[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 68 (Monday, April 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24423-24425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07377]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 68 / Monday, April 8, 2024 / 
Notices  

[[Page 24423]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program: Demonstration Projects

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 proposed information collection. This is a new collection 
without an assigned OMB control number for the Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program (SNAP). This information collection is for 
activities associated with SNAP demonstration projects and the SNAP 
State Options Report, respectively.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 7, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Program Design Branch, Program 
Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Jessica Luna 
at 703-305-4391 or 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 Jessica 
Luna at 703-305-4391.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Demonstration projects are pilot or 
experimental projects that waive requirements of the Food and Nutrition 
Act of 2008 (the Act) (7 U.S.C. 2011, et seq.) and SNAP regulations to 
test program changes to increase efficiency and improve the delivery of 
benefits to eligible households. Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes 
the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to approve demonstration projects. 
SNAP State agencies must request approval to operate demonstration 
projects and submit data reports to evaluate its impact. FNS may 
approve demonstration projects for a maximum five-year term and the 
projects must maintain cost neutrality and include an evaluation 
component. The SNAP State Options Report summarizes each State agency's 
policy choices concerning approximately 20 SNAP policy options and 
waivers. FNS produces the report on an annual basis and posts it on its 
public website.
    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: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Demonstration 
Projects.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: This is a new information collection without an 
assigned OMB control number in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP).
    Abstract: This information collection concerns activities 
associated with both SNAP demonstration projects and the SNAP State 
Options Report. Demonstration projects allow State agencies to conduct 
approved pilot or experimental projects that waive requirements of the 
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) (7 U.S.C. 2011, et seq.) and 
SNAP regulations to test program changes to improve program 
administration, increase the self-sufficiency of SNAP recipients, and 
improve the delivery of benefits to eligible households. The Act limits 
the provisions that the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) may waive. FNS 
may approve demonstration projects for a maximum five-year term, and 
they must maintain cost neutrality and include an evaluation component. 
Previously, this information has been collected without an OMB control 
number. This information collection seeks to come into compliance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act for demonstration projects.
    The SNAP State Options Report summarizes each State agency's policy 
choices concerning approximately 20 SNAP policy options and waivers. 
FNS produces the report on an annual basis and posts it on its public 
website. The most recent report, released in October 2023, is available 
via the following link: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/waivers/state-options-report. The report is designed for a wide range of audiences. 
Audiences include SNAP State agencies, State and federal policymakers, 
other social service programs, advocacy groups, and researchers. FNS 
currently develops the report using extant data maintained by FNS and 
information provided by State agencies through their State SNAP Plans 
of Operation. FNS seeks to improve the report through expanding the 
information included to better serve interested audiences. To do so, a 
limited amount of new information from State agencies needs to be 
collected. FNS seeks to account for the new burden these activities 
would place on State agencies through this information collection. 
Previously, this information has been collected without an OMB control 
number. This information collection seeks to come into compliance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act for the State Options Report.

Demonstration Projects

    FNS consulted with four State agencies to estimate the time State

[[Page 24424]]

agency staff spent initiating a demonstration project, fulfilling 
operational requirements, and requesting project renewals. 
Demonstration project waivers require State agencies to prepare and 
submit to FNS new project requests, project modifications, and project 
renewal requests. States must also prepare and submit data reports as 
part of an evaluation component to measure the project's intended 
outcomes and benefits.
    FNS and State agencies use an electronic system--the SNAP Waiver 
Information Management System (WIMS)--to:
    [ssquf] Facilitate the request and response process between State 
agencies and FNS.
    [ssquf] Track pending waiver requests, active and expired waivers, 
and waiver-related data reports.
    [ssquf] Allow State agencies and FNS to communicate critical 
information about specific waivers in a central location.
    Further, WIMS contains a virtual library which holds all the 
demonstration project request templates (e.g., initial, modification 
and extension), data report templates, and guidance documents which 
State agencies use to request projects and submit data reports.

Preparing and Submitting a New Demonstration Project Request

    Demonstration projects test novel ideas and program innovations. 
State agencies undergo a research phase to determine the type of 
demonstration project they would like to implement. FNS works to guide 
and assist State agencies in researching and providing technical 
assistance prior to any submission of a request.
    Once the State agency determines the demonstration project they 
would like to implement, they must then submit a request to operate the 
project in WIMS. The State agency opens a demonstration project case 
and fills out and submits a request template available in WIMS' virtual 
library. The templates guide the State agencies to specify the 
following information in their request, including:
    [ssquf] The type of demonstration request (e.g., Standard Medical 
Deduction (SMD), Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP), 
Community Partner Interview (CPI), Combined Application Project (CAP), 
non-merit projects, or novel projects, among others).
    [ssquf] The statutory and regulatory citations the demonstration 
project would waive.
    [ssquf] The justification for requesting the demonstration project 
(e.g., lessen administrative burden and increase program access).
    [ssquf] The description of alternative procedures that differ from 
regular SNAP, like eligibility, verification, and evaluation components 
for the demonstration project, among others.
    [ssquf] An evaluation plan.
    During this process, FNS engages with the State agency, providing 
technical assistance to identify and gain a mutual understanding of the 
terms and conditions of the waiver and the State's capacity to operate 
the demonstration project successfully. FNS may ask the State agency 
clarifying questions, as needed. If FNS approves the request, FNS will 
issue an approval letter and request an acknowledgement letter with the 
signature of the appropriate State official confirming the State agency 
can meet the terms and conditions of the approval.
    To implement the demonstration project, State agencies often need 
to update their systems to appropriately administer demonstration 
projects. System updates may include, but are not limited to, updating 
the code to identify the intended project's population, applying 
alternative procedures, and enabling the State agency to pull cases and 
all relevant information for required data reports.
    Additionally, demonstration projects may require alternative 
procedures that vary from the operation of SNAP under normal program 
rules. Therefore, implementing a demonstration project requires State 
agencies to update their policy manuals, develop training modules, and 
train their staff on the project's processes and requirements.

