81 FR 33199 - Request for Information: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data Exchange Standardization
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 101 (May 25, 2016)
Food and Nutrition Service
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 101 (May 25, 2016)
| Page Range | 33199-33200 | |
| FR Document | 2016-12262 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 33199-33200] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-12262] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Request for Information: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Data Exchange Standardization AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Section 4016 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 amended Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require FNS to designate data exchange standards to govern both (1) necessary categories of information that SNAP State agencies operating related programs are required under applicable law to electronically exchange with another State agency, and (2) federal reporting and data exchange requirements under applicable law. The Act also directs FNS to consult with an interagency workgroup established by the Office of Management and Budget, which no longer exists, and to consider State government perspectives. As a result, FNS is issuing this Request for Information in order to obtain State government and other stakeholder perspectives as it considers how to best to proceed with establishing data exchange standards. DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 25, 2016. ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration Branch, Program Accountability and Administration Division, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be emailed to [email protected]. 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 written comments will be open for public inspection at the FNS office located at 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, Room 800, during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will be a matter of public record. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of this request for information should be directed to Jane Duffield at (703) 605-4385. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Data standardization can enhance the ability of States and the federal government to administer the SNAP program more effectively by strengthening oversight, improving decision-making by program administrators, and fostering innovation through the greater use of data analytics. Data standardization may also help States and the federal government to reduce improper benefit payments, as well as to improve the detection and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse by allowing for easier data sharing. Greater use of data sharing may improve program integrity by increasing the accuracy of payments, improving efficiency and case management through increased automation, improving decision-making by expanding verification, and by allowing for better-targeted efforts through data analysis of trends across States and populations served by the program. With these general interests in mind, FNS is seeking information from stakeholders on the following particular questions: 1. Legislation requires FNS to propose a rule to identify federally required data exchanges, including the specification and timing of the exchanges to be standardized. FNS is also required to address the factors used to determine whether and when to standardize data exchanges, specify State implementation options, and to describe future milestones. Please provide your input on the following questions: a. Should FNS consider requiring additional data exchanges that are not currently required by SNAP regulations? If so, what additional data exchanges would improve communication between the States and FNS? b. What frequency should be considered for any data exchange that is currently required by regulation, or any data exchange that is not currently required and is being proposed in response to the preceding question? c. What implementation options should be available to States in enacting a standardized data exchange? d. What constraints, if any, would the technologies used to operate existing SNAP eligibility systems have on meeting data exchange requirements? e. If FNS were to standardize a data exchange, how much time would be required for States to adapt processes and systems to comply? 2. The Act specifies that FNS should not require a change to an existing data exchange standard for Federal reporting if that standard has already been found to be effective and efficient. What criteria should FNS consider to determine whether an existing data [[Page 33200]] exchange standard is effective and efficient? 3. State agencies already have focused efforts on integrating case management initiatives in order to better coordinate assistance for families with complex service needs across multiple program areas. What factors should FNS consider in a future rule to address SNAP data standardization so as not to adversely impact ongoing or planned initiatives? 4. In promulgating rules, what Federal or State laws should FNS be aware of that either hinder or promote data exchange standards? 5. What factors should FNS consider as part of the data exchange standardization effort to further strengthen client confidentiality? For example, should FNS mandate industry standard security protocols, such as requirements that Social Security Numbers (SSN) be encrypted and that States utilize data masking, or that States may not use SSN as a unique client identifier? If so, how can FNS promote further data interoperability while maintaining data security? 6. Are there any data standardization practices in your current data management process that could apply here, such as standardizing your data field names and definitions, including security classification, and implementing access policies to ensure input data cleansing and output data consistency? 7. Do States provide training to workers involved in the administration and enforcement of SNAP about data sharing? 8. Do States conduct security training with all staff involved in the administration and enforcement of the program that covers the client confidentiality requirements of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as well as the SNAP regulations? If so, please address additional questions below: a. What is the frequency of the training? b. Does the State maintain a record of each individual worker's security training history? c. Does the training cover additional security topics? 9. What factors should FNS consider regarding the impact data exchange standards would have on States that integrate data sources external to the SNAP State agency? 10. What barriers, if any, should FNS consider in implementing federally required data exchanges for SNAP program administration? 11. What factors should FNS consider for States that utilize an enterprise data warehouse for reporting and analyzing data in SNAP as well as across programs? 12. Efforts to promote data interoperability to improve oversight, data analysis, and decision-making are only as good as the quality of the data itself. What factors should FNS consider to strengthen SNAP data integrity in support of data exchange standards? 13. In addition to data exchange standards, should FNS consider additional steps related to this effort, such as providing standardized data sharing agreements for SNAP data? 14. What other concerns or barriers, if any, exist in successfully implementing data exchanges that were not addressed by any of the previous questions that FNS should consider? Dated: May 10, 2016. Audrey Rowe, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 2016-12262 Filed 5-24-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2016 / Notices 33199
Summary Of Collection: The Food DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Data
and Nutrition Service (FNS), as part of standardization can enhance the ability
its continuing effort to reduce Food and Nutrition Service of States and the federal government to
paperwork and respondent burden, administer the SNAP program more
Request for Information: Supplemental effectively by strengthening oversight,
invites the general public to comment
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) improving decision-making by program
on the ‘‘Generic Clearance for the
Data Exchange Standardization administrators, and fostering innovation
Collection of Qualitative Feedback on
Agency Service Delivery ’’ for approval AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service through the greater use of data analytics.
