[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 236 (Friday, December 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-30324]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 9, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service
RIN 0584-AB80
Food Stamp Program: Asset Accumulation Demonstration Projects
AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Food and Consumer Service is announcing its support for
demonstration projects to test the effects of allowing Food Stamp
Program participants to accumulate assets for specific purposes related
to self-sufficiency. These demonstration projects will operate in
accordance with Section 17(k) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as
amended. The intent of this Notice is to solicit proposals from State
and/or local agencies wishing to conduct demonstration projects during
the demonstration project period.
DATES: Requests for application packages must be received by January 9,
1995. Public comments concerning the terms and conditions of the
demonstration projects are welcome but must be received by December 27,
1994. Any changes made as a result of comments received shall be
incorporated in the application package, which will be mailed to
applicants no later than January 13, 1995. Completed applications must
be received by C.O.B. February 7, 1995, to ensure consideration for
award under this solicitation.
ADDRESSES: Interested agencies should submit a written request for an
application package (and include four self- addressed labels) to the
address listed below: USDA, Food and Consumer Service, Program
Development Division, FSP, Attn: Carol Stobaugh, 3101 Park Center
Drive, room 717, Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1594.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND COMMENTS CONTACT: Gary Batko, Supervisor,
Legislation and Court Suits Section, Food and Consumer Service, at the
address listed above or telephone (703) 305-2790.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Classification
Executive Order 12866
This Notice has been determined to be significant and was reviewed
by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 12372
The Food Stamp Program is listed in the catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.551. For the reasons set forth in the final
rule and related Notice to 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V (48 FR 29115,
June 24, 1983), this program is excluded from the scope of Executive
Order No. 12372 which requires intergovernmental consultation with
State and local officials.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
This Notice has been reviewed with regard to the requirements of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601-612). William
Ludwig, Administrator of the Food and Consumer Service (FCS), has
certified that the demonstration projects described in this Notice will
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities because the demonstration projects will be conducted in
limited areas. State and local welfare agencies will be affected to the
extent that they administer demonstration projects. Those food stamp
recipients participating in the demonstration projects will be affected
by this action in that the provisions of the Food Stamp Act affecting
the recertification eligibility criteria for receipt of benefits may be
waived to the extent necessary to permit the implementation of the
special eligibility criteria established for these demonstration
projects.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This Notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping
requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980.
Background
Section 5(g)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended (Act) (7
U.S.C. 2014(g)(1)), and current food stamp regulations at 7 CFR
273.8(b) require that eligible households have no more than $2,000 in
countable assets, including both liquid and non-liquid assets, or
$3,000 if at least one household member is age 60 or older. Current
program provisions, therefore, do not encourage asset accumulation by
individuals in food stamp households.
There is growing interest in ways to promote asset accumulation by
public assistance recipients as a way of promoting their long term
self-sufficiency. It is presumed that current limits on assets may
discourage recipients from investing in their education, job training,
and/or improved housing conditions. Several welfare reform projects are
currently underway which incorporate some form of increased asset
accumulation into their program design. However, these efforts focus on
the Department of Health and Human Services' Aid to Families with
Dependent Children Program. Congress has mandated the demonstration
projects described in this Notice to enable a careful examination of
the impact of increasing the asset accumulation threshold in the Food
Stamp Program (Program) independent of other reform measures. Section
13925 of the Mickey Leland Childhood Hunger Relief Act, Chapter 3,
Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, Pub. L.
103-66, amends Section 17 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 2026) to authorize asset
accumulation demonstration projects in which a maximum of 11,000 food
stamp eligible households are offered the opportunity to accumulate
assets up to $10,000 for later expenditure for specified purposes
determined to increase potential for self-sufficiency. More
specifically, these assets can be used for expenditures directly
related to improving the education, training, or employability
(including self-employment) of household members, for the purchase of a
home for the household, for a change of the household's residence, or
for making major repairs to the household's home. Money set aside for
these purposes will be excluded from consideration as assets in
calculating food stamp eligibility.
Households participating in the demonstration projects would have
to establish separate accounts for assets designated for these specific
intentions. Assets not exempted in their entirety under the
demonstration projects are subject to the limits as specified in food
stamp regulations at 7 CFR 273.8(b). The elevated threshold would not
be used when determining initial eligibility for the Program. (That is,
new applicant households will still be subject to the existing limit of
$2,000, or $3,000 if a household member is elderly).
