Agency Information Collection Activities: Recordkeeping for Employment and Training Program Activity Report and Requests for Additional 100 Percent Funding

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 for the extension, without change, of a currently approved collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) Program Activity Report (form FNS-583) and State requests for additional funding only. Requests and recordkeeping for these activities are currently approved under OMB No. 0584-0339, expiration date 01/31/2021. The burden hours and total annual responses remains unchanged. FNS is not seeking public comments on the reporting burden for the FNS-583 because that is under FNS' web-based Food Program Reporting System, OMB Control No: 0584-0594, expiration date 07/31/2023.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before October 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be sent to: Moira Johnston, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to moira.johnston@fns.usda.gov. 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 Moira Johnston at 703-305-2515.

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: Employment and Training Program Activity Report and Requests for Additional 100 percent Funding.

Form Number: FNS-583 (Recordkeeping burden only).

OMB Number: 0584-0339.

Expiration Date: 01/31/2021.

Type of Request: Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: 7 CFR 273.7(c)(9) requires State agencies to maintain quarterly E&T Program Activity Reports containing monthly figures for participation in the program. FNS uses Form FNS-583 to provide the format for this data. State agencies report this data using the online Food Program Reporting System (FPRS, OMB Control No: 0584-0594 expiration date 7/31/2023). State agencies must maintain records in order to support data reported in FPRS.

The information collected on the FNS-583 report includes:

• On the first quarter report, the number of work registrants receiving SNAP as of October 1 of the new fiscal year;
• On each quarterly report, by month, the number of new work registrants; the number of able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) applicants and recipients participating in qualifying components; the number of all other applicants and recipients (including ABAWDs involved in non-qualifying activities) participating in components; and the number of ABAWDs exempt under the State agency's 15 percent exemption allowance;
• On the fourth quarter report, the total number of individuals who participated in each component, which is also sorted by ABAWD and non-ABAWD participants and the number of individuals who participated in the E&T Program during the fiscal year.

7 CFR 273.7(d)(1)(i)(D) provides that if a State agency will not expend all of the funds allocated to it for a fiscal year, FNS will reallocate unexpended funds to other State agencies during the fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year as FNS considers appropriate and equitable. After FNS makes initial E&T allocations, State agencies may request more funds as needed. Typically FNS receives eighteen such requests per year.

The time it takes to prepare these requests is included in the burden. After receiving the State requests, FNS will reallocate unexpended funds as provided above. The following is the estimated burden for E&T reporting including the burden for State agencies to request additional funds.

Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government. Respondent groups identified include State agencies administering the SNAP E&T program in 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of respondents annually for the recordkeeping burden of the FNS-583 is 53 State agencies, including the agencies responsible for SNAP administration in 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The estimated number of respondents for requesting additional funds and maintaining records to support these requests is 18 per year.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The 53 States agencies are required to submit data on the FNS-583 quarterly. State agencies will be required to maintain data to support 4 reports per year.

The State agencies requesting additional funds typically do so once per year.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 248.

Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time of response varies from 8 to 60 minutes depending on respondent group, as shown in the table below, with an average estimated time of .199 hours per response.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,971 minutes (49.51 hours rounded to 50 burden hours). See the table below for estimated total annual burden for each type of respondent.