Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Enhancing Food Stamp Certification: Food Stamp Modernization Efforts, 32833-32834 [E7-11482]
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32833
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 72, No. 114
Thursday, June 14, 2007
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, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
JOINT BOARD FOR THE
ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES
Meeting of the Advisory Committee;
Meeting
Joint Board for the Enrollment
of Actuaries.
ACTION: Notice of Federal Advisory
Committee meeting.
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Executive Director of the
Joint Board for the Enrollment of
Actuaries gives notice of a meeting of
the Advisory Committee on Actuarial
Examinations (portions of which will be
open to the public) in Washington, DC
at the Office of Professional
Responsibility on June 25 and June 26,
2007.
DATES: Monday, June 25, 2007, from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, June 26,
2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
Room 6505IR, 1111 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrick W. McDonough, Executive
Director of the Joint Board for the
Enrollment of Actuaries, 202–622–8225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that the Advisory
Committee on Actuarial Examinations
will meet in Room 6505IR, 1111
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC on Monday, June 25, 2007, from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, June 26,
2007, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to
discuss topics and questions which may
be recommended for inclusion on future
Joint Board examinations in actuarial
mathematics and methodology referred
to in 29 U.S.C. 1242(a)(1)(B) and to
review the May 2007 Basic (EA–1) and
Pension (EA–2B) Joint Board
Examinations in order to make
recommendations relative thereto,
including the minimum acceptable pass
score. Topics for inclusion on the
syllabus for the Joint Board’s
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:22 Jun 13, 2007
Jkt 211001
examination program for the November
2007 Pension (EA–2A) Examination will
be discussed.
A determination has been made as
required by section 10(d) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App.,
that the portions of the meeting dealing
with the discussion of questions which
may appear on the Joint Board’s
examinations and review of the May
2007 Joint Board examinations fall
within the exceptions to the open
meeting requirement set forth in 5
U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B), and that the public
interest requires that such portions be
closed to public participation.
The portion of the meeting dealing
with the discussion of the other topics
will commence at 1 p.m. on June 25 and
will continue for as long as necessary to
complete the discussion, but not beyond
3 p.m. Time permitting, after the close
of this discussion by Committee
members, interested persons may make
statements germane to this subject.
Persons wishing to make oral statements
must notify the Executive Director in
writing prior to the meeting in order to
aid in scheduling the time available and
must submit the written text, or at a
minimum, an outline of comments they
propose to make orally. Such comments
will be limited to 10 minutes in length.
All other persons planning to attend the
public session must also notify the
Executive Director in writing to obtain
building entry. Notifications of intent to
make an oral statement or to attend
must be faxed, no later than June 19,
2007, to 202–622–8300, Attn: Executive
Director. Any interested person also
may file a written statement for
consideration by the Joint Board and the
Committee by sending it to the
Executive Director: Joint Board for the
Enrollment of Actuaries, c/o Internal
Revenue Service, Attn: Executive
Director SE:OPR, 1111 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20224.
Dated: May 22, 2007.
Patrick W. McDonough,
Executive Director, Joint Board for the
Enrollment of Actuaries.
[FR Doc. E7–11436 Filed 6–13–07; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Enhancing Food
Stamp Certification: Food Stamp
Modernization Efforts
Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on
proposed information collections. This
notice announces the Food and
Nutrition Service’s (FNS) intent to
request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for new
information collection. The Food and
Nutrition Service plans to
systematically examine the range of
efforts States are undertaking to enhance
food stamp certification and modernize
the Food Stamp Program (FSP). This
review will consist of a qualitative study
relying on the responses of State and
local food stamp staff, partners, food
stamp applicants and participants, and
eligible non-participants and a
quantitative study using extant data.
Information obtained will inform FNS
policy discussions, provide technical
and procedurally relevant information
to States, and provide a comprehensive
and centralized source of information
for assessing ways to improve food
stamp certification and respond
efficiently to the variety of stakeholder
queries received.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before August 13, 2007.
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 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
E:\FR\FM\14JNN1.SGM
14JNN1
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
32834
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 114 / Thursday, June 14, 2007 / Notices
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent via U.S. mail
to Carol Olander, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1022,
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention
of Carol Olander at (703) 305–2576 or
via e-mail to
carol.olander@fns.usda.gov.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service, through
prior arrangement with Rosemarie
Downer, the project officer, during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m., to 5
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia
22302, Room 1022. Rosemarie Downer
can be reached at
rosemarie.downer@fns.usda.gov.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB 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 Rosemarie Downer
at (703) 305–2129.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Enhancing Food Stamp
Certification: Food Stamp
Modernization Efforts.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: To be determined.
Type of Request: New collection of
information.
