[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 167 (Thursday, August 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52942-52945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18860]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: FNS Information
Collection Needs due to COVID-19
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Agriculture (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 of a Currently Approved Collection.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 26, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Comments will 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 Melissa
Abelev at [email protected], or 703-305-2134.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the
proposed
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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: FNS Information Collection Needs due to COVID-19.
Form Number:
OMB Number: 0584-0654.
Expiration Date: November 31, 2020.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: As the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is responding to
the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, it is implementing a number of
waivers and program adjustments to ensure Americans in need can access
nutrition assistance during the crisis while maintaining recommended
social distancing practices. Two pieces of legislation have detailed
many of the program adjustments available to FNS. The Families First
Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (PL 116-127) and the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (PL 116-136) provided a
number of program adjustments and additional funding, respectively. The
programs' authorizing legislation also allows for some waivers and
flexibilities. The statutes describing these waivers and flexibilities
also have reporting requirements. The Department obtained approval
through an emergency clearance to collect the information as described
in this Notice (OMB-0854-0654; expiration 11/30/2020). USDA anticipates
the need to collect the data beyond the expiration date and is seeking
approval of this Information Collection Request in order to meet the
continuing information collection and reporting requirements detailed
in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, as well as
program administration needs to implement the CARES Act of 2020.
Section 2302(a)(2) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
of 2020 (FFCRA), enacted March 18, 2020, allows the Department of
Agriculture to adjust, at the request of State agencies or by guidance
in consultation with one or more State agencies, issuance methods and
application and reporting requirements under the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008, as amended, (FNA) to be consistent with what is practicable
under actual conditions in affected areas. Section 2302(c) of FFCRA
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a report to Congress
following the end of the public health emergency, including a
description of the measures taken to address the food security needs of
affected populations during the emergency, including any information or
data supporting State agency requests, among other information not
included in this information collection (IC).
Further, Section 2203(a)(1) allows State agencies administering the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) to request a waiver of 17(d)(3)(C)(i) of the Child Nutrition Act
of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(3)(C)(i)), which requires applicants be
physically present in the clinic. Local agencies are required to submit
a report detailing the use and benefits of this waiver within one year
of use of such waiver, and State agencies are required to submit a
summary report of local agency usage of waivers under this Section
within 18 months. Section 2204(a)(1) gives State agencies administering
WIC and the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) the opportunity
to request a waiver or modification of qualified regulatory
requirements from USDA if such requirements cannot be met due to COVID-
19, and such waivers are necessary to provide assistance to WIC and WIC
FMNP participants. State agencies are also required under this Section
to provide a report to USDA no later than one year after such waivers
were granted, detailing their use of the waiver and how it improved
services to women, infants and children.
In addition, Title II of the FFRCA allows a number of adjustments
to the Child Nutrition Programs and with those adjustments requires the
States to report to the Secretary of Agriculture how they used the
waivers and whether they improved services to children. In order to
comply with the requirements of the FFRCA, FNS will ask the States to
report the required data points on existing FNS forms. These data will
be collected electronically using the existing remarks fields in the
FNS Food Program Reporting System (FPRS).
In all the instances described above, the information collection
includes burden on State agencies for requesting waivers due to COVID-
19 and reporting to FNS evaluation data on how the waiver has impacted
State operations, which is a requirement on States in FFRCA.
Additionally, FNS is asking State agencies to report the USDA
commodities used during a disaster on a more frequent basis. This
information is currently collected in an OMB approved form, the FNS-
292A, Report of Commodity Distribution for Disaster Relief (OMB Control
Number 0584-0594 Food Programs Reporting System, expiration July 31,
2023). State distributing agencies may release commodity or donated
foods procured by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to disaster
organizations to provide nutritional assistance to disaster victims.
Under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 7 CFR 250.69(f), State
distributing agencies shall provide a summary report to FNS within 45
days following termination of the disaster assistance, and maintain
records of these reports and other information relating to disasters.
OMB approved in an emergency collection (OMB 0584-0654, expiration 11/
30/2020) for FNS to change the frequency of the collection of the
commodity reports from 45 days after the completion of the disaster, to
a weekly basis. This change was requested due to the number of requests
and the burden of the FNS regional offices. Additionally, this request
is being requested in order for FNS Food Distribution (FD) staff to
monitor levels of USDA commodities more frequently to ensure States
have access to USDA commodities in the coming weeks.
Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government: Respondent
groups identified include: (1) State agencies and Indian Tribal
Organizations that operate USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs; (2)
Local WIC Agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 2,068. This includes: 53 SNAP State Agencies who will
submit Waiver information, evaluation information, and weekly
operational updates; 89 WIC State program staff who will submit waiver
information; 89 WIC State program staff who will submit evaluation
information; 49 Farmers Market Nutrition Program Staff who will submit
waiver information; 49 Farmers Market Nutrition Program Staff who will
submit evaluation information; 56 Child Nutrition Program staff who
will submit information on form FNS10; 57 Child Nutrition Program staff
who will submit information on FNS44; 53 Child Nutrition Program staff
who will submit information on FNS418; 60 Food Distribution State
program staff who will submit information on FNS292A; and 1808 WIC
Local Agency Program
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staff who will submit information on an evaluation survey.
As shown in the respondent burden table below (Table 1), FNS
anticipates two types of respondents: State Government workers and
Local Government workers at WIC agencies. Together, their reporting
burden is 26,386 burden hours. Note that the estimates below assume
data collection over twelve months, though they will be revised should
the Public Health Crisis timeline differ.
