[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49906-49907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21550]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request: Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary 
Grant Programs

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 a revision 
of a currently approved collection.
    The purpose of the Uniform Grant Application Package for 
Discretionary Grant Programs is to provide a standardized format for 
the development of all Requests for Applications for discretionary 
grant programs released by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Agency 
and to allow for a more expeditious OMB clearance process.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 3, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Mark Porter, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
733, 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 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Mark Porter 
at 703-305-2048.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary Grant 
Programs.
    Form Number: FNS 908 and FNS 887.
    OMB Number: 0584-0512.
    Expiration Date: March 31, 2019.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: FNS has a number of discretionary grant programs. 
(Consistent with the definition in 2 CFR part 200, the term ``grant'' 
as used in this notice includes cooperative agreements.) The 
authorities for these grants vary and will be cited as part of each 
grant application solicitation. The purpose of the revision to the 
currently approved collection for the Uniform Grant Application Package 
for Discretionary Grant Programs is to continue the authority for the 
established uniform grant application package and to update the number 
of collection burden hours. The uniform collection package is useable 
for all of FNS' discretionary grant programs to collect information 
from grant applicants that are needed to evaluate and rank applicants 
and protect the integrity of the grantee selection process. All FNS 
discretionary grant programs will be eligible but not required, to use 
the uniform grant application package. Before soliciting applications 
for a discretionary grant program, FNS will decide whether the uniform 
grant application package will meet the needs of that grant program. If 
FNS decides to use the uniform grant application package, FNS will note 
in the grant solicitation that applicants must use the uniform grant 
application package and that the information collection has already 
been approved by OMB. If FNS decides not to use the uniform grant 
application package or determines that it needs grant applicants to 
provide additional information not contained in the uniform package, 
then FNS will publish a notice soliciting comments on its proposal to 
collect different or additional information before making the grant 
solicitation.
    The uniform grant application package will include: General 
information and instructions; a checklist; a requirement for the 
program narrative statement describing how the grant goals and 
objectives will be reached; the Standard Form (SF) 424 series forms 
that request basic grant project information, budget information, and a 
disclosure of lobbying activities certification; the Grant Program 
Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire, used to 
evaluate potential grantee risk; and the Standardized Performance 
Progress Report. The proposed information collection covered by this 
notice is related to the requirements for the program narrative 
statement. The requirements for the program narrative statement 
described in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix I and will apply to all types of 
grantees--State and Local governments, Indian Tribal organizations, 
Non-Profit organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, and For-
Profit organizations. The information collection burden related to the 
SF-424 series, and the lobbying certification forms have been 
separately approved by OMB.
    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.
    Affected Public: State and local governments, Indian Tribal 
organizations, Non-Profit organizations, Institutions of Higher 
Education, and For-Profit organizations. The estimates include the 
total annual estimates with a final seeking three-year burden upfront 
for this generic request. This includes the time for the proposal (pre-
award) and for the reporting and recordkeeping burdens (post-award) 
after awarding these grant opportunities.

Pre-Award Reporting Burden Estimates

    Estimated Number of Respondents: 950.
    Estimated Number of Responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 950.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 60.00.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 57,000.

Post-Award Reporting Burden Estimates

    Estimated Number of Respondents: 644.

[[Page 49907]]

    Estimated Number of Responses per respondent: 9.80745342.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 6,316.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 2.26 Average.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 14,274.16.

Post-Award Recordkeeping Burden Estimates

    Estimated Total Number of Recordkeepers: 332.
    Estimated Total Annual Response per Recordkeeper: 10.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 3,320.
    Estimated annual hours per record keepers: 0.25.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 830.
    Grand Total Annual Pre, Post Reporting Burden Estimates & 
Recordkeeping Hours: 72,107 and Estimated Total Annual Responses: 
10,586.
    See the table below for estimated total annual and the three year 
burden for each type of respondent.

                                     Annual Grant Opportunities FY 2019-2022
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                                                                                                     Estimated
                                     Number of     Frequency of    Total annual   Estimated time   total annual
                                    respondents      responses       responses     per response    burden hours
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Pre-Award Annual Total Reporting             950               1             950              60          57,000
 Burden (Request for
 Applications)..................
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                                    Annual Post Award Reporting Burden Totals
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Post-Award Total Reporting                   644      9.80745342           6,316            2.26          14,274
 Burden.........................
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    Grand Total Annual Reporting             950      7.64842105           7,266    9.8092485549          71,274
     Burden.....................
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                                          Number          Annual       Estimated       Hours per    Total burden
                                   recordkeepers          number    total annual    recordkeeper
                                                     records per         records
                                                      respondent
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                                     State Agencies, Local and Tribal (SLT)
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Post Award Recordkeeping Total               332              10           3,320            0.25             830
 Burden Estimates...............
Pre and Post Total Annual         ..............  ..............          10,586  ..............          72,104
 Reporting + Recordkeeping
 Burden Estimates...............
Pre and Post Total Annual                  2,850  ..............          31,758  ..............      216,312.48
 Reporting + Recordkeeping
 Burden Estimates for 3 year
 approval period................
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* Note: Out of the 950 respondents who will submit proposal, 644 will be awarded and those unique respondents
  will go on to report Post Reporting burden and only 332 will maintain Recordkeeping burden hours and
  therefore, those respondents are not double counted.
** Note: This collection uses Common Forms and the burdens cleared by OMB under other agencies. Common Standard
  Forms; SF 424 Family Series, SF 425, SF LLL and AD-1047, AD-1048, AD-1049, AD-1052, AD-3020.


    Dated: September 26, 2018.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-21550 Filed 10-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P