Abstract: Over the past decade,
increased awareness of the importance
of the FSP as a basic safety net as well
as a critical work support has led to a
variety of efforts to expand eligibility,
increase program access and reengineer
the FSP. At the same time, States are
also focusing on ways to increase
operational and administrative
efficiency and program integrity.
In an effort to document and
understand the range of efforts States
are employing to enhance the FSP
certification process and to modernize
FSP administration, FNS plans to
develop a comprehensive, national
inventory of FSP modernization efforts
undertaken in all the States; document
key features and outcomes associated
with food stamp modernization;
systematically describe and compare
techniques States are using to
modernize the FSP; identify promising
practices; and create a single,
comprehensive information source on
State modernization initiatives. Results
of this study will inform FNS policy
discussions, provide technical and
procedurally relevant information to
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:22 Jun 13, 2007
Jkt 211001
States, and provide a comprehensive
and centralized source of information
for assessing ways to improve food
stamp certification and responding
efficiently to the variety of stakeholder
queries received.
Specifically, the study will focus on
four types of modernization efforts:
policy changes to modernize FSP
application, case management, and
recertification procedures; reengineering
of administrative functions; increased or
enhanced use of technology; and
partnering arrangements with
businesses and nonprofit organizations.
The study will examine the impact of
these modernization efforts on four
types of outcomes: program access,
administrative cost, program integrity,
and customer services.
To address these objectives, the study
will implement a survey of all 50 States
(and the District of Columbia, Guam,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) that
includes State and local FSP
administrators and community
organizations and for-profit
organizations assisting State
modernization efforts. Data will also be
obtained through: (1) Descriptive case
studies incorporating qualitative data
through interviews with local and Statelevel staff as well as community
organizations and for-profit contractors;
(2) discussion groups with food stamp
participants and eligible nonparticipants and (3) a limited number of
brief in-person exit interviews with food
stamp applicants and participants. The
study will rely on extant data to
describe FSP performance before and
after the implementation of State
modernization efforts with respect to
application approval rates, participation
rates, payment accuracy, administrative
costs and other outcomes.
Survey, interview and focus group
questions will be kept as simple and
respondent-friendly as possible.
Responses to all questions will be
voluntary. The Food and Nutrition
Service will take the following steps to
treat the data provided in a confidential
manner: (1) No data will be released in
a form that identifies individual
respondents by name and (2)
information collected through
interviews will be combined across
other respondents in the same category
and reported in aggregate form.
Respondents will be notified of the
confidentiality measures during data
collection.
Affected Public: Staff involved in or
knowledgeable about modernization
efforts at the State level, including FSP
directors, policy and operations staff,
Management Information System (MIS)
and data reporting staff and call center
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Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
staff; staff from local food stamp offices;
State and local staff from community
organizations and for-profit contractors
assisting with food stamp
modernization efforts; and food stamp
applicants, participants, and eligible
non-participants.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
804. This number represents the sum of
State-level FSP staff involved in food
stamp modernization efforts,
community organization staff or forprofit contractor staff involved in food
stamp modernization efforts, food stamp
applicants and participants, and eligible
non-participants.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1. For the State-level
respondents, 14 will be respondents
twice (once to a survey and once to an
in-person interview) and the rest will
respond once. For the local-level
respondents, 28 respondents will be
respondents twice and the rest will
respond once.
Estimated Annual Responses: 804.
Estimated Hours per Response: 1.75.
All burden estimates include
respondents’ time to prepare for and
complete surveys, administrative
interviews, focus groups, or exit
interviews with FSP applicants and
participants. Surveys: 2 hours each for
State and local level FSP interviews and
1 hour each for community
representative or for-profit contractors;
in-person administrative interviews: 1
hour each; focus groups: 1.5 hours per
participant; exit interviews with FSP
applicants and participants: 10 minutes
each.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1404
hours.
Dated: June 7, 2007.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E7–11482 Filed 6–13–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
National Advisory Council on Maternal,
Infant and Fetal Nutrition; Notice of
Meeting
Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, this notice
announces a meeting of the National
Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant
and Fetal Nutrition.
DATES: July 25–27, 2007, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
E:\FR\FM\14JNN1.SGM
14JNN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 114 (Thursday, June 14, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32833-32834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11482]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Enhancing Food Stamp Certification: Food Stamp
Modernization Efforts
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 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 proposed information collections. This notice announces the Food and
Nutrition Service's (FNS) intent to request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for new information collection. The Food
and Nutrition Service plans to systematically examine the range of
efforts States are undertaking to enhance food stamp certification and
modernize the Food Stamp Program (FSP). This review will consist of a
qualitative study relying on the responses of State and local food
stamp staff, partners, food stamp applicants and participants, and
eligible non-participants and a quantitative study using extant data.
