2020-03245. Agency Information Collection Activities: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program Regulations-Reporting and Record-Keeping Burden

AGENCY:

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

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 collection is a revision of a currently approved information collection in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for the reporting and record-keeping burdens associated with the WIC Program regulations.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before April 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be sent to: Lisa Southworth, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Braddock Metro Center II, 1320 Braddock Place, Room 328, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to [e-mail]. 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 Lisa Southworth at 703-305-2086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program Regulations—Reporting and Record-keeping Burden.

Form Number: N/A.

OMB Number: 0584-0043.

Expiration Date: August 31, 2020.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: The purpose of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to provide supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals to low income, nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five. Currently, WIC operates through State health departments in 50 States, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The Federal regulations governing the WIC Program (7 CFR part 246) require that certain program-related information be collected and that full and complete records concerning WIC operations are maintained. The information reporting and record-keeping burdens are necessary to ensure appropriate and efficient management of the WIC program.

The reporting and record-keeping burdens covered by this information collection include requirements that involve the certification of WIC participants; the nutrition education that is provided to participants; the authorization, training and monitoring of vendors; and the collection of vendor pricing information in order to comply with the Federal regulations regarding WIC cost containment. State Plans are the principal source of information about how each State agency operates its WIC Program. Information collected from participants and local agencies is collected through State-developed forms or Management Information Systems. The information collected is used by the Department of Agriculture to manage, plan, evaluate, make decisions, and report on WIC program operations. This information collection is requesting a revision in the burden hours due to adjustments that primarily reflect expected changes in the number of WIC participants; WIC authorized vendors; and WIC State and local agencies. The revisions decreased the approved reporting burden by 317,028 hours and decreased the total approved record-keeping burden by 69,358 hours.

Reporting Burden

Affected Public: Individual/Households; Business or Other for Profit; and State, Local and Tribal Government. Respondent groups include WIC participants (women, infants, and children), WIC retail vendors, and WIC State and local agencies (including Indian Tribal Organizations and those in U.S. territories).

Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of respondents is 6,913,189. This includes: 1,897 State and local agencies; 6,870,128 WIC participants; and 41,164 Retail Vendors.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The estimated number of responses per respondent is 3.07.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: The estimated total for annual responses is 21,254,756.

Estimated Time per Response: The average estimated time per response for all participants is .13 hours. The estimated time of response varies from 1 minute to 160 hours, depending on the activity and the respondent group, as shown in the table below.

Estimated Total Annual Reporting Burden Hours: The estimated total annual reporting burden hours is 2,848,015. See the table below for the estimated total annual burden for each type of respondent.

Current OMB Inventory: 3,165,043.

Difference (Burden Revisions Requested): −317,028.

Record-Keeping Burden

Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Government. The respondent groups include the WIC State and local agencies and WIC clinics (including Indian Tribal Organizations and those in U.S. territories).

Estimated Number of Record-keepers: The estimated number of record-keepers is 11,897.

Estimated Number of Records per Respondent: The estimated number of records is 2,315.

Total Estimated Annual Records: The total estimated number of annual records is 27,544,044.

Estimated Annual Hours per Record-keeper: The average estimated annual hours per record-keeper is .02. The estimated time of response varies from 1 minute to 50 hours, depending on the activity, as shown in the table below.

Estimated Total Record-keeping Burden Hours: The estimated total record-keeping burden hours is 538,197. See the table below for the estimated total annual burden.

Current OMB Inventory: 607,555.

Difference (Burden Revisions Requested): −69,358.

Estimated Grand Total for Reporting and Record-keeping Burden: The estimated grand total for reporting and record-keeping is 3,386,212.

Reporting

Type of respondent	Total number of respondents	Average responses per respondent	Total estimated annual responses	Number of burden hours per response (hours)	Estimated burden hours
STATE, LOCAL, & INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS (89 WIC State agencies; 1,808 WIC local agencies)	1,897	5,609	10,640,409	0.20	2,154,666
BUSINESS OR OTHER FOR-PROFIT (41,164 WIC authorized vendors)	41,164	2.20	90,742	1.85	167,511
INDIVIDUALS/HOUSEHOLDS (6,870,128 WIC participants)	6,870,128	1.53	10,523,605	0.05	525,838
Total Reporting Burden	6,913,189		21,254,756		2,848,015

Recordkeeping

Type of respondent	Total number of record-keepers	Average responses per respondent	Total estimated annual responses	Number of burden hours per response (hours)	Estimated burden hours
STATE, LOCAL, & INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS (89 WIC State agencies; 1,808 WIC local agencies, 10,000 WIC clinics)	11,897	2,315	27,544,044	0.02	538,197

Dated: February 6, 2020.

Pamilyn Miller,

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.