[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60913-60919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19113]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 60913]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Assessing Equity in 
Work Requirements and SNAP Employment & Training

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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 for the Assessing Equity in 
Work Requirements and SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] 
Employment & Training study. This is a new information collection 
request. This study informs the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) about feasible options for assessing 
and monitoring equity in the administration of SNAP work requirements 
and SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) services.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 6, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Kristen Corey, USDA Food and 
Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 
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 Kristen 
Corey at (703) 305-2517.

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: Assessing Equity in Work Requirements and SNAP Employment 
and Training.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    OMB Number: 0584-NEW.
    Expiration date: Not yet determined.
    Type of request: New collection.
    Abstract: Section 17 [7 U.S.C. 2026] (a)(1) of the Food and 
Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, provides general legislative 
authority for the planned data collection. It authorizes the Secretary 
of Agriculture to enter into contracts with private institutions to 
undertake research that will help improve the administration and 
effectiveness of SNAP.
    FNS is conducting this study to identify data available from SNAP 
State agencies, their E&T provider partners, and other sources that can 
be used to develop measures to assess equity in the administration of 
SNAP work requirements and E&T services. The developed measures can be 
used to determine how and whether States are providing equitable access 
to SNAP through the administration of work requirements, achieving 
equitable participation in education and training opportunities through 
the SNAP E&T program, and adopting program option and discretionary 
policies and procedures that influence disparities. FNS has identified 
four objectives for this study:
    (1) Identify areas in the administration of work requirements in 
SNAP and in SNAP E&T program administration and access where equity 
issues could occur.
    (2) Identify and describe the data that could be used to assess 
access and outcomes in the areas identified in Objective 1.
    (3) Describe how State agencies address equity in administering 
work requirements in their SNAP and SNAP E&T programs.
    (4) Develop recommendations on how FNS should assess and measure 
equity in the administration of work requirements in SNAP and in SNAP 
E&T program administration and access.
    The study will gather data through a web-based survey and document 
review of all 53 SNAP State agencies and key informant interviews in 
six States. The web-based survey will provide information on current 
practices addressing equity and data available to assess equity. The 
web-based survey questions will be limited to those not answerable 
through the document review. The document review will include extant 
documents, manuals, guides, and other data sources from all 53 SNAP 
State agencies. We will identify nine SNAP State agencies and recruit 
as necessary to ensure the completion of key informant interviews in 
six States. The key informant interviews will include staff from each 
of the six study States at (1) the SNAP State agency office and (2) the 
SNAP local office; interviews will also include (3) SNAP E&T providers 
and (4) relevant interested parties, who may be government employees or 
representatives of academic and business interests (e.g., community-
based organizations, community college consortium, American Job 
Centers). We will pretest the web-based survey with individuals with 
previous experience working in SNAP State agencies. We will pretest the 
key informant interviews with State and local office staff from a SNAP 
State agency not selected as a study State.
    This study aligns with President Biden's January 20, 2021, 
Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 
Communities Through the Federal Government and the goal of equitable 
implementation of Federal programs.\1\ These data will

[[Page 60914]]

