[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88864-88865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28334]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
are requested regarding; whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by January 
25, 2024 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for 
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days 
of the publication of this notice on the following website 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this information collection by 
selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' 
or by using the search function.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information

[[Page 88865]]

displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs 
potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information 
that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits to low-income households to 
reduce food insecurity and improve health and well-being. Benefits are 
delivered via electronic benefit transfer (EBT), which is accepted at 
more than 250,000 authorized retailers nationwide. For nearly two 
decades, SNAP participants have used EBT in person at retailers, where 
they swipe their card at checkout using a point of sale (POS) terminal 
and enter their personal identification number (PIN) to pay for their 
purchases.
    The Agricultural Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) authorized the use of 
mobile payments from devices like cell phones, tablets, and smart 
watches, as an alternate option to a physical electronic benefit 
transfer (EBT) card to conduct a SNAP transaction. This authorization 
was subject to the result of five mobile payment pilot projects. Mobile 
payments may improve the customer experience; save participant and 
retailer time; reduce potential stigma of using EBT; reduce costs; and 
prevent benefit fraud, loss, or theft.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Mobile Payment Pilot 
Evaluation will assess the effects of the pilots, using information 
obtained from FNS, selected State SNAP agencies, retailers, and SNAP 
participants. The evaluation has four objectives: (1) assessing the 
implementation of the pilots, (2) examining the adoption and use of 
mobile technologies, (3) understanding implications for program 
integrity, and (4) assessing replicability and costs. In each of the 
five sites, the evaluation will conduct three rounds of semi-structured 
interviews with State SNAP agencies, EBT processors, retailers, and 
other partners. Interviews will occur during the pilot planning period 
and once the pilots are implemented, and will collect information about 
the pilot design and implementation.
    Description of Respondents: State and Local Government, Individuals 
and Households, Businesses or other For- Profit and Not-for-Profit.
    Number of Respondents: 33,746.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,726.87.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-28334 Filed 12-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P