This Notice establishes the terms and conditions for the
demonstration projects and institutes uniform criteria for evaluating
proposals and selecting demonstration project areas. State/local
agencies interested in participating in these demonstration projects
are invited to request a Demonstration Project Application Package,
which contains detailed information and instructions on preparing and
submitting demonstration proposals. Local agency proposals must be
submitted through and approved by the State agency, which will be
responsible for overall control of the demonstration(s) conducted
within its boundaries and for coordination with the Department
(``Department'' includes the Secretary and the Food and Consumer
Service, as may be appropriate). Each proposal must contain signed
agreements from the appropriate State officials authorizing the
demonstration project in that State. The Department will not negotiate
or enter into any agreements with agencies below the State level.
The demonstration described in this Notice offers the opportunity
to test the effects of raising the maximum asset threshold for food
stamp households already participating in the Program. Research
questions that are of principal interest to the Department include:
1. How do recipients respond to the assets accumulation provision?
2. What is the impact of asset accumulation on Food Stamp Program
costs?
3. What is the relationship between asset accumulation and self-
sufficiency?
The Department will select an independent contractor to conduct an
evaluation that addresses these and other research questions.
Demonstration sites are expected to cooperate with the evaluation
contractor.
The Food Stamp Program Asset Accumulation Demonstration Projects
Using the authority to operate demonstration projects provided by
section 17 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 2026), the Department will authorize
asset accumulation demonstration projects totaling no more than 11,000
households, for a period not to exceed four years. A county, city,
welfare district, or any other political jurisdiction with clearly
defined boundaries, or combinations of such entities, may be designated
as a demonstration project site.
In order to obtain demonstration results that represent the
different Food Stamp Program populations, the Department will, in the
proposal selection process, place special emphasis on choosing sites
that are broadly representative of the Program. At a minimum, the
Department intends to include one urban and one nonurban or rural site
in these demonstration projects. The Department will assess how the
applicant's proposed site fits in with this goal in conjunction with
the size constraints placed on the demonstration. The Department is
also interested in proposals which represent a variety of outreach
activity levels. Intervention strategies could vary significantly in
terms of intensity, ranging from letters announcing the opportunity to
establish self-sufficiency accounts to a more active approach in which
households are actively solicited to participate in the demonstration
project. Finally, the estimated costs associated with administrative
and evaluation responsibilities of the demonstration will also
influence site selection.
To conduct these demonstration projects, the Department is
authorized to waive the maximum allowable assets requirements found in
subsection 5(g) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 2014(g)). This waiver will permit
a participating demonstration project site, with the approval of the
State agency, to operate the Program as it normally would except for
application of the demonstration project criteria in place of standard
Program regulations regarding maximum asset accumulation criteria for
recertification purposes. In support of these demonstration projects,
the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for
Children and Families has committed to similar asset threshold waivers
involving Food Stamp Program households who also receive Aid to
Families with Dependent Children benefits.
Corresponding requirements under the current food stamp regulations
at 7 CFR 273.8(b) shall also be waived to the extent necessary to
permit participating sites to apply asset accumulation criteria when
determining a household's recertification. Current Program regulations
for assets which are not modified or otherwise addressed by this
Notice, will continue to apply to participating demonstration project
sites.
A. Basic Operational Requirements
For purposes of these demonstration projects, participating sites
shall observe the following steps in determining the treatment of
assets for Food Stamp Program eligibility purposes.
Step 1. Continue to determine Program initial eligibility in
accordance with current eligibility criteria.
Step 2. Once eligibility is determined, households will be randomly
assigned to demonstration project and control groups. Those assigned to
the demonstration project group have the opportunity to accumulate
assets for self-sufficiency purposes, as defined in the demonstration
project rules.
Step 3. Upon redetermination of eligibility, assets which have
accumulated in specially designated accounts for self-sufficiency
purposes will be excluded in their entirety as assets up to $10,000 for
the length of the demonstration project, not to exceed four years.
Step 4. Assets not excluded in their entirety under Step 3 will be
held to the limits as set forth in 7 CFR 273.8(b).
Step 5. Accounts must be monitored to ensure that assets are used
for specially designated purposes.
Some households that are part of the test will leave the Program
and then reapply for food stamps within the demonstration project
period. We believe that these applicants should not be penalized
because of their participation in these demonstration projects.
