Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, Comment RequestFood Stamp Program: Federal Collection of State Plan of Operations, Operating Guidelines and Forms

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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