Information obtained will inform FNS policy discussions, provide
technical and procedurally relevant information to States, and provide
a comprehensive and centralized source of information for assessing
ways to improve food stamp certification and respond efficiently to the
variety of stakeholder queries received.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before August 13, 2007.
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 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
[[Page 32834]]
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments may be sent via U.S. mail to Carol Olander, Food and
Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 1022, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted
via fax to the attention of Carol Olander at (703) 305-2576 or via e-
mail to carol.olander@fns.usda.gov.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
office of the Food and Nutrition Service, through prior arrangement
with Rosemarie Downer, the project officer, during regular business
hours (8:30 a.m., to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Room 1022. Rosemarie Downer can be
reached at rosemarie.downer@fns.usda.gov.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB 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 Rosemarie
Downer at (703) 305-2129.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Enhancing Food Stamp Certification: Food Stamp Modernization
Efforts.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: To be determined.
Type of Request: New collection of information.
Abstract: Over the past decade, increased awareness of the
importance of the FSP as a basic safety net as well as a critical work
support has led to a variety of efforts to expand eligibility, increase
program access and reengineer the FSP. At the same time, States are
also focusing on ways to increase operational and administrative
efficiency and program integrity.
In an effort to document and understand the range of efforts States
are employing to enhance the FSP certification process and to modernize
FSP administration, FNS plans to develop a comprehensive, national
inventory of FSP modernization efforts undertaken in all the States;
document key features and outcomes associated with food stamp
modernization; systematically describe and compare techniques States
are using to modernize the FSP; identify promising practices; and
create a single, comprehensive information source on State
modernization initiatives. Results of this study will inform FNS policy
discussions, provide technical and procedurally relevant information to
States, and provide a comprehensive and centralized source of
information for assessing ways to improve food stamp certification and
responding efficiently to the variety of stakeholder queries received.
Specifically, the study will focus on four types of modernization
efforts: policy changes to modernize FSP application, case management,
and recertification procedures; reengineering of administrative
functions; increased or enhanced use of technology; and partnering
arrangements with businesses and nonprofit organizations. The study
will examine the impact of these modernization efforts on four types of
outcomes: program access, administrative cost, program integrity, and
customer services.
To address these objectives, the study will implement a survey of
all 50 States (and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the
Virgin Islands) that includes State and local FSP administrators and
community organizations and for-profit organizations assisting State
modernization efforts. Data will also be obtained through: (1)
Descriptive case studies incorporating qualitative data through
interviews with local and State-level staff as well as community
organizations and for-profit contractors; (2) discussion groups with
food stamp participants and eligible non-participants and (3) a limited
number of brief in-person exit interviews with food stamp applicants
and participants. The study will rely on extant data to describe FSP
performance before and after the implementation of State modernization
efforts with respect to application approval rates, participation
rates, payment accuracy, administrative costs and other outcomes.
Survey, interview and focus group questions will be kept as simple
and respondent-friendly as possible. Responses to all questions will be
voluntary. The Food and Nutrition Service will take the following steps
to treat the data provided in a confidential manner: (1) No data will
be released in a form that identifies individual respondents by name
and (2) information collected through interviews will be combined
across other respondents in the same category and reported in aggregate
form. Respondents will be notified of the confidentiality measures
during data collection.
Affected Public: Staff involved in or knowledgeable about
modernization efforts at the State level, including FSP directors,
policy and operations staff, Management Information System (MIS) and
data reporting staff and call center staff; staff from local food stamp
offices; State and local staff from community organizations and for-
profit contractors assisting with food stamp modernization efforts; and
food stamp applicants, participants, and eligible non-participants.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 804. This number represents the
sum of State-level FSP staff involved in food stamp modernization
efforts, community organization staff or for-profit contractor staff
involved in food stamp modernization efforts, food stamp applicants and
participants, and eligible non-participants.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. For the State-
level respondents, 14 will be respondents twice (once to a survey and
once to an in-person interview) and the rest will respond once. For the
local-level respondents, 28 respondents will be respondents twice and
the rest will respond once.
Estimated Annual Responses: 804.
Estimated Hours per Response: 1.75. All burden estimates include
respondents' time to prepare for and complete surveys, administrative
interviews, focus groups, or exit interviews with FSP applicants and
participants. Surveys: 2 hours each for State and local level FSP
interviews and 1 hour each for community representative or for-profit
contractors; in-person administrative interviews: 1 hour each; focus
groups: 1.5 hours per participant; exit interviews with FSP applicants
and participants: 10 minutes each.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1404 hours.
Dated: June 7, 2007.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E7-11482 Filed 6-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
