[Federal Register: September 22, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 183)]
[Notices]
[Page 55028-55029]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se03-32]
[[Page 55028]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Food Stamp Program--Store Applications, Form FNS-252,
Food Stamp Application for Stores
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: On January 2, 2003, USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register, asking for comments
from the public on the revised Food Stamp Program Application for
Stores, Form FNS-252. We will now actively solicit feedback from
approximately 30 retailers on the clarity and significance of questions
on the revised application through one-on-one interactions, through
small focus groups and/or online. Participants may include new
applicant retailers, currently participating retailers and members from
national and local retailer associations.
We will incorporate comments from retailers into the final version
of the revised Form FNS-252 and then forward it to OMB for approval. We
do not intend to use the revised retailer application until the new
Store Tracking and Redemption Subsystem (STARS) is operational, around
the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2004. We will use the current Form
FNS-252 until then.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 21,
2003.
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 has 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
validity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information of those who are to respond,
including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology. Comments may be sent to Karen Walker, Chief, Retailer
Management Branch, Benefit Redemption Division, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
404, Alexandria, VA 22302; FAX number (703) 305-1863; e-mail: BRDHQ-
WEB@fns.usda.gov <mailto:BRDHQ-
WEB@fns.usda.gov>. All submitted comments should refer to the title of
this proposal and/or the OMB approval number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Karen Walker at (703) 305-2418 or BRDHQ-
WEB@fns.usda.gov <mailto:BRDHQ-
WEB@fns.usda.gov>. Information requests submitted through e-mail should
refer to the title of this proposal and/or the OMB approval number in
the subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Food Stamp Program: Food Stamp Program Application for
Stores, Form FNS-252 (Soliciting Comments from Retailers on the Revised
Application).
OMB Number: 0584-0008.
Expiration Date: May 31, 2004.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 9 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, (7
U.S.C. 2011-2036) requires retail food stores to submit applications to
FNS for approval prior to participating in the Food Stamp Program.
Recently, reengineering teams were charged with improving the current
food stamp application for stores, Form FNS-252, to make it shorter,
easier to understand and more customer- and computer-friendly. We
believe the revised Form FNS-252 is an improvement over the current
Form FNS-252 because it:
[sbull] Utilizes plain language;
[sbull] Deletes redundant questions and questions that solicit
information that can be collected from other FNS sources such as store
visits and databases;
[sbull] Improves the accuracy of submitted information through
better targeted questions; and
[sbull] Supports the Department's efforts to comply with the E-GOV
requirements by making the form compatible with current technology. The
revised retailer application has been developed in a format that can be
scanned and easily converted into an online document.
As part of the reengineering team's efforts, we received feedback
on the revised Form FNS-252 from staff from our regional and field
offices. Additionally, we published a 60-day notice in the Federal
Register on January 2, 2003, asking for comments from the public on the
revised retailer application. We are now seeking additional input from
retailers. Through this feedback, we will gain a more comprehensive
evaluation of the revised Form FNS-252 and identify areas that may need
to be improved further.
We will solicit comments from approximately 30 retailers on the
revised retailer application. We will solicit comments through one-on-
one sessions with retailers, or by convening small groups of retailers
at the conclusion of training sessions on the Food Stamp Program or at
other meetings of retailers. If we convene small groups of retailers,
retailers will be asked to give their individual opinions and
impressions of the form. We will not elicit a group consensus during
this process. We may also ask individual retailers to complete an
application to verify that our burden estimates are accurate for the
time it takes to complete the form. Headquarters or field office staff
who conduct food stamp training sessions will carry out these comment
request sessions. The sessions will take place at more than one
location throughout the country. The purpose of the discussions is to
get feedback on the form's content; readability; overall form design;
the clarity of the form's instructions; and to discuss the ease or
difficulty in completing the revised application. Finally, we may also
solicit comments online from participating retailers in addition to
soliciting comments in-person as discussed above.
Burden Estimates: When soliciting comments, we estimate that we
will spend at least 40 minutes, or .66 hour, per retailer (20 minutes
interacting with the retailer and 20 minutes having the retailer
complete the application, if applicable). Comments will be solicited
through one-on-one interactions and through small focus groups.
Participants may include new applicant retailers, currently
participating retailers and representatives from national and local
retailer associations. We will consider the comments we receive before
making final changes to the revised Form FNS-252. If the results of the
evaluation are positive, we will implement the revised Form FNS-252
when the new STARS system is operational some time during the fourth
quarter of fiscal year 2004.
The estimated burden computation is provided below:
Affected Public: Currently participating retailers, new applicant
retailers and members of national and local retailer associations will
participate in comment request sessions and provide feedback on the
redesigned form.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 30.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 30.
Estimated Hours Per Respondent: .66.
[[Page 55029]]
Estimate of Burden: 19.8.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 19.8.
Dated: September 10, 2003.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 03-24098 Filed 9-18-03; 12:01 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
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