[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59506-59507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29487]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 213 / Wednesday, November 4, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 59506]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection,
Comment Request--Food Stamp Program: Federal Collection of State Plan
of Operations, Operating Guidelines and Forms
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment a
summary of a proposed information collection. The proposed collection
is an extension of a collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584-
0083.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 4, 1999, to
be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of this information
collection to Joseph H. Pinto, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food
Stamp Program, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Copies of the estimate of the information
collection can be obtained by contacting Mr. Pinto.
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 will 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 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 through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
All comments will be summarized and included in the request for
Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection.
All comments will become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph H. Pinto, telephone number
(703) 305-2383.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Operating Guidelines, Forms and Waivers.
OMB Number: 0584-0083.
Expiration Date: December, 1998.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: In accordance with section 11(e) of the Food Stamp Act of
1977 (the Act), 7 U.S.C. 2020(e), State agencies are required to submit
a Plan of Operation specifying the manner in which the Food Stamp
Program will be conducted. The State Plan of Operations, in accordance
with current rules at 7 CFR 272.2, consists of a Federal/State
Agreement, annual budget and activity statements, and specific
attachments (such as plans if the State elects to conduct program
information activities or provide nutrition educational services).
State Plans of Operation are a one-time effort with updates that are
provided as necessary.
Under section 16 of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2025, the Secretary is
authorized to pay each State agency an amount equal to 50 percent of
all administrative costs involved in each State agency's operation of
the Food Stamp Program. Under corresponding Food Stamp Program
regulations at 7 CFR 272.2, the State agencies must submit annually to
FNS for approval, a Budget Projection Statement (Form FNS-366A), which
projects the total costs for major areas of Food Stamp Program
operations, and a Program Activity Statement (Form FNS-366B), which
provides a summary of Food Stamp Program operations during the
preceding fiscal year. The reports are required to substantiate the
costs the State agency expects to incur during the next fiscal year.
Form FNS-366A is submitted annually by August 15 for the upcoming
fiscal year and Form FNS-366B must be submitted no later than 45 days
after the end of each State agency's fiscal year.
Beginning July 1997, State agencies were allowed to submit the FNS-
366B data electronically to the national database files stored in FNS'
Food Stamp Program Integrated Information System in lieu of a paper
report. The voluntary changeover from paper to electronic reporting of
FNS-366B data by States was done as part of FNS' State Cooperative Data
Exchange (SCDEX) Project. This project is being expanded over time as
more FNS forms are transformed to electronic formats for State data
entry. For FY 1997, the first year of FNS-366B electronic reporting, 5
State agencies submitted the FNS-366B data electronically and 48 State
agencies submitted paper reports.
Under section 11(o) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2020(o), each State agency
was required to develop a plan, no later than October 1, 1987, for
implementing an automated data processing (ADP) and information
retrieval system to administer the Food Stamp Program. Corresponding
Food Stamp Program regulations at 7 CFR 277.18 require that a written
plan of action, called an Advance Planning Document (APD), be prepared
to acquire proposed ADP services, systems or equipment. The frequency
of the APD submissions is at the discretion of the State agencies.
Under section 7(i) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2016(i), the Secretary is
authorized to permit State agencies to implement on-line electronic
benefit transfer (EBT) systems. The Secretary is authorized to
establish standards for the required testing prior to implementation of
any EBT system and analysis of the results of implementation in a
limited pilot project area before expansion of the system. Any State
requesting funding for an EBT system must submit an APD.
Respondents: State agencies that administer the Food Stamp Program.
Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent
Plan of Operation Updates: 53 State agencies once a year.
Form FNS-366A: 53 State agencies once a year.
Form FNS-366B: 53 State agencies once a year.
Advance Planning Documents: 25 State agencies once a year.
Advance Planning Documents for EBT Systems: 10 State agencies once
a year.
EBT Reporting: 41 State agencies reporting four times a year.
[[Page 59507]]
Estimate of Burden
Plan of Operation Updates: The State agencies submit Plan updates
at an estimate of 10 hours per respondent, or 530 total hours.
Form FNS-366A: The State agencies submit Form FNS-366A at an
estimate of 13 hours per respondent, or 689 total hours.
Form FNS-366B: The total burden for the collection of information
for Form FNS-366B is 1,526 hours. Forty-two State agencies submit Form
FNS-366B automatically at an estimate of 18 hours per respondent, or
756 total hours. Eleven State agencies submit Form FNS-366B manually at
an estimate of 70 hours per respondent or 770 hours.
Outreach Plans: FNS is planning an initiative to encourage States
to do outreach to hard-to-serve population groups. Up to 25 States may
submit an Outreach plan over the next year at an estimate of 1 hour per
respondent or 25 total hours.
Advance Planning Documents: Approximately 25 State agencies submit
an APD each year at an estimate of 15 hours per respondent or 375 total
hours.
Advance Planning Documents for EBT Systems: Approximately 10 State
agencies submit an APD each year for an EBT system at an estimate of 45
hours per respondent, or 450 total hours.
EBT Reporting: We estimate that approximately 41 State agencies
with operational EBT systems will provide additional information about
their EBT systems during the next burden period. The State agencies
submit a report approximately 4 times a year at an estimate of one hour
per response, or 164 total hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents
The total annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for OMB No.
0584-0083 is estimated to be 3,759, a decrease of 972 hours from the
previous estimate and currently approved burden of 4,731 hours. Since
the last notice on this burden in 1996, the number of States with
operational EBT systems has increased to 35 States, leaving fewer
States who will need to submit an Advance Planning Document for an EBT
system. The decrease in the burden is due primarily to a decrease in
the estimate of the number of States each year who may submit an
Advance Planning Document for an EBT system.
Dated: October 26, 1998.
Samuel Chambers, Jr.,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-29487 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
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