Preparing and Submitting Requests To Modify or Extend Demonstration 
Projects

    If the State agency requires a modification to their demonstration 
project during the approval period, the State agency must complete and 
submit a modification request in WIMS. The State may need to answer 
clarifying questions from FNS to explain the proposed change to the 
current project approval and why it is needed. If approved, FNS issues 
a modification letter detailing the change and reasoning behind the 
modification and affirming that all other terms and conditions of the 
latest approval still apply to the demonstration project.
    State agencies may also elect to extend approved projects by 
requesting to do so in WIMS. If the State agency wishes to extend their 
demonstration project under the previous approval's terms and 
conditions, the State agency does not need to submit a new request but 
inform FNS through WIMS. FNS will review the existing project's 
evaluation reports, ask clarification questions as needed and, if 
suitable, issue an approval. FNS will request the State agency submit 
acknowledgement of the extension via WIMS.
    However, if the State agency wishes to propose different terms and 
conditions, or add a novel component to the project, the State agency 
must fill out and submit a new request in WIMS detailing the proposed 
changes. FNS will ask clarification questions as needed to gain 
understanding of the proposed changes or novel component. If FNS 
approves the extension request, FNS will issue an approval letter and 
request written confirmation in the form of an acknowledgement letter 
with the signature of the appropriate State official.

Preparing and Submitting Data Reports for Demonstration Projects

    State agencies must submit data reports to FNS to assess the 
project's overall performance. The evaluation section of the 
demonstration project's approval detail the data report requirements. 
The evaluation section of the approval may include, but is not limited 
to, selecting a case sample, conducting case reviews, and validating 
the findings.
    Data reports vary for each type of demonstration project. The most 
common types of reports are annual and cost-neutrality reports. Annual 
reports allow FNS to monitor demonstration project trends such as 
average caseload size, demographics data of the population in the 
demonstration (e.g., older adults and people with disabilities), 
timeliness, and payment error rates. Cost neutrality reports ensure 
that the implementation of a demonstration project does not 
significantly increase SNAP benefit costs. FNS must analyze program 
costs associated with demonstration projects to determine if any 
offsets are needed to protect Federal spending and maintain cost 
neutrality.

SNAP State Options Report

    FNS consulted with six State agencies to estimate the time State 
agency staff would spend providing information for inclusion in the 
SNAP State Options Report. FNS's planned process of providing 
information would entail FNS posing a set of no more than 30 specific 
questions to State agencies concerning their State's implementation of 
various existing SNAP policy options. The questions asked may change 
each year as new policies and options are introduced or discontinued. 
In turn,

[[Page 24425]]

State agencies would respond to FNS's set of questions with answers via 
an online form. FNS would solicit a response to the set of questions 
from each State agency once every 12-month period.

Total Reporting

    Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government.
    Respondent Type: SNAP State Agencies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.8868.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 130.370205.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 13037.0205.
    Reference burden table below:

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                                                                                                                                                                                        Total
                                                                                              Estimated     Responses      Total     Estimated   Estimated   Base hourly    Fully-    Annualized
          Respondent category               Type of respondent          Burden activity       number of        per        annual     hours per     total      wage rate     loaded     cost of
                                                                                             respondents   respondent    responses   response      burden     (see BLS)   wage rate   respondent
                                                                                                                                                   hours                                burden
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Reporting
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Government                        SNAP State Agencies......  Preparing and submitting           10             1          10   1105.2308   11052.3080       $24.05     $31.99  $353,524.65
                                                                    a new demonstration
                                                                    project request.
State Government                        SNAP State Agencies......  Preparing and submitting           18             1          18     24.3000     437.4000        24.05      31.99    13,990.90
                                                                    modifications and
                                                                    extensions.
State Government                        SNAP State Agencies......  Preparing and submitting           19             1          19     81.4375    1547.3125        24.05      31.99    49,493.11
                                                                    data reports.
State Government                        SNAP State Agencies......  Responding to FNS                  53             1          53      2.0000     106.0000        24.05      31.99     3,390.57
                                                                    question set.
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    Reporting Total Burden Estimates.......................................................           53   1.886792453         100    130.3702   13037.0205        24.05      31.99   417,008.66
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Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-07377 Filed 4-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P