Document

Agency Information Collection Activities: FNS 245-SNAP Negative Case Action Review Schedule

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a reinstatement wit...

Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
( printed page 32372)

AGENCY:

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a reinstatement with revision of a currently expired information collection. This information collection, the FNS-245, Negative Case Action Review Schedule, is designed to collect quality control (QC) data and serve as the data entry form for negative case action QC reviews in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Revisions to the form, its instructions, and burden hours are within. Upon OMB approval of the reinstatement request, FNS will continue to collect this necessary information.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before July 31, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be sent to: John McCleskey, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to or may also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 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 John McCleskey at 703-457-7747.

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: FNS-245: SNAP Negative Case Action Review Schedule.

Form Number: FNS-245.

OMB Control Number: 0584-0034.

Expiration Date: December 31, 2024.

Type of Request: Reinstatement with revision of an expired collection.

Abstract: The FNS-245, Negative Case Action Review Schedule, is designed to collect quality control (QC) data and serve as the data entry form for negative case action QC reviews in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). State agencies complete the FNS-245 for each negative case in their QC sample. The number of responses for reporting and recordkeeping increased from 177,230 to 191,515 responses; a total increase of 14,285 responses due to the increase in number of cases selected for negative review. The reporting and recordkeeping burden associated with the completion of the FNS-245 has increased from approximately 112,491.43 hours to 121,597 hours. The 9,105-hour increase in the total burden is largely a result of an administrative adjustment due to the increase in total SNAP negative action case selections for review from 34,322 cases in fiscal year (FY) 2018 to 38,303 cases in FY 2024 and to a program change to add 0.025 hour for one new code to report household zip code. A summary of the revised reporting and recordkeeping estimates are below, along with a revision of the burden table.

The program is making additional revisions to the form that do not impact burden. These include:

—Clarification that Section I must be submitted to FNS for the QC review process, though the information contained within will not be part of the official Federal record of FNS 245 data, which is permanently retained per Federal record requirements.

—In Section II, instead of three case classification codes for item 9, there will now be two—included or excluded from the error rate calculation.

—For Section III,

—Existing elements 111, 130, 162, 365 and 413 include terminology updates for accuracy, and elements 313 and 540 are now 314 and 541 to align with the element numbering on the active QC forms, FNS 380-Worksheet for active QC reviews (OMB 0584-0074, currently expired and undergoing renewal) and FNS 380-1, the Review Schedule for Active cases (OMB 0584-0299, expiration 9-30-26).

—Item 10a, Disposition of the review, code 3, is revised to indicate the review cannot be processed since no electronic or paper records exist.

—Item 14d's code 99 is revised to code 00 to correct the numerical association with the code description.

—Items 17 and 18 now have four new possible elements for variance identification: Element 214—Substantial Lottery or Gambling Winnings, 362—Homeless shelter deduction, 540—Missing Required Reports (Monthly, Quarterly or Periodic Report Forms), and Element 542—Expired Certification Period.

All changes may be reviewed on the form provided with this notice.

Reporting

Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents 53 State Agencies.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent 722.70.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 38,303.

Estimated Time per Response: 3.15 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 120,692.75.

Recordkeeping

Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government. ( printed page 32373)

Estimated Number of Respondents 53 State Agencies.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent 722.70.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 38,303.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.0236 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 903.95.

Grand Total Reporting and Recordkeeping Annual Burden: 121,597.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden for State Agencies FNS 245, OMB 0584-0034

Regulation Description of activity Number of respondents Estimated frequency number of negative sample cases per respondent Estimated total annual responses Hours per response Estimated total annual burden hours Previous submission total hours Difference due to program changes Difference due to adjustments
Reporting Burden
275.13(b) Household Case Record Review 53 722.70 38,303.00 1.50 57,492.8030 53,169.00 4,323.8030
275.13(c) Error analysis 53 722.70 38,303.00 1.15 44,048.4500 40,762.90 3,285.5500
275.13(d) Reporting of review findings 53 722.70 38,303.00 0.25 9,575.7500 8,861.50 714.2500
275.13(e) Disposition of case review 53 722.70 38,303.00 0.25 9,575.7500 8,861.50 714.2500
Total Reporting Burden 53 2,890.79 153,212.00 3.1510 120,692.75 111,654.90 9,037.85
Recordkeeping Burden
275.4 Record Retention 53 722.70 38,303.00 0.0236 903.9508 836.5256 67.4252
Total Recordkeeping Burden 53 722.70 38,303.00 0.0236 903.9508 836.5256 67.4252
Total Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden 53 3,613 191,515 1.5750 121,597 112,491 9,105

Patrick A. Penn,

Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

[FR Doc. 2026-10828 Filed 5-29-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

91 FR 32372

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Agency Information Collection Activities: FNS 245-SNAP Negative Case Action Review Schedule,” thefederalregister.org (June 1, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-10828/agency-information-collection-activities-fns-245-snap-negative-case-action-review-schedule.