeping burden.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time will vary depending 
on the respondent category and will range from 1.2 minutes (0.02 hours) 
to 3 hours. The following table outlines the estimated total annual 
burden for each type of respondent. Across all study respondents and 
non-respondents, the average estimated time per response is 0.14 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours on Respondents: 4,853.98 hours 
(see table below for estimated total annual burden hours by type of 
respondent). This includes 4,793.98 hours for reporting and 60 hours 
for recordkeeping.

    Dated: September 12, 2017.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

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[FR Doc. 2017-20117 Filed 9-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C