ultimately result in recommendations on how FNS can assess and measure 
equity in the administration of work requirements and SNAP E&T. The 
data collected will be kept private and will not be shared with anyone 
outside the study team and FNS research and administrative staff.
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    \1\ The White House. (2021). Executive order on advancing racial 
equity and support for underserved communities through the Federal 
Government. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
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    Affected public: Members of the public affected by the data 
collection include State, local, and Tribal governments; business (for 
profit and not for profit); and individuals.
    Respondent groups identified include the following:
    (1) State, local, and Tribal government: The web-based survey will 
be completed by all 53 SNAP State agency Directors with input from SNAP 
E&T Directors and SNAP State agency data analysts who are familiar with 
SNAP data and data systems. Submission of files for document review 
will be completed by the SNAP State agency Directors and data analysts.
    Staff from the SNAP State office, the SNAP local office, and an 
interested party will pretest the interview instruments. The key 
informant interviews will be conducted in the six study States with 
SNAP State agency Directors, State agency data analysts, SNAP E&T 
Directors, staff from two local offices, SNAP E&T providers, and 
interested parties, such as staff at American Job Centers.
    (2) Business (for profit and not for profit): One SNAP E&T provider 
will pretest the interview instrument. SNAP E&T providers and 
interested parties, such as staff at community-based organizations from 
the six study States, will participate in key informant interviews.
    (3) Individuals: Six individuals will pretest the web-based survey 
instrument.
    Pretesting: We anticipate 100 percent participation from the 
respondents involved in pretesting the web-based survey and the key 
informant interview guides. Six individuals with previous experience 
working in SNAP State agencies will pretest the web-based survey. Key 
informant interview instruments will be pretested by one SNAP State 
Director, one local SNAP E&T administrator, one interested party, and 
one SNAP E&T provider.
    Survey: We will contact all 53 SNAP State agency Directors to 
request that they complete the survey. FNS anticipates 100 percent 
participation from the SNAP State agency Directors. Each SNAP State 
agency Director may designate up to two staff to complete sections of 
the survey, accounting for up to an additional 106 State agency staff 
participating as respondents (159 SNAP State agency staff respondents 
total). This is the highest possible number of survey respondents.
    Document review: When recruited for participation in the survey, 
SNAP State agencies will also be asked to submit documents for a 
document review; FNS anticipates 100 percent participation. We will 
reach out to 53 SNAP State agency Directors to submit documents; 
Directors will be assisted by one staff member (i.e., data analyst) to 
identify the necessary documents.
    Key informant interviews: We will identify nine candidate States 
and conduct key informant interview in six States. The key informant 
interviews will involve semi-structured interviews with program 
administrators and staff of SNAP State agencies and SNAP local 
agencies, businesses or other agencies providing SNAP E&T services, and 
interested parties representing other government agencies or 
businesses. After FNS and the study team recruit the six States, FNS 
expects all selected local SNAP agencies, SNAP providers, and 
interested parties to participate.
    Estimated number of respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 264 as follows: 203 State, local, and Tribal government 
staff; 55 business (for profit and not for profit) staff; and 6 
individuals. Of the 264 contacted, 264 are estimated to be responsive, 
and three are estimated to be nonresponsive. The breakout of 
respondents follows:
    (1) State, local, and Tribal government staff: Of the 159 SNAP 
State agency staff contacted, 159 are estimated to be responsive, and 
three will be nonresponsive. The web-based survey will be completed by 
53 SNAP State Directors, 53 data analysts, and 53 SNAP E&T Directors; 
we expect them all to be responsive. The submission of files for 
document review will be completed by 53 SNAP State Directors and 53 
data analysts; we expect them all to be responsive. Before beginning 
key informant interviews, we will pretest the interview instruments 
with a SNAP State Director, a local SNAP E&T administrator, and an 
interested party working for the government; we expect them all to be 
responsive. We will conduct key informant interviews in six study 
States. To successfully recruit six study States, FNS and the study 
team will contact up to nine SNAP State Directors; six SNAP State 
Directors will agree to participate in the interviews and three will be 
nonresponsive. Other State staff joining the SNAP State Directors for 
the key informant interviews will be six data analysts and six SNAP E&T 
Directors, who will all be responsive, and zero will be nonresponsive. 
Other local government staff will include 12 local SNAP E&T 
administrators, 24 local office staff, and six interested parties 
working for the government will be contacted and be responsive; zero 
will be nonresponsive.
    (2) Business (for profit and not for profit) staff: One SNAP E&T 
provider will be recruited to pretest the key informant interview 
instrument, and they will be responsive. Of the 48 SNAP E&T providers 
contacted for key informant interviews in the six study States, 48 are 
estimated to be responsive, and zero will be nonresponsive. Six 
interested parties employed by businesses will be contacted for key 
informant interviews; we expect all six to be responsive and zero to be 
nonresponsive.
    (3) Individuals: Of the six individuals recruited to pretest the 
web-based survey, all six are estimated to be responsive, and zero will 
be nonresponsive.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 3.67--based on 981 
total annual responses (978 responsive and 3 nonresponsive) made by the 
264 respondents (264 responsive and three nonresponsive). See table 1 
for the estimated number of responses per respondent for each type of 
respondent.
    The estimate breakout follows:
    (1) State, local, and Tribal government staff:
    (a) SNAP State Staff (159): The estimated number of responses per 
SNAP State staff is 4.23:

--Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will receive recruitment emails from 
FNS and the study team for the web-based survey. They will all respond 
and complete the web-based survey. The SNAP State Directors will 
coordinate with their staff to support the accurate completion of the 
survey; 53 data analysts and 53 SNAP E&T Directors will assist in the 
completion of the web-based survey.
--Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will respond to the request for the 
submission of files for document review, including reading advance 
materials and preparation of the files for submission. SNAP State 
Directors will coordinate with their staff to obtain the necessary 
files; 53 data analysts will assist in the preparation of documents.
--One SNAP State Director will be recruited and will pretest the key

[[Page 60915]]

informant interview instrument that will be used with SNAP State office 
staff.
--Up to nine SNAP State Directors will receive and respond to an email 
invitation to participate in key informant interviews. SNAP State 
Directors in selected States will receive an introductory email from 
the study team and have a meeting to schedule interviews and ask 
questions. Of the up to nine SNAP State Directors, six will agree to 
participate in the virtual key informant interviews and up to three 
will decline to participate.
--Six SNAP E&T Directors and six data analysts will also participate in 
virtual key informant interviews.

    (b) Local SNAP office staff (37): The estimated number of responses 
per local SNAP office staff is 2.97:

--One local SNAP E&T administrator will be recruited and will pretest 
the key informant interview instrument that will be used with SNAP 
local office staff.
--Twelve local SNAP E&T administrators will respond to scheduling and 
take part in virtual key informant interviews; 24 additional local SNAP 
office staff will take part in virtual key informant interviews.

    (c) Non-SNAP State and local government agency staff (7): The 
estimated number of responses per non-SNAP State and local staff is 
2.86:

--One interested party will be recruited and will pretest the key 
informant interview instrument that will be used with interested 
parties.
--Six interested parties employed by either State or local government 
agencies will respond to scheduling and take part in virtual key 
informant interviews.

    (2) Business (for profit and not for profit) SNAP E&T providers 
(55): The estimated number of responses per business stakeholder staff 
is 2.98:

--One SNAP E&T provider will be recruited and will pretest the key 
informant interview instrument that will be used with E&T providers.
--Forty-eight business E&T provider staff will respond to scheduling 
and participate in virtual key informant interviews.
--Six interested parties employed by a for-profit or not-for-profit 
business will respond to scheduling and participate in virtual key 
informant interviews.

    (3) Individuals (6): The estimated number of responses per 
individuals is 2.00:

--Six individuals will be recruited and will pretest the web-based 
survey that will be administered to all 53 SNAP State agencies.

    Estimated total frequency response per respondent. FNS anticipates 
3.67 responses per respondent.
    Estimated total annual responses: 981 (978 annual responses for 
responsive participants and 3 annual responses for nonresponsive 
participants).
    Estimated time per response: 0.3796 hours (0.38 hours for 
responsive participants and 0.25 hours for nonresponsive participants). 
Among respondents, the estimated time of response varies from 0.03 
hours to 1.50 hours depending on respondent group and activity, as 
table 1 shows.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents and nonrespondents: 
372.41 hours (371.66 hours for responsive participants and 0.75 hours 
for nonresponsive participants). See table 1 for estimated total annual 
burden for each type of respondent.

Tameka Owens,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
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[FR Doc. 2023-19113 Filed 9-5-23; 8:45 am]
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