[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 23 (Friday, February 2, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7356-7358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02064]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education 
(SNAP-Ed) Intervention Submission Form and Scoring Tool

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Department of Agriculture 
(USDA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 revision to the currently approved information 
collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
FNS-885, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Intervention Scoring Tool'' and the 
FNS-886, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Intervention Submission Form.'' 
This revision to forms FNS-885 and FNS-886 will provide an improved 
user experience by simplifying scoring criteria and clarifying the 
information requested for certain fields. These updates will also align 
with the new SNAP-Ed National Program Evaluation and Reporting System 
(N-PEARS), to ensure consistency with SNAP-Ed specific terms. More 
information on changes to these forms is in the Supplementary 
Information section of this notice.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before April 2, 
2024 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Aurora Calvillo Buffington, Food and 
Nutrition Service, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Program 
Administration and Nutrition Division, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, 
Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to [email protected] or 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 
become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Divyani 
Pendleton at 703-305-2031 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of agency functions, 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 the assumptions 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 respond, including use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technology.
    Title: SNAP-Ed Intervention Scoring Tool and SNAP-Ed Intervention 
Submission Form.
    Form Number: FNS-885 and FNS-886.
    OMB Number: 0584-0639.
    Expiration Date: 9/30/2024.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended (the Act) 
Sec.  28(c)(3)(A) states that State agencies ``may use funds provided 
under this section for any evidence-based allowable use of funds'' 
including ``(i) individual and group-based nutrition education, health 
promotion, and intervention strategies; (ii) comprehensive, multilevel 
interventions at multiple complementary organizational and 
institutional levels; and (iii) community and public health approaches 
to improve nutrition.'' 7 CFR 272.2(d)(2)(vii)(D) states ``SNAP-Ed 
activities must include evidence-based activities using two or more of 
these approaches: individual or group-based nutrition education, health 
promotion, and intervention strategies; comprehensive, multi-level 
interventions at multiple complementary organizational and 
institutional levels; community and public health approaches to improve 
nutrition and physical activity.''
    The SNAP-Ed Strategies and Interventions: An Obesity Prevention 
Toolkit for States (SNAP-Ed Toolkit) was developed collaboratively by 
FNS National and Regional Office SNAP-Ed staff, the National 
Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Reduction (NCCOR), and the 
Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA). 
Currently, more than 150 interventions are available on the SNAP-Ed 
Toolkit website https://snapedtoolkit.org/. State agencies use the 
SNAP-Ed Toolkit to locate evidence-based interventions for their 
implementation of SNAP-Ed programming.
    The SNAP-Ed Intervention Submission Form, FNS-886, and the SNAP-Ed 
Intervention Scoring Tool, FNS-885, provide a uniform and transparent 
method for submission, review, and scoring of nutrition education, 
physical activity promotion, and obesity prevention interventions for 
inclusion in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit. SNAP-Ed State and implementing 
agencies, nutrition education and public health agencies, and other 
organizations use these voluntary forms to submit interventions for 
consideration. The SNAP-Ed Intervention Submission Form and Scoring 
Tool make it possible for SNAP-Ed implementers and the review committee 
to determine if the intervention submitted for inclusion in the SNAP-Ed 
Toolkit is evidence-based and uses one or more of the required 
approaches. These forms support FNS efforts to increase the selection 
of interventions available in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit, improve innovation 
in service delivery using interventions which reflect the latest 
research, and respond directly to entities submitting interventions 
(submitters) for the SNAP-Ed Toolkit.
    The collection of this information for the submission, review, and 
scoring of nutrition education, physical activity promotion, and 
obesity prevention interventions for inclusion in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit 
is necessary to:


[[Page 7357]]


--Provide agencies with an increased selection of interventions to fit 
their specific needs.
--Increase innovation in service delivery by encouraging adoption of 
interventions which reflect the latest research on nutrition education, 
physical activity, and obesity prevention behavior change.
--Allow FNS to respond to each submitter's requests to include their 
intervention in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit using a clear and transparent 
review process and inclusion criteria.

