[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 33 (Wednesday, February 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9453-9454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03245]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Special Supplemental 
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program 
Regulations--Reporting and Record-Keeping Burden

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 information collection in the Special 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 
for the reporting and record-keeping burdens associated with the WIC 
Program regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Lisa Southworth, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Braddock Metro Center II, 1320 
Braddock Place, Room 328, Alexandria, VA 22314. 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 Lisa 
Southworth at 703-305-2086.

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: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, 
and Children (WIC) Program Regulations--Reporting and Record-keeping 
Burden.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0043.
    Expiration Date: August 31, 2020.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The purpose of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program 
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to provide supplemental 
foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals to low income, 
nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, 
infants, and children up to age five. Currently, WIC operates through 
State health departments in 50 States, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, 
American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin

[[Page 9454]]

Islands. The Federal regulations governing the WIC Program (7 CFR part 
246) require that certain program-related information be collected and 
that full and complete records concerning WIC operations are 
maintained. The information reporting and record-keeping burdens are 
necessary to ensure appropriate and efficient management of the WIC 
program.
    The reporting and record-keeping burdens covered by this 
information collection include requirements that involve the 
certification of WIC participants; the nutrition education that is 
provided to participants; the authorization, training and monitoring of 
vendors; and the collection of vendor pricing information in order to 
comply with the Federal regulations regarding WIC cost containment. 
State Plans are the principal source of information about how each 
State agency operates its WIC Program. Information collected from 
participants and local agencies is collected through State-developed 
forms or Management Information Systems. The information collected is 
used by the Department of Agriculture to manage, plan, evaluate, make 
decisions, and report on WIC program operations. This information 
collection is requesting a revision in the burden hours due to 
adjustments that primarily reflect expected changes in the number of 
WIC participants; WIC authorized vendors; and WIC State and local 
agencies. The revisions decreased the approved reporting burden by 
317,028 hours and decreased the total approved record-keeping burden by 
69,358 hours.

Reporting Burden

    Affected Public: Individual/Households; Business or Other for 
Profit; and State, Local and Tribal Government. Respondent groups 
include WIC participants (women, infants, and children), WIC retail 
vendors, and WIC State and local agencies (including Indian Tribal 
Organizations and those in U.S. territories).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 6,913,189. This includes: 1,897 State and local 
agencies; 6,870,128 WIC participants; and 41,164 Retail Vendors.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The estimated number 
of responses per respondent is 3.07.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The estimated total for annual 
responses is 21,254,756.
    Estimated Time per Response: The average estimated time per 
response for all participants is .13 hours. The estimated time of 
response varies from 1 minute to 160 hours, depending on the activity 
and the respondent group, as shown in the table below.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: The estimated total 
annual reporting burden hours is 2,848,015. See the table below for the 
estimated total annual burden for each type of respondent.
    Current OMB Inventory: 3,165,043.
    Difference (Burden Revisions Requested): -317,028.

Record-Keeping Burden

    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Government. The 
respondent groups include the WIC State and local agencies and WIC 
clinics (including Indian Tribal Organizations and those in U.S. 
territories).
    Estimated Number of Record-keepers: The estimated number of record-
keepers is 11,897.
    Estimated Number of Records per Respondent: The estimated number of 
records is 2,315.
    Total Estimated Annual Records: The total estimated number of 
annual records is 27,544,044.
    Estimated Annual Hours per Record-keeper: The average estimated 
annual hours per record-keeper is .02. The estimated time of response 
varies from 1 minute to 50 hours, depending on the activity, as shown 
in the table below.
    Estimated Total Record-keeping Burden Hours: The estimated total 
record-keeping burden hours is 538,197. See the table below for the 
estimated total annual burden.
    Current OMB Inventory: 607,555.
    Difference (Burden Revisions Requested): -69,358.
    Estimated Grand Total for Reporting and Record-keeping Burden: The 
estimated grand total for reporting and record-keeping is 3,386,212.

                                                    Reporting
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                                                                       Total         Number of
                                   Total  number      Average        estimated     burden hours      Estimated
       Type of respondent               of         responses per      annual       per response    burden hours
                                    respondents     respondent       responses        (hours)
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STATE, LOCAL, & INDIAN TRIBAL              1,897           5,609      10,640,409            0.20       2,154,666
 GOVERNMENTS (89 WIC State
 agencies; 1,808 WIC local
 agencies)......................
BUSINESS OR OTHER FOR-PROFIT              41,164            2.20          90,742            1.85         167,511
 (41,164 WIC authorized vendors)
INDIVIDUALS/HOUSEHOLDS                 6,870,128            1.53      10,523,605            0.05         525,838
 (6,870,128 WIC participants)...
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    Total Reporting Burden......       6,913,189  ..............      21,254,756  ..............       2,848,015
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                                                  Recordkeeping
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                                                                       Total         Number of
                                   Total  number      Average        estimated     burden hours      Estimated
       Type of respondent           of  record-    responses per      annual       per response    burden hours
                                      keepers       respondent       responses        (hours)
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STATE, LOCAL, & INDIAN TRIBAL             11,897           2,315      27,544,044            0.02         538,197
 GOVERNMENTS (89 WIC State
 agencies; 1,808 WIC local
 agencies, 10,000 WIC clinics)..
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    Dated: February 6, 2020.
Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
[FR Doc. 2020-03245 Filed 2-18-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P