[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 75 (Tuesday, April 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23160-23164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08320]


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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 revised information collection. This 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. This revision also addresses additional information 
to be collected for some grant programs as supplemental information 
beyond the Uniform Grant Application. This notice provides 60 day 
notice to the public that State Plan information will be submitted in 
association with this information collection, and program-specific 
supplemental forms will be used as discussed in this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or June 21, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: The Grants Management Operations 
Branch, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, 
Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to 
[email protected].
    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 Gregory 
Walton at 703-305-1575 or [email protected].

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: Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary Grant 
Programs.
    Form Number: SF-424 Form, SF-LLL, FNS-908, FNS-887.
    OMB Number: 0584-0512.
    Expiration Date: July 31, 2022.
    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, accounting for noncompetitive grants issued 
by FNS into this information collection request package. FNS is 
revising the uniform collection package to allow and account for all of 
FNS' competitive and noncompetitive 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. This revision also encompasses the submittal of associated 
State Plan information and the use of program-specific forms, including 
but not limited to, Form FNS-887 Farm to

[[Page 23161]]

School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm to 
School Final Report. Under certain criteria, all FNS discretionary 
grant programs will be eligible to use the uniform grant application 
package. Before soliciting applications for a competitive or 
noncompetitive 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 at least a 30-day notice soliciting comments on 
its proposal to collect different or additional information before 
making the grant solicitation, if not already discussed in this notice. 
This notice discusses and gives 60 day notice to the public that State 
Plan information will be collected in association with grants covered 
by this information collection and program-specific supplemental forms 
will also be used, including but not limited to, Form FNS-887 Farm to 
School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm to 
School Final Report. State Plans can discuss a wide range of 
information associated with the use of grant funds including, but not 
limited to, the goals of the project, the implementation plan, 
associated schedule for implementation and expected and actual results. 
Applicants complete Form FNS-887, Farm to School Coversheet, when 
applying for a farm to school grant. Farm to School grantees will 
complete the new Farm to School Baseline Report at the start of their 
grant. The purpose is to collect information about farm to school 
activities at the start of the grant, which will be compared to the 
final grant report. In the new Farm to School Final Report, grantees 
will provide a final update on their specific project activities and 
respond to the same series of questions from the baseline report in 
order to capture changes from the beginning of the grant project to the 
end.
    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 
(SF-424A and SF-424B) that request basic grant project information, 
budget information, and a disclosure of lobbying activities 
certification (SF-LLL); and the Standardized Performance Progress 
Report (FNS-908). The revised 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 
(ITOs), Business such as 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 under OMB 
Control Numbers: 0584-0512, December 31, 2022.
    This collection also encompasses requirements for States to prepare 
and submit State Plans as part of, or in follow-up to, the application 
process for grants covered under OMB number 0584-0512, as well as the 
use of program-specific forms including but not limited to Form FNS-887 
Farm to School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm 
to School Final Report. This collection has two different affected 
public, State, Local & Tribal government as well as Business-for-profit 
and not-for-profit organizations. The respondent type for Business are 
usually Higher Education and Universities.
    FNS is requesting 6,155 total respondents (5,517 for SLT and 638 
for Business', we are also seeking 429,994 total annual burden hours 
and 139,229 total annual responses and since generic clearance are 
granted three years of burden upfront, this renewal is requesting 
1,500,000 burden hours and 417,687 annual responses for next three 
years. This includes 428,954 total burden hours for reporting and 
41,598 total burden hours for recordkeeping.
    The estimates below are for pre and post-award reporting and post-
award recordkeeping for competitive and non-competitive grant 
opportunities for State, Local or Tribal government (known as Indian 
Tribal Organizations or ITOs). Below are the breakdowns for each 
affected public, for each type of grants available (competitive and 
non-competitive) for the reporting and recordkeeping burden activities 
involved before and then after grants are awarded to these affected 
publics.

Reporting--(Competitive) Pre Award

    Affected Public (Competitive): State and Local governments, Indian 
Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,276.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 26,208.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 6.05586081.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 158,712.

Reporting--(Competitive) Post Award

    Affected Public: State and Local governments, Indian Tribal 
Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,324.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 11,620.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 65,072.

Recordkeeping--Post Award Only

    Affected Public (Competitive): State and Local governments, Indian 
Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 2,324.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 20,916.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: 0.025.
    Estimated Annual Hours per Recordkeeper: 522.9.

Reporting--Pre Award

    Affected Public (Competitive): Business--Non-Profit organizations, 
Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 2,700.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 6.26148148.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 16,906.