    Submitters use the FNS-886, SNAP-Ed Intervention Submission Form, 
to provide information about the intervention they are submitting for 
inclusion in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit. Information requested includes 
intervention materials, (such as materials used to develop and test the 
intervention, evaluation materials, or reports), how these materials 
have been and will be used, and the evidence base which illustrates 
their effectiveness. The FNS-886 captures this information through a 
combination of multiple-choice boxes and text response areas.
    Submitters are members of State or implementing agencies, 
researchers from academic institutions and Federal agencies, and non-
profit or private sector nutrition education and physical activity 
intervention developers.
    FNS collects SNAP-Ed Intervention Submission Forms and attachments 
and distributes them via email to intervention reviewers. Reviewers 
include relevant FNS staff, relevant staff from other Federal agencies, 
such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
researchers from academic institutions, and SNAP-Ed State and 
implementing agency staff. Reviewers use the Scoring Tool to assess and 
rate each submission for inclusion in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit. Information 
from reviewers is collected through a combination of numerical and text 
entry fields.
    FNS will accept interventions to the SNAP-Ed Toolkit in FY 2024. 
The intervention submission and review period occur biennially.
    FNS updated the forms and burden estimates based on consultations 
with SNAP-Ed State and implementing agency partners, other Federal 
agencies, and users of the forms. FNS has refined and streamlined the 
forms where real-world use has indicated this is possible, and included 
additional instructions, questions, or opportunities for response where 
users, trainers, and FNS partners indicated areas for improvement. FNS 
has also made wording changes to fix typographical errors and improve 
readability. Overall, the changes to the forms are focused on form 
improvements for the end user.
    The following updates to the FNS-886, SNAP-Ed Intervention 
Submission Form are proposed:
    1. Restructuring, formatting, and wording edits to all sections.
    2. In Section I, Intervention Name and Contact Information, move 
three questions related to costs and materials to Section VI, Training, 
Materials, and Resources.
    3. In Section II, Intervention Overview, remove ``Breastfeeding'' 
and ``Food Insecurity'' and add ``Food Resource Behaviors'' as a Target 
Behavior category, remove four questions on evaluation and evidence 
base, and add a question on the core intervention components.
    4. In Section III, Intervention Development, renumber questions due 
to the insertion of new questions in Section II.
    5. In Section IV, Evaluation and Outcomes, add a new question 
asking submitters to identify tools they used to evaluate their 
intervention, simplify a question on which outcomes the intervention 
achieved, and increase the character limit on a question about evidence 
findings included in the submission. Update section for readability and 
renumbering to reflect the newly inserted questions.
    6. In Section V, Implementation, renumber to reflect newly inserted 
questions.
    7. In Section VI, Training, Materials, and Resources, clarify 
training that is required to implement the intervention, and renumber 
to reflect newly inserted questions.
    8. In Section VII, Intervention Attachments, add instructions to 
clarify that submitters should describe how evaluation and modification 
addressed intervention sustainability concerns, and renumber to reflect 
newly inserted questions.
    9. In Section VIII, Evaluation Attachments, add instructions to 
help submitters name and reference their attachments throughout the 
submission form.
    The following changes to FNS-885, SNAP -Ed Intervention Scoring 
Tool, are proposed:
    1. Rename and restructure all sections to align with the changes to 
FNS-886, the SNAP-Ed Intervention Submission Form.
    2. In Section I, Intervention Overview and Development, add three 
questions on (1) the intervention's ability to address the needs of the 
target population, (2) the target population and community partner 
involvement in the intervention development, and (3) SNAP-Ed educators, 
target population, and/or partner involvement in testing the 
acceptability of the intervention.
    3. In Section II, Evaluation and Outcomes, remove ``emerging'' as 
an evidence base category from the scoring tool, add a question on the 
use of behavior change theories in the intervention development, and 
clarify the scoring of intended outcomes and alignment with the SNAP-Ed 
Evaluation Framework.
    4. In Section III, Implementation, make minor wording 
clarifications across questions, and add a question on adaptability of 
the interventions.
    5. In Section IV, Training, Materials and Resources, edit questions 
for clarity and remove one question on interventions adopted by 
partners in settings not directly supported by SNAP-Ed.
    6. In the Bonus Questions, update the list of populations and 
settings that are currently underrepresented in the SNAP-Ed Toolkit.

