[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 88 (Monday, May 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20032-20033]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09625]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 88 / Monday, May 7, 2018 / Notices  

[[Page 20032]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request: 
National Universal Product Code (NUPC) Database

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. This collection is an 
extension, without change, of a currently approved collection for the 
maintenance of a central repository containing information about 
authorized foods in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for 
Women, Infants and Children (WIC), as approved by various WIC State 
agencies.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 6, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Kurtria Watson, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
524, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Kurtria Watson at 703-305-2196 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 Kurtria 
Watson at 703-605-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    Title: National Universal Product Code (NUPC) Database.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0552.
    Expiration Date: August 31, 2018.
    Type of Request: Extension, without change, of a currently approved 
collection.
    Abstract: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, 
Infants and Children (WIC), (Pub. L. 109-85) provides low-income 
pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up 
to age five with nutritious supplemental foods, nutrition education, 
including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health 
and social services. The WIC Program is administered by the USDA Food 
and Nutrition Service (FNS). FNS provides grant funding and issues 
regulations which are utilized by WIC State agencies to operate the WIC 
Program and distribute benefits through local WIC clinics. The program 
operates throughout the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, 
Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in 34 Indian Tribal 
Organizations.
    The reporting and record-keeping associated with WIC State agencies 
and their management of the NUPC database is not included in this 
burden calculation. Burden hours associated with WIC State agencies and 
their management of the NUPC database is included in the burden 
calculation associated with the WIC program regulations, OMB Control 
Number 0584-0043.
    WIC Regulations at 7 CFR part 246 require State agencies to 
authorize eligible foods for their WIC food list. Under these 
regulations, State agencies must review food products for eligibility 
in accordance with Federal regulations and State agency policies. State 
agencies are not required to authorize all food products eligible under 
federal regulations, but generally select foods based on factors such 
as cost, availability and acceptability to participants. After review, 
the State agency develops a list of food items available for WIC 
participants for purchase. This food list is known as the Authorized 
Products List (APL). State agencies require authorized vendors (i.e., 
stores authorized to provide WIC foods) to ensure only approved food 
items are purchased. In State agencies that have transitioned to 
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems, authorized vendors must 
program their point of sale systems to identify WIC approved foods and 
their associated Universal Product Code (UPC) or Price Look-Up (PLU) 
code as individual products are scanned at the checkout. Vendors in 
State agencies that have not transitioned to EBT rely on their checkout 
clerks to ensure only authorized WIC products are approved for 
purchase.
    WIC State agencies operating EBT systems provide their authorized 
vendors with an electronic file containing the State agency's current 
list of authorized foods. As products are scanned at the checkout lane, 
the UPC or PLU is matched to the State specific APL. Food items 
matching the APL, and which are presented in quantities less than or 
equal to the remaining benefit balance associated with the 
participant's WIC EBT card, are approved for purchase. Unmatched items, 
or items in excess of the available account balance, may not be 
purchased with WIC benefits.
    The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish a National Universal Product Code (NUPC) 
database for use by all WIC State agencies as they implement EBT 
statewide. As a result of this legislation, FNS expanded the number of 
data elements contained in the existing NUPC database while 
simultaneously

[[Page 20033]]

reducing the burden on WIC State agency employees by assembling food 
product information in an easily accessible repository. NUPC database 
modifications and expansion activities have allowed for the storage and 
retrieval of additional data elements for each WIC authorized food to 
include: Nutrition facts panel information, ingredients, special 
processing practices (i.e., Kosher or Halal), and a free form comments 
field. The NUPC retained all previously used product identifier fields. 
Responsibility for populating the NUPC database resides with an 
independent contractor who serves as the single point of entry for all 
information entering the NUPC database. This contractor ensures NUPC 
data is captured with a high level of accuracy while preserving data 
integrity in a standardized format. The NUPC database provides all WIC 
State agencies with access to a central repository containing 
comprehensive information about authorized WIC foods. State agencies 
may choose to use the NUPC database to create an initial list of 
authorized foods eligible for redemption by WIC Program participants. 
Subsequently, State agencies may use the NUPC database to maintain 
their list of authorized foods, and to create an APL for distribution 
to authorized vendors when operating in the EBT environment.
    Affected Public: Businesses or Other For Profit Organizations. 
Respondent groups identified include: (1) Food Manufacturers and 
Distributors; (2) Authorized Vendors.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 360. This includes 240 food manufacturers or 
distributors and 120 authorized vendors.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.33. The 240 food 
manufacturers or distributors will be asked to provide product 
information in electronic format (.doc, .xls, .pdf). All responses are 
voluntary. FNS estimates that each of the food manufacturers or 
distributors will be asked to provide product information 4 times per 
year on average and that each of the 120 authorized vendors will be 
asked to provide product information 2 times per year on average.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The total number of responses is 
estimated to be 1,200. FNS estimates food manufacturers or distributors 
will be asked to respond a total of 960 times per year (240 food 
manufacturers or distributors x 4 responses per year each = 960). FNS 
estimates authorized vendors will be asked to respond a total of 240 
times per year (120 authorized vendors x 2 responses per year each = 
240). All responses are voluntary.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response varies 
by type of respondent. FNS expects all respondents will expend 12 hours 
per respondent per year to develop, maintain, and troubleshoot the 
electronic systems for use in transmitting information. The estimated 
time required to develop, maintain, and troubleshoot electronic systems 
is amortized over the expected number of responses. FNS also expects 
all respondents will expend 2 seconds per response to transmit 
information to FNS electronically. Since the time required to actually 
transmit the information to FNS is considered negligible (total of 40 
minutes per year for all respondents), it was omitted from the burden 
calculation. FNS expects that food manufacturers or distributors will 
expend 6 hours per response to gather and format the requested 
information. Authorized vendors are expected to expend 1 hour per 
response to gather and format the requested information. The estimated 
time per response for food manufacturers or distributors is expected to 
be 9 hours per response ((12 hours per year/4 responses per year) + 6 
hours per response = 9 hours per response). The estimated time per 
response for authorized vendors is expected to be 7 hours per response 
((12 hours per year/2 responses per year) + 1 hour per response = 7 
hours per response).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,320 hours. The 
table below provides an estimated total annual burden for each type of 
respondent:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Estimated
                                     Estimated       Response      Total annual   average number     Estimated
           Respondent                number of     annually per      responses     of hours per    total annual
                                    respondents     respondent                       response     burden (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food Manufacturers and                       240               4             960               9           8,640
 Distributors...................
Authorized Vendors..............             120               2             240               7           1,680
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................             360            3.33           1,200             8.6          10,320
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    Dated: April 27, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-09625 Filed 5-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P