under the Paperwork Reduction Act (FNS), USDA. Data standardization may also help
States and the federal government to
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.). This ACTION: Notice. reduce improper benefit payments, as
collection is being developed as part of
well as to improve the detection and
a Federal Government-wide effort to SUMMARY: Section 4016 of the
prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse by
streamline the process for seeking Agricultural Act of 2014 amended
allowing for easier data sharing. Greater
feedback from the public on service Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition
use of data sharing may improve
delivery. This notice announces our Act of 2008 to require FNS to designate
program integrity by increasing the
intent to submit this ‘‘fast track’’ data exchange standards to govern both accuracy of payments, improving
collection to the Office of Management (1) necessary categories of information efficiency and case management
and Budget (OMB) for approval and to that SNAP State agencies operating through increased automation,
solicit comments on specific aspects for related programs are required under improving decision-making by
the proposed information collection. applicable law to electronically expanding verification, and by allowing
exchange with another State agency, for better-targeted efforts through data
Need And Use Of The Information: and (2) federal reporting and data
The proposed information collection analysis of trends across States and
exchange requirements under applicable populations served by the program.
activity provides a means to garner law. The Act also directs FNS to consult
qualitative customer and stakeholder With these general interests in mind,
with an interagency workgroup FNS is seeking information from
feedback in an efficient and timely established by the Office of Management stakeholders on the following particular
manner. By qualitative feedback we and Budget, which no longer exists, and questions:
mean, information that provides useful to consider State government 1. Legislation requires FNS to propose
insights on perceptions and opinions, perspectives. As a result, FNS is issuing a rule to identify federally required data
but are not statistical surveys that yield this Request for Information in order to exchanges, including the specification
quantitative results that can be obtain State government and other and timing of the exchanges to be
generalized to the population. This stakeholder perspectives as it considers standardized. FNS is also required to
feedback will, (1) provide insights into how to best to proceed with establishing address the factors used to determine
customer or stakeholder perceptions, data exchange standards. whether and when to standardize data
experiences and expectations, (2) DATES: Written comments must be exchanges, specify State
provide an early warning of issues with received on or before July 25, 2016. implementation options, and to describe
service and, (3) focus attention on areas ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to future milestones. Please provide your
where communication, training or Jane Duffield, Chief, State input on the following questions:
changes in operations might improve Administration Branch, Program a. Should FNS consider requiring
delivery of products or services. This Accountability and Administration additional data exchanges that are not
collection will allow for ongoing, Division, Food and Nutrition Service currently required by SNAP regulations?
collaborative and actionable (FNS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, If so, what additional data exchanges
communications between the Agency 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 818, would improve communication between
and its customers and stakeholders. It Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may the States and FNS?
also be emailed to SNAPSAB@ b. What frequency should be
will also allow feedback to contribute
fns.usda.gov. Comments will also be considered for any data exchange that is
directly to the improvement of program
accepted through the Federal currently required by regulation, or any
management. data exchange that is not currently
eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://
Description of Respondents: required and is being proposed in
www.regulations.gov and follow the
Individuals and Households, Businesses online instructions for submitting response to the preceding question?
and Organizations, State, Local or Tribal c. What implementation options
comments electronically.
Government. should be available to States in enacting
All written comments will be open for
Number of Respondents: 30,000. a standardized data exchange?
public inspection at the FNS office d. What constraints, if any, would the
Frequency of Responses: located at 3101 Park Center Drive, technologies used to operate existing
Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually. Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, Room 800, SNAP eligibility systems have on
during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. meeting data exchange requirements?
Total Burden Hours: 30,000. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday). e. If FNS were to standardize a data
Ruth Brown, All responses to this notice will be exchange, how much time would be
Departmental Information Collection summarized and included in the request required for States to adapt processes
for Office of Management and Budget and systems to comply?