Reporting

    Affected Public: The affected public for the FNS-886 and FNS-885 
forms includes 50 SNAP-Ed State and implementing agencies (37 State/
Local/Tribal Governments, 10 non-profit organizations, and 3 for-profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The estimated number of 
respondents is 50. The estimated number of respondents for the 
Intervention Submission Form is 28 respondents (22 State/Local/Tribal 
Government, 5 non-profit organizations, and 1 for-profit organization). 
The estimated number of respondents for the Intervention Scoring Tool 
is 22 respondents (15 State/Local/Tribal Government, 5 non-profit 
organizations, and 2 for-profit organizations). This estimate is a 
decrease based on historical submission data and the expectation that 
fewer interventions may be submitted to the SNAP-Ed Toolkit on a 
biennial basis.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: This number of 
responses per respondent is 1.88 responses, based on the estimate of 94 
responses from 50 respondents. FNS expects to receive one response for 
the Intervention Submission Form, 2 responses for the Intervention 
Scoring Tool and, 1 required training for the Intervention Scoring 
Tool. This estimate is unchanged from the previous OMB approval.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The revised total annual 
responses is 94, which is a reduction to the current estimated total 
annual responses of 160

[[Page 7358]]

responses. This estimate is a decrease based on historical submission 
data and expectation that fewer interventions may be submitted to the 
SNAP-Ed Toolkit on a biennial basis.
    Estimated Time per Response: The revised estimated time per 
response for this voluntary collection is 5.5 hours for the 
Intervention Submission Form and 3 hours for the Intervention Scoring 
Tool. This estimate was calculated based on feedback from the 
stakeholder consultation group. Estimates were averaged based on 
stakeholder feedback; any data outliers were not included in this 
estimate. This reflects an increase from the current estimate of 2 
hours for the Intervention Submission Form and a decrease from the 
current estimate of 6 hours for the Intervention Scoring Tool.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The revised estimated 
total biennial burden on respondents for this voluntary collection is 
353 hours, as this voluntary collection receives responses on a 
biennial basis. The revised estimated total annual burden on 
respondents for this voluntary collection is 176.5 hours. This revised 
estimate is a reduction from the current estimated total annual burden 
of 523 hours. This revised estimate is a decrease based on historical 
submission data and expectation that fewer interventions may be 
submitted to the SNAP-Ed Toolkit on a biennial basis.
    There are no recordkeeping or third-party/disclosure requirements 
associated with this information collection.

                                                                  Burden Estimate Table
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                                                                                                                                              Estimated
                                                                                          Estimated    Responses      Total      Estimated      total
         Respondent category              Burden activity                Form             number of       per         annual     hours per      burden
                                                                                         respondents   respondent   responses     response      hours
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State/Local/Tribal Government.......  Completing intervention  FNS-886                            22            1           22          5.5        121.0
                                       submission form.
                                      Completing intervention  FNS-885                            15            2           30            3         90.0
                                       scoring tool.
                                      Training for             FNS-885                            15            1           15            1         15.0
                                       intervention scoring
                                       tool.
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal: State/Local/Tribal      .......................  ........................           37  ...........           67  ...........        239.0
     Government.
Business, Non-Profit................  Intervention Submission  FNS-886                             5            1            5          5.5         27.5
                                       Form.
                                      Scoring Tool...........  FNS-885                             5            2           10            3         30.0
                                      Scoring Tool (Training)  FNS-885                             5            1            5            1          5.0
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal: Business, Non-Profit..  .......................  ........................           10  ...........           20  ...........         91.5
Business, Profit....................  Intervention Submission  FNS-886                             1            1            1          5.5          5.5
                                       Form.
                                      Scoring Tool...........  FNS-885                             2            2            4            3         12.0
                                      Scoring Tool (Training)  FNS-885                             2            1            2            1          2.0
                                                              ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Subtotal: Business, Profit.....  .......................  ........................            3  ...........            7  ...........         22.5
        Total.......................  .......................  ........................           50       1.8800           94       3.7553        353.0
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Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-02064 Filed 2-1-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P