SNAP State Program Staff will have two types of burden:
Waivers: FNS anticipates up to 3 waivers requests per
month per State agency. SNAP Program Staff in 53 State Agencies will
submit approximately 3 waiver requests per month. Each waiver will take
about 10 hours to complete for a total of 19,080 burden hours. (53
State Agency Staff * 3 waivers per months * 12 months (36 waiver
request) = 1,908 responses * 10 hours = 19,080 burden hours)
Data Reports: SNAP Program Staff in 53 State Agencies will
submit 3 data reports, reporting on the evaluation data required by
FFRCA. It will take them about 3 hours to report the data in the data
reports for a total of 159 burden hours. (53 State Agency Staff * 3
data reports = 159 responses * 3 hours = 477 burden hours).
Weekly Operational Update: SNAP program staff in 53 State
Agencies will submit 1 weekly update to their FNS Regional Offices.
Each update will take approximately 1 hour to complete. (53 State
agencies * 52 weekly reports = 2,756 annual responses * 1 hour per
response = 2,756 burden hours).
WIC State Program Staff will have two types of burden:
Waivers: FNS anticipates up to 40 waiver opportunities
under the Public Health Emergency. Each state will request about 14
waivers. Each waiver request will take about 15 minutes to complete for
a total of 311.5 burden hours. (89 State Agency Staff * 14 waivers =
1,246 responses * .25 hours = 311.5 burden hours)
Evaluation Information: WIC Program Staff in 89 State
Agencies will submit 1 survey, reporting on the evaluation data
required by the FFRCA. It will take them about 2 hours to complete the
survey, for a total of 178 burden hours. (89 State Agency Staff * 1
survey = 89 Responses * 2 hours = 178 burden hours)
MIS Data Pull: FNS will request states submit a data pull
from their MIS systems to help facilitate the evaluation data reporting
on the number of WIC participants affected by different waivers. (89
WIC State Agencies * 1 data pull = 89 Responses * 1.5 hours per
response = 133.5 burden hours)
FMNP State Program Staff will have two types of burden:
Waivers: FNS anticipates up to 8 waiver opportunities
under the Public Health Emergency and each state will request 4
waivers. FMNP Program Staff in 49 State Agencies will submit
approximately 4 waiver requests. Each waiver request will take about 15
minutes to complete for a total of 49 burden hours. (49 State Agency
Staff * 4 waivers = 196 responses * .25 hours = 49 burden hours)
Evaluation Information: FMNP Program Staff in 49 State
Agencies will submit 1 State Plan, reporting on the evaluation data
required by the FFRCA. It will take them about 3 hours to complete the
report, for a total of 147 burden hours. (49 State Agency Staff * 1
State Plan = 49 Responses * 3 hours = 147 burden hours)
CN State Program Staff will submit data on three types of existing
FNS Forms:
FNS10: CN Program staff in 56 States will submit
information on an existing FNS form in the remarks section. They will
enter the data monthly for the 30-day report and for the 90-day report
for two submissions per month. It will take about 15 minutes to
complete for a total of 336 burden hours. (56 State Agency Staff * 24
submissions = 1,344 responses * .25 hours = 336 burden hours)
FNS44: CN Program staff in 57 States will submit
information on an existing FNS form in the remarks section. They will
enter the data monthly. It will take about 15 minutes to complete for a
total of 171 burden hours. (57 State Agency Staff * 12 submissions =
684 responses * .25 hours = 171 burden hours).
FNS418: CN Program staff in 53 States will submit
information on an existing FNS form in the remarks section. They will
enter the data monthly. It will take about 15 minutes to complete for a
total of 159 burden hours. (53 State Agency Staff * 12 submissions =
636 responses * .25 hours = 159 burden hours).
Food Distribution State program Staff will have one type of burden:
FNS292A: Food Distribution Program Staff in 60 State
Agencies will submit form FNS292A 52 times (weekly over twelve months)
This is an increase in burden for an existing, approved form. It will
take them approximately 15 minutes to complete the form each time for a
total of 780 burden hours. (60 State Agency Staff * 52 submissions =
3,120 responses * .25 hours = 780 burden hours).
WIC Local Government Agency Staff: Local Agency staff in 1,808
Local WIC agencies will submit 1 survey to FNS. It will take 1 hour to
complete and submit the report for a total of 1,808 burden hours (1,808
Local Agency staff * 1 submission = 1,808 responses * 1 hours = 1,808
burden hours)
Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
Table 1--Respondent Burden Table
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Type of Number of Frequency of Total annual Hours per Annual burden
Respondent category respondents Instruments respondents response responses response (hours)
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State Gov....................... SNAP State Program Waiver............ 53 36 1,908 10 19,080
SNAP State Program Data Reports...... 53 3 159 3 477
SNAP State Agency. Weekly Operational 53 52 2,756 1 2,756
Update.
WIC State Program Waiver............ 89 14 1,246 0.25 311.5
Staff.
WIC State Program Evaluation Survey. 89 1 89 2 178
Staff.
WIC State Program MIS Data Pull..... 89 1 89 1.5 133.5
Staff.
FMNP State Program Waiver............ 49 4 196 0.25 49
Staff.
FMNP State Program Evaluation Info... 49 1 49 3 147
Staff.
CN State Program Form: FNS10....... 56 24 1,344 0.25 336
Staff.
Form: FNS44....... 57 12 684 0.25 171
Form: FNS418...... 53 12 636 0.25 159
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Food Dist. State Form: FNS292A..... 60 52 3,120 0.25 780
Program.
Local Government................ WIC Local Agency Report to State... 1,808 1 1,808 1 1,808
Program Staff.
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0 0.25 0
Respondent Total............ .................. .................. 2,066 6.817 14,084 1.873 26,386
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[FR Doc. 2020-18860 Filed 8-26-20; 8:45 am]
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