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016–12259 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am]
(OMB) approval. All comments will be 2. The Act specifies that FNS should
a matter of public record. not require a change to an existing data
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: exchange standard for Federal reporting
Requests for additional information or if that standard has already been found
copies of this request for information to be effective and efficient. What
should be directed to Jane Duffield at criteria should FNS consider to
(703) 605–4385. determine whether an existing data
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![33200 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 101 / Wednesday, May 25, 2016 / Notices
exchange standard is effective and warehouse for reporting and analyzing are met. The agreement permits
efficient? data in SNAP as well as across additional duties to be charged if the
3. State agencies already have focused programs? price of an individual shipment of
efforts on integrating case management 12. Efforts to promote data imported products falls below the
initiatives in order to better coordinate interoperability to improve oversight, average price for similar goods imported
assistance for families with complex data analysis, and decision-making are during the years 1986–88 by a specified
service needs across multiple program only as good as the quality of the data percentage. It also permits additional
areas. What factors should FNS consider itself. What factors should FNS consider duties to be imposed if the volume of
in a future rule to address SNAP data to strengthen SNAP data integrity in imports of an article exceeds the average
standardization so as not to adversely support of data exchange standards? of the most recent 3 years for which data
impact ongoing or planned initiatives? 13. In addition to data exchange are available by 5, 10, or 25 percent,
4. In promulgating rules, what Federal standards, should FNS consider depending on the article. These
or State laws should FNS be aware of additional steps related to this effort, additional duties may not be imposed
that either hinder or promote data such as providing standardized data on quantities for which minimum or
exchange standards? sharing agreements for SNAP data? current access commitments were made
5. What factors should FNS consider 14. What other concerns or barriers, if during the Uruguay Round negotiations,
as part of the data exchange any, exist in successfully implementing and only one type of safeguard, price or
standardization effort to further data exchanges that were not addressed quantity, may be applied at any given
strengthen client confidentiality? For by any of the previous questions that time to an article.
example, should FNS mandate industry FNS should consider?
standard security protocols, such as Section 405 of the Uruguay Round
Dated: May 10, 2016. Agreements Act requires that the
requirements that Social Security Audrey Rowe,
Numbers (SSN) be encrypted and that President cause to be published in the
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. Federal Register information regarding
States utilize data masking, or that
States may not use SSN as a unique
[FR Doc. 2016–12262 Filed 5–24–16; 8:45 am] the price and quantity safeguards,
client identifier? If so, how can FNS BILLING CODE 3410–30–P including the quantity trigger levels,
promote further data interoperability which must be updated annually based
while maintaining data security? upon import levels during the most
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE recent 3 years. The President delegated
6. Are there any data standardization
practices in your current data this duty to the Secretary of Agriculture
Foreign Agricultural Service
management process that could apply in Presidential Proclamation No. 6763,
here, such as standardizing your data WTO Agricultural Quantity-Based dated December 23, 1994, 60 FR 1005
field names and definitions, including Safeguard Trigger Levels (Jan. 4, 1995). The Secretary of
security classification, and Agriculture further delegated this duty,
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, which lies with the Administrator of the
implementing access policies to ensure
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Foreign Agricultural Service (7 CFR
input data cleansing and output data
ACTION: Notice of product coverage and 2.43(a)(2)). The Annex to this notice
consistency?
7. Do States provide training to trigger levels for safeguard measures contains the updated quantity trigger
workers involved in the administration provided for in the World Trade levels.
and enforcement of SNAP about data Organization (WTO) Agreement on Additional information on the
sharing? Agriculture. products subject to safeguards and the
8. Do States conduct security training SUMMARY: This notice lists the updated additional duties which may apply can
with all staff involved in the quantity-based trigger levels for be found in subchapter IV of Chapter 99
administration and enforcement of the products which may be subject to of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
program that covers the client additional import duties under the the United States (2016) and in the
confidentiality requirements of the Food safeguard provisions of the WTO Secretary of Agriculture’s Notice of
and Nutrition Act of 2008, as well as the Agreement on Agriculture. This notice Uruguay Round Agricultural Safeguard
SNAP regulations? If so, please address also includes the relevant period Trigger Levels, published in the Federal
additional questions below: applicable for the trigger levels on each Register at 60 FR 427 (Jan. 4, 1995).
a. What is the frequency of the of the listed products. Notice: As provided in Section 405 of
training? the Uruguay Round Agreements Act,
DATES: May 25, 2016.
b. Does the State maintain a record of
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: consistent with Article 5 of the WTO
each individual worker’s security
Safeguard Staff, Import Policies and Agreement on Agriculture, the safeguard
training history?
Export Reporting Division, Office of quantity trigger levels previously
c. Does the training cover additional
Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural notified are superceded by the levels
security topics?
9. What factors should FNS consider Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, indicated in the Annex to this notice.
regarding the impact data exchange Stop 1020, 1400 Independence Avenue The definitions of these products were
standards would have on States that SW., Washington, DC 20250–1020; by provided in the Notice of Safeguard
integrate data sources external to the telephone (202) 720–0638; or by fax Action published in the Federal
SNAP State agency? (202) 720–0876. Register, at 60 FR 427 (Jan. 4, 1995).
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
10. What barriers, if any, should FNS SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 5 Issued at Washington, DC, this 25th day of
consider in implementing federally of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture April 2016.
required data exchanges for SNAP provides that additional import duties Suzanne Palmieri,
program administration? may be imposed on imports of products Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
11. What factors should FNS consider subject to tariffication as a result of the
for States that utilize an enterprise data Uruguay Round, if certain conditions Annex
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Document Created: 2018-02-07 15:03:32
Document Modified: 2018-02-07 15:03:32
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Written comments must be received on or before July 25, 2016. | |
| Contact | Requests for additional information or copies of this request for information should be directed to Jane Duffield at (703) 605-4385. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 33199 |
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