Accordingly, any savings previously excluded from the asset test under
the demonstration projects would continue to be excluded in determining
eligibility. There are various reasons why participants leave and
subsequently return to the Food Stamp Program. Some may lose
eligibility for failing to meet reporting or recertification
requirements; others may obtain temporary employment. About one-third
of all persons leave the Program and resume participation within one
year. The Department is seeking to learn as much as possible about the
costs and impacts of this asset exclusion. Therefore, we are proposing
to exclude assets in the special accounts for the life of the
demonstration projects to enhance our evaluation of various possible
time limits on the exclusion.
B. Demonstration Project Sponsors
To participate in these demonstration projects, potential
demonstration project sponsors must meet the following requirements:
1. Be a political subdivision or grouping thereof (i.e., a State or
a unit of local government or a combination of local governments). A
county, city, welfare district, any other political jurisdiction,
subdivision thereof, or combination of such entities with clearly
defined boundaries, may be designated as a demonstration project site.
2. Have the capability for effectively operating and administering
a demonstration project under the terms and conditions established in
this Notice, the Food Stamp Act, and Program regulations.
3. Designate a demonstration project site that is representative of
the Program nationally in terms of public assistance/non-public
assistance caseload. At a minimum, the Department will be selecting two
demonstration project areas, one urban and one non-urban or rural site.
The total number of recipients invited to participate in the treatment
group, including recipients who do not receive food stamps throughout
the project, cannot exceed 11,000 for the entire demonstration.
Sponsors should specify the size of their site and the underlying
assumptions used to determine this selection. Sites can consist of a
portion of the jurisdiction (such as an office) or an area defined by
grouping smaller project areas together.
Proposals for these demonstration projects are specifically limited
to an asset accumulation initiative. The Department is currently
conducting several other demonstration projects which allow households
to accumulate substantial assets for self-sufficiency purposes in
conjunction with other welfare reform initiatives. Demonstration
project areas currently involved in such studies are not eligible to
participate in the asset accumulation demonstration project because we
believe such participation will affect the results of those studies,
and/or, that the studies will affect the outcome of this demonstration
project. Asset accumulation demonstration project sites will also be
ineligible for welfare reform waivers throughout the course of the
demonstration project, unless it can be demonstrated that the waiver(s)
would not impact the results of these demonstration projects. States or
localities which have approval to operate cash-out or Electronic
Benefit Transfer systems in place of traditional food coupon systems
are eligible for these demonstration projects.
The Department is also considering the selection of a site or sites
with varying levels of outreach activity designed to encourage
households to take advantage of the demonstration project provisions.
This would allow the Department to assess the impact of outreach on the
overall effects of these demonstration projects.
C. Responsibilities
The Department shall be responsible for:
1. Providing funding, as specified in Section D of this Notice.
2. Providing training and technical assistance, as necessary and as
agreed to by the Department.
3. Monitoring demonstration project operations through normal Food
Stamp Program review activities, and special reviews and audits.
4. Securing an independent evaluator to evaluate these
demonstration projects using evaluation criteria identified under this
Notice.
5. Approving requests from the evaluation contractor for data from
the State.
6. Approving changes to the demonstration projects. The State and/
or local agency shall be responsible for:
(1) Establishing a procedure within the Food Stamp Program and the
eligibility redetermination process for applying demonstration project
procedures outlined in this Notice.
(2) Calculating participation using both current law and
demonstration project rules regarding maximum asset accumulation (in
order to determine whether participants would be disqualified without
the demonstration project changes).
(3) Training caseworkers and other staff concerning all aspects of
the demonstration project and demonstration project procedures.
(4) Reporting to the Department as required under Section E of this
Notice, including preparing and submitting a Status Report.
(5) Reporting to the evaluation contractor as required under
Section E of this Notice.
(6) Cooperating with all evaluation activities connected with the
demonstration project under the sponsorship of the Department. This
includes establishing and maintaining a procedure to randomly assign
households to demonstration project and control groups. The proportion
of households assigned to the demonstration project group may be larger
than 50 percent.
(7) Maintaining an accessible database of participant
characteristics and demonstration project participation for evaluation
purposes. For each household in the demonstration project group, this
information shall be linked to data on savings.
(8) Notifying recipients of the termination of the demonstration
project, if appropriate, in accordance with 7 CFR 273.13.
