82 FR 26423 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Request-Assessing the Child Nutrition State Administrative Expense Allocation Formula

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 108 (June 7, 2017)

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 new collection. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the current formula used for State Administrative Expense (SAE) allocations for Child Nutrition Programs, identify and examine factors that influence State spending, and develop and test a range of possible alternatives to improve the SAE allocation formula.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26423-26425]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11730]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 108 / Wednesday, June 7, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 26423]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comments Request--Assessing the Child Nutrition State Administrative 
Expense Allocation Formula

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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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 new 
collection. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the 
effectiveness of the current formula used for State Administrative 
Expense (SAE) allocations for Child Nutrition Programs, identify and 
examine factors that influence State spending, and develop and test a 
range of possible alternatives to improve the SAE allocation formula.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 7, 2017.

ADDRESSES: 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.
    Comments may be sent to: Jinee Burdg, MPP, RDN, LDN, Food and 
Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center 
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Jinee Burdg at 703-305-2744 or via email 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 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    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 Jinee Burdg 
at 703-305-2744.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Assessing the Child Nutrition State Administrative Expense 
Allocation Formula.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers Child 
Nutrition Programs (CNPs) that provide healthy food to children 
including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast 
Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Special Milk 
Program (SMP), and the Food Distribution Program (FDP) for schools. 
State agencies are responsible for oversight and administration of the 
CNPs, including monitoring program operations and distributing Federal 
cash reimbursements and USDA Foods. CNPs are operated by a variety of 
local public and private providers that enter into agreements with 
State agencies, including school food authorities, local government 
agencies, nonprofit sponsoring organizations, child care centers, and 
adult care centers, among others.
    State agencies that administer these CNPs include Education, 
Agriculture, Health, and Human Services and Social Services agencies. 
In some States, all of these CNPs are administered by one State agency 
(Education or Agriculture), while in other States two or more agencies 
administer these programs. For example, in several States the agency 
that administers the FDP for schools is different than the agency that 
administers the other CNPs.
    States receive Child Nutrition State Administrative Expense (SAE) 
funds from the Federal government to help cover their administrative 
costs.\1\ SAE funds are appropriated annually to USDA FNS under the 
authority of Section 7(a) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (the 
Act).\2\ The Act sets forth the total amount of funds available for SAE 
and a formula for allocating the majority of the funds to States--
commonly referred to as the ``nondiscretionary'' allocation. It also 
provides USDA with authority to decide how to allocate remaining funds, 
i.e., the ``discretionary'' allocation. Program regulations at 7 CFR 
235.4 include the statutory allocation formula as well as the formula 
USDA adopted for discretionary allocation of the funds. The Act also 
sets funds availability at two years, authorizes a reallocation process 
for unused funds, and requires a State plan for use of the funds, 
approved by FNS. SAE funds can be spent on reasonable, allocable, and 
necessary expenses incurred by the State including, but not limited to, 
salary and benefits, staff training, office equipment, support 
services, travel, monitoring and technical assistance activities. Funds 
that are not used by a State are returned for reallocation to other 
States; by law, no more than 20 percent of the initial allocation may 
be carried over by a State to the next fiscal year. Finally, the Act 
imposes a ``State Funding Requirement,'' under which States must 
contribute no less than their level of contribution in Fiscal Year 1977 
to the SAE budget.
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    \1\ Two other child nutrition programs--the Summer Food Service 
Program and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program--also receive 
administrative funding from FNS. Because these funds are allocated 
separately from State Administrative Expense funds, these programs 
are not covered by this study.
    \2\ 42 U.S.C. 1776(a).
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    FNS is conducting a study, Assessing the Child Nutrition State 
Administrative Expense Allocation Formula, to assess the effectiveness 
of the current formula

[[Page 26424]]

used for SAE allocations, identify and examine factors that influence 
State spending of SAE funds, and develop and test a range of possible 
alternatives to improve the SAE allocation formula. The study approach 
includes a review of historical spending and allocation patterns, case 
studies of 12 States, and an assessment of alternative formulas. In 
each State selected for case study, Directors and key staff from all 
State agencies that receive SAE funds will be included.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal government. The burden for 
all respondents is broken down in the table below.
    Type of Respondents: State agency Directors and key State agency 
staff with responsibility for SAE funding.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 88 (88 respondents and 0 non-respondents). This 
includes: 22 State Directors and 66 State agency key staff with 
responsibility for SAE funding.
    Estimated Frequency of Response: The estimated frequency of 
response is 4.83 annually.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The total estimated number of 
responses for data collection is 425.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: The estimated time of response 
varies from 1 minute to 2 hours, depending on the respondent group and 
activity. The recruitment (electronic study notification letter) for 
each respondent type will take 5 minutes (0.083 hours), and scheduling 
interviews for each respondent type will take 10 minutes (0.167 hours). 
The pre-visit telephone interview with State Directors will take 45 
minutes (0.750 hours). The in-depth on-site interview with State 
Directors and key staff will take 2 hours, each. Interview follow up 
will take 10 minutes (0.167 hours) among State Directors and key staff. 
Thank you emails to the State Directors and key staff will take 1 
minute, each (0.017 hours). The average estimated time across all 
respondents is 32 minutes (0.528 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total public 
reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at 
224.5 hours (annually). The estimated burden for each type of 
respondent is provided in the table below.

[[Page 26425]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN07JN17.000


    Dated: May 23, 2017.
Jessica Shahin,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-11730 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P