Reporting--Post Award

    Affected Public (Competitive): Business--Non-Profit organizations, 
Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 95.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.

[[Page 23162]]

    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 475.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 2,660.

Recordkeeping--Post Award Only

    Affected Public (Competitive): Business Non-Profit organizations, 
Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Recordkeepers: 95.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 855.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: 0.0245615.
    Estimated Annual Hours per Recordkeeper: 21.

Reporting--Pre-Award

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,241.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 17,928.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.9549866.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 106,761.

Reporting--Post Award

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,796.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 16,164.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: .025000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Reporting Hours: 404.

Recordkeeping--Post Award Only

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,796.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 16,164.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: .025000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Reporting Hours: 404.

Reporting--Pre-Award

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): Business Non-Profit 
organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 338.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 3,042.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.64069691.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 17,159.

Reporting--Post Award

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): Business Non-Profit 
organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 301.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,505.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: 5.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Reporting Hours: 8,428.

Recordkeeping--Post Award Only

    Affected Public (Noncompetitive): Business Non-Profit 
organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, and For-Profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 301.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 2,709.
    Estimate Average Hours per Response: 0.02510151.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Reporting Hours: 68.

Reporting--State Plans (Competitive) Pre-Award

    Affected Public (Competitive): State and Local governments, Indian 
Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 8,736.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.8.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 50,687.

Reporting--State Plans (Competitive) Post Award

    Affected Public (Competitive): State and Local governments, Indian 
Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 5,460.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 30,576.

Recordkeeping--State Plans (Competitive Post Award)

    Affected Public (Competitive): State and Local governments, Indian 
Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 9,828.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: .02503053.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 246.

Reporting--State Plans (Non-Competitive) Pre-Award

    Affected Public (Non-Competitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 8.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 8,736.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.8375.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 50,996.

Reporting--State Plans (Non-Competitive) Post Award

    Affected Public (Non-Competitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 5,460.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 5.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 30,576.

Recordkeeping--State Plans (Non-Competitive Post Award)

    Affected Public (Non-Competitive): State and Local governments, 
Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,092.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 9,828.
    Estimated Average Hours per Response: 0.02503053.
    Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: 246.

[[Page 23163]]



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                                                                        Pre-award RFA         Pre-award                              Post award forms      Total post        Recordkeeping                        Total
                                                                ----------------------------    forms                           -------------------------    award    ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            ------------  Pre-award                                        reporting
                                                                                              Pre-award   reporting                                      -------------
                                                                    Estimated       Total     reporting     forms    Total pre-  Post award   Post award                 Record-      Record-       Total                   Grand total
                Appendix--Grant; Affected public                    number of     estimated     forms      burden       award       forms     reporting                  keeping      keeping     reporting                burden hours
                                                                     annual       pre-award   responses   (~6.4/6.7    burden     responses   burden (14                responses   burden (~.2     burden       Total     (reporting &
                                                                   respondents     burden      (8 per    hours time                (5 per     hours time   Post award     (9 per     hours per    hours (pre   responses      record-
                                                                  (applicants)      hours    SLT; 9 per      per                  grantee)       per         hours       grantee)     grantee)      & post                   keeping)
                                                                                              business    grantee)                             grantee)                                             award)
                                                                                                 IC)
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                                                                                                     COMPETITIVE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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Subtotal for Competitive State, Local & Tribal Government                 3,276     137,665      26,208      21,047     158,712      11,620       32,536       65,072       21,870          547      226,752      73,224         227,299
 Agencies......................................................
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                                                                                                COMPETITIVE BUSINESS GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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Sub total for Competitive Business Grant Opportunities.........             300      14,906       2,700       2,000      16,906         475        1,330        2,660          855           21       19,566       4,710          19,587
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                                                                                                   NONCOMPETITIVE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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Subtotal for Noncompetitive State, Local & Tribal..............           2,241      91,801      17,928      14,960     106,761       8,980       25,144       50,288       16,164          404      157,049      52,497         157,453
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                                                                                               NONCOMPETITIVE BUSINESS GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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Subtotal for Non Competitive Businesses........................             338      14,978       3,042       2,181      17,159       1,505        4,214        8,428        2,709           68       25,587       8,798          25,655
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  Grand Total SLT & Bus (competitive and non competitive)......           6,155     259,350      49,878      40,188     299,538      23,110       64,708      129,416       41,598        1,040      428,954     139,229         429,994
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[[Page 23164]]

Cynthia Long,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-08320 Filed 4-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P