(9) Obtaining approval from the Department prior to the release of
information related to the results of these demonstration projects.
D. Funding
The Department will make available funds to support these
demonstration projects. As part of the application process, sponsors
will submit a budget which estimates their administrative costs for
participation and implementation of demonstration project rules. To the
extent that funds are available, costs attributed to participation in
these demonstration projects will be covered 100%. Funds are also
available to help defray the costs of implementing these demonstration
projects on a 50/50 match basis. Benefit/coupon costs will be paid
under current program funding procedures. The Department is not
obligated to award the entire amount of funds made available. The
amount awarded under any one agreement shall be determined by the
Department based on the scope and size of the demonstration project
sites proposed.
Specific procedures for reimbursement of eligible demonstration
project-related costs will be detailed in the application packages.
E. Recordkeeping and Reporting
The data collection effort is designed to answer research questions
in a manner that balances methodological rigor and operational
feasibility. An overview of the kinds of information needed from States
is described below. A more specific implementation plan will be
developed under the evaluation contract in consultation with State
agencies.
Special Demonstration Project Reporting Requirements: The
Department will require that reports be submitted for demonstration
project activity as follows:
1. Describe the implementation of assets accumulation:
a. Provide copies of all written materials that pertain to the
plans, implementation, and operation of the demonstration project. Such
materials will include, at a minimum: meeting minutes, written planning
and implementation documents, any new reporting forms, notices to
recipients, and other public communications. These documents shall be
provided as an attachment to each monthly demonstration project
progress report.
b. Participate in periodic interviews conducted by the evaluation
contractor. These are likely to be a combination of in-person and
telephone contacts that occur 3-4 times over the length of the
demonstration project. Contacts with key State and local agency staff
will be included in each round of interviews.
c. Allow the evaluation contractor and Department staff to observe
key planning or implementation meetings conducted by State and/or local
agency staff.
2. Assess recipient response to assets accumulation: Provide hard
copy or automated data that identifies relevant characteristics and
behavior of each household. Since the evaluation is looking at behavior
over time either a longitudinal file will need to be set up for each
household or a common household identifier used to link different data
sources.
a. Relevant characteristics data for households in both the
demonstration project and control groups include:
--Demographic characteristics
--Household composition
--Income amount and sources
--Benefit allotment size by program by month
--Value of assets at the time the asset accumulation option is made
available
--Start date for current Food Stamp Program certification period
--Program participation status by month and reason for termination
during the course of the demonstration project
--Value of assets at the time of the most recent certification/
recertification
b. Relevant household behavior/knowledge data for households in the
demonstration project group include:
--Initial response to the demonstration project
--Knowledge of the demonstration project at the time of the most recent
Food Stamp Program application
--Influence of the demonstration project on the most recent decision to
apply for Food Stamp Program benefits
--Date the earmarked savings account was established
--Value of savings by month
--Stated purpose of the savings account
3. Estimate impacts on Program costs:
a. Track administrative costs associated with assets accumulation.
At a minimum, these will include labor and other direct costs of
informing households about the demonstration project and monitoring
household savings.
b. Note that the site information needed to estimate benefit costs,
Program participation, and Program applications is already described as
part of Objective 2 reporting requirements.
4. Examine the impact on household self-sufficiency:
a. Provide a hard copy or automated file with identification
(including addresses and phone numbers) of current Program participants
and indicators of whether or not they are part of the demonstration
project population, as well as whether or not they have established
earmarked savings accounts. This information will be used to generate
sampling frames for the evaluation contractor's recipient interviews.
F. Site Selection Criteria
Criteria for Evaluating Demonstration Proposals: The Department
will evaluate each proposal using a two-step process. First, the
technical aspects will be evaluated by a technical review panel
(panel). The panel will evaluate the technical merit of each proposal
according to the evaluation criteria listed below (with relative
weights shown in parentheses). Panel members will evaluate each
proposal independently and assign it a numerical score for each
evaluation criterion. The panel will average the scores assigned to
each proposal and rank the proposals on their technical merit according
to their mean scores. Based on this technical review, the panel will
recommend a competitive range for proposals. That is the range in which
proposals have a reasonable chance of being selected for negotiation of
an agreement under the terms of this Notice. The Department may conduct
negotiations with applicants in the competitive range, and after
negotiations, may ask for ``best and final offers.'' The Department
does, however, reserve the right to enter into an agreement with the
applicant based on the original proposal and its evaluation.
Second, the Department will consider the proposed administrative
costs associated with each proposal in the competitive range. The cost
will be reviewed independently from the technical evaluation.
The Department will give the technical merit of proposals primary
consideration. However, cost (both administrative and benefit),
geographic characteristics, and outreach activity levels may serve as
tiebreakers when decisions must be made among proposals that are
similar or equal in technical merit. Awards will be made in such
situations to those applicants whose offers are most financially
advantageous to the Department and whose proposals provide the most
diversity to the overall demonstration project, such as urban, rural or
suburban demographic characteristics and the level of proposed outreach
activity (or lack thereof). Therefore, proposals submitted in response
to this Notice should be on the most favorable terms from both
technical and cost standpoints.
Technical Evaluation Criteria
The following criteria will be used in the evaluation of technical
proposals submitted in response to this Notice. The numbers assigned
indicate the maximum score available for each factor and its relative
importance.
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Criteria Assigned Weight
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1. Understanding of the purpose and objectives of the
demonstration project....................................... 50
2. The demonstration project's scope, proposed procedures for
implementing asset accumulation policies and complying with
demonstration project requirements, and its evaluation...... 350
3. Adequacy of the demonstration project work plan, including
dates, tasks/activities, reporting interface, etc........... 250
4. Plans for demonstration project management including staff
responsibilities, monitoring, problem resolution, ongoing
involvement of key management personnel, and an
organizational chart for the demonstration project.......... 175
5. Organizational and staff capabilities and resources
committed to the demonstration project, including time
commitment of individual staff members...................... 175
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G. Applications
Applications shall be submitted in an original and four copies to
the Deputy Administrator, Food Stamp Program, Food and Consumer
Service, USDA, Room 710, Park Office Center Building, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. Applications must be signed by the
representative of the State agency having the authority to commit the
proposed political subdivision to the demonstration project.
Prospective demonstration project sponsors shall submit a
demonstration project proposal containing specific information
regarding their planned demonstration project. Applicants should
include in their proposals any additional information which they feel
would enhance their prospects for approval. Complete instructions for
preparing and submitting demonstration project proposals will be made
available through the application packages described above.
Applications will be submitted via completion of a Form AD-424,
available in each application package. It is anticipated that, at a
minimum, each demonstration project proposal will be required to
include the following:
1. A complete description of the site in which the demonstration
project shall be carried out. This description shall include an
estimate of the total number of households currently participating in
the Food Stamp Program (by Public Assistance (PA) and Nonpublic
Assistance (NPA) category) and any other information useful for
understanding the nature of the jurisdiction in which the demonstration
project would be conducted, including complete geographic information
relevant to the demographic situation of the area proposed
(unemployment rate, distance to shopping, welfare offices, industrial
areas, urban/rural/suburban category, etc.). Participation/caseload
data submitted with proposals should be for the most recent available
month. States combining rural and urban areas into one proposed
demonstration project site should provide estimates of the proportion
of the demonstration project site PA and NPA caseloads living in rural
areas.
2. A complete description of how the State agency will meet the
basic requirements for demonstration project operations (as outlined in
this Notice). This description should include a discussion of the
mechanics of establishing self-sufficiency accounts and how account use
will be monitored. Any access restrictions on the accounts or penalties
for misuse should be detailed as well.
3. Demonstration project proposals must incorporate a detailed work
plan for the demonstration project, including a timetable for
implementation, the length of operation, and demonstration project
termination activities. The workplan must incorporate task statements,
milestones, and methodology to be used in completing the tasks within
prescribed timeframes.
4. A proposed budget for both demonstration project administrative
costs and evaluation costs.
5. A description of the number and qualifications of key staff,
including a demonstration project director, key demonstration project
staff, support staff and management staff, which will be used in
carrying out the demonstration project, plus the percentage of time to
be allotted by the staff.
6. The State agency's methodology for cooperating with the
Department's evaluator and meeting the random assignment procedures and
the data collection requirements described earlier in this Notice. This
description should identify person(s) responsible for evaluation
activities and the amount of time set aside.
7. A plan for terminating the demonstration project procedures and
returning to the use of existing food stamp eligibility criteria.
Any changes made as a result of comments received in response to
this Notice will be reflected in the application packages. In the event
of inconsistencies, information and instructions in the application
packages shall take precedence over this Notice.
H. Monitoring and Evaluation
The Department shall monitor the operation of demonstration
projects implemented under this Notice. This monitoring activity does
not, in any way, decrease the State agency's responsibility for
oversight of the demonstration project's operation. At a minimum,
monitoring shall include assessment of the demonstration project
sponsor's compliance with the provisions of this Notice, the governing
agreement between the State and the Department, and any other
applicable rules and procedural requirements.
A comprehensive evaluation of the effects of these demonstration
projects will be carried out for the Department by an independent
contractor. State and local welfare agency staff involved in these
demonstration projects are required to work closely with and supply
information to the evaluation contractor and cooperate fully in the
evaluation. The evaluation shall be structured to assess the extent to
which the establishment of an asset accumulation account affects
household self-sufficiency. To achieve this objective, it will be
necessary for demonstration project sponsors to calculate measures of
self-sufficiency both under the demonstration project rules and under
current Program rules. Specific evaluation specifications will be
finalized and a contract awarded prior to implementation of these
demonstration projects. At a minimum, the evaluation is expected to
address the following questions:
1. How is the demonstration project implemented? What are the
characteristics and size of the Program population that is targeted?
How is the opportunity to participate in the demonstration project
communicated? What requirements or constraints are imposed on
recipients?
2. How do recipients respond to the demonstration project? Among
those who are eligible to accumulate assets, what percentage initially
respond, actually set up accounts, and establish savings? What are the
distinguishing characteristics of those who respond compared to the
targeted population and general Program population, with respect to:
--Demographic characteristics
--Household composition
--Income amount and sources (including EITC)
--Food stamp allotment size
--Assets at time of last certification
How much is saved over what period of time? How much variation in
savings patterns is observed? What are the budget strategies used by
those who are successful and unsuccessful at saving? What are the
sources of savings? Do new sources of income affect savings success?
What are recipients' goals with respect to amount and purpose of
savings? How much is actually used and for what purpose? Is the actual
purpose the same or different from original intentions?
3. What is the impact of asset accumulation on Food Stamp Program
costs? How do administrative costs change with the introduction of
assets accumulation with respect to recipient instructions and
reporting requirements? How much does asset accumulation increase
benefits? That is, what is the incremental allotment value for every
month households have more than $2000 accumulated? How does the pattern
of Program participation for households who accumulate assets compare
to the pattern for similar households who do not save? Does the
introduction of an asset accumulation provision for Program
participants affect the number or characteristics of general
applicants/applicants who get certified? What are the likely
administrative and benefit costs if asset accumulation is implemented
nationwide? How sensitive are these estimates to variations in asset
accumulation requirements?
4. What is the relationship between asset accumulation and self-
sufficiency? (Questions here overlap with those identified for
Objectives 2 and 3). To what extent are households able to save the
amount intended and to what degree are savings used for the purpose
planned? Does the opportunity to accumulate assets affect households'
sense of well-being or empowerment? Do households who accumulate assets
participate in public assistance programs for shorter periods of time
than households with comparable characteristics who do not have the
opportunity to save/who have the opportunity but do not save? Are there
unintended consequences associated with accumulating assets?
Scope of Demonstration Projects
This Notice will result in the negotiation of agreements between
the Department and participating State agencies for the design,
development, implementation, and operation of these demonstration
projects. Such agreements shall be incorporated into each participating
State's Food Stamp Plan of Operation. The Department envisions working
closely with the participating State agencies in the development and
oversight of these demonstration projects. Participating State agencies
must contribute funds (as detailed in the Funding section of this
Notice), manpower, facilities, and/or other resources to these
demonstration projects.
After selecting the demonstration project participants, the
Department will provide technical assistance to each demonstration
project area through existing Program staff and/or through an
independent contractor. Demonstration project operators will have
access to the technical assistance on an as needed basis to obtain
assistance in developing and implementing their demonstration projects.
The purpose of this technical assistance is to ensure the continuity,
consistency, and reliability of evaluation information collected from
all demonstration project participants.
Public Notification
Those sites selected to participate in these demonstration projects
must make their proposals available to the general public in order to
provide adequate notice of potential changes in Food Stamp Program
procedures.
Dated: November 29, 1994.
Ellen Haas,
Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services.
[FR Doc. 94-30324 Filed 12-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U
