Agency Information Collection Activities: Study of WIC Food Package Costs and Cost Containment, 12684-12685 [2016-05338]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food and Nutrition Service

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12684-12685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05338]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Study of WIC Food 
Package Costs and Cost Containment

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 
Information Collection for The Study of WIC Food Package Costs and Cost 
Containment.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
May 9, 2016.

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: Anna 
Potter, Policy Analyst, Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1004, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Anna Potter at 703-305-2576 or via email to 
anna.potter@fns.usda.gov. Comments will also be accepted through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://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 Anna Potter 
at 703-305-2719.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Study of WIC Food Package Costs and Cost Containment.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, 
Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental foods to safeguard 
the health of low-income pregnant and post-partum women, infants, and 
children up to 5 years of age who are at nutritional risk. In an effort 
to ensure the best use of available funds and to provide for 
participation by eligible individuals, WIC State agencies (SAs) are 
responsible for implementing food package and other cost containment 
measures. FNS has funded this study to gather information on the types 
of cost-containment practices used by the 90 WIC SAs, assess the 
effectiveness of various practices, and identify those practices that 
constrain the cost of WIC foods with minimal increases to 
administrative costs and no adverse effects on WIC program outcomes 
such as participant satisfaction, retention, and consumption of WIC 
foods. The findings will be used by FNS to share with WIC SAs food item 
cost containment practices that are effective at reducing WIC food 
costs.
    The information collection subject to this notice includes the 
following:
    1. Telephone interviews with WIC directors in all 90 WIC SAs: 
Needed to obtain information on cost containment measures, reasons for 
implementing certain cost containment strategies and not others, 
opinions on effects on program outcomes, and challenges of implementing 
and maintaining measures.
    2. Collection of administrative costs of practices, administrative 
WIC data, and electronic benefit transfer (EBT) data in 12 WIC SAs: 
Administrative data are needed to assess administrative costs and 
examine participant characteristics, food package prescriptions, 
indicators of health, and income; EBT data are

[[Page 12685]]

needed to examine WIC food selections, benefit redemption, and WIC food 
costs.
    3. Telephone interviews with 2,895 WIC participants in 12 WIC SAs: 
Needed to provide information on WIC participants' satisfaction with 
WIC foods, consumption, and preferences; access to WIC vendors and food 
package items; specific special diets or food allergies; and 
demographic characteristics.
    4. Telephone interviews with 375 former WIC participants in 3 WIC 
SAs: Needed to provide information on whether/which cost containment 
practices may have contributed to WIC participants leaving the program 
and why.
    Affected Public: State, local, and tribal governments; individuals/
households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The estimated total number of 
respondents is 3,372. This total includes 90 WIC directors; 12 WIC SA 
staff; 2,895 WIC participants; and 375 former WIC participants.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The WIC directors, 
WIC participants, and former WIC participants will respond once to one 
telephone survey. The 12 WIC SA staff will respond twice to provide 
administrative data at two points in time (in one year). All 
respondents will be contacted with advance communications (letters, 
emails, and/or phone calls), and WIC directors and WIC SA staff will 
also be contacted with follow-up communications (reminders and thank-
you emails).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The estimated number of total 
annual responses is 9,863, including advance communications, completed 
and attempted interviews, data collections, and follow-up 
communications. The 9,863 responses are based on the sum of 8,372 
advance communications, completed interviews, data collections, and 
follow-up communications, and 1,491 attempted contacts and interviews.
    Estimated Time per Response: Response times overall may vary from 
0.05 hours to 2 hours, depending on the activity and respondent group. 
The estimated time per interview (or administrative data collection) 
ranges from 0.33 hours to 2 hours, depending on actual activity and 
respondent group. The overall average time per respondent is 0.21 hours 
(13 minutes). Specifically, public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average--
     0.92 hours (55 minutes) for each of the 90 WIC directors 
(this includes 10 minutes for advance and follow-up activities and 45 
minutes to complete the telephone interview).
     5 hours (300 minutes) for each of the 12 WIC SA staff 
(this includes 60 minutes for advance and follow-up activities and 4 
hours to gather administrative and EBT data and information on the 
administrative costs of practices).
     0.6 hours (36 minutes) for each of the 4,136 WIC 
participants sampled for the survey (this includes 3 minutes for 
advance communication, 30 minutes for those who complete the telephone 
interview, and 3 minutes for those who do not complete the interview).
     0.43 (26 minutes) for each of the 625 former WIC 
participants sampled for the survey (this includes 3 minutes for 
advance communication, 20 minutes for those who complete the telephone 
interview, and 3 minutes for those who do not complete the interview).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The estimated total 
annual burden is estimated to be 2,086 hours (including advance and 
follow-up communication, completed and attempted interviews, and 
completed data collection). See the table below for estimated total 
annual burden for each type of respondent.

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                                                                                                         Frequency of                       Total annual
                                                                                      Estimated  ----------------------------    Average        burden
            Data collection activity                        Respondents               number of                 Total annual  burden hours    estimate
                                                                                     respondents    Response      responses   per response     (hours)
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Advance communications (letter/email)..........  WIC directors....................            90             1            90         0.083           7.5
Telephone interview............................  WIC directors....................            90             1            90          0.75          67.5
Follow-up communications (reminder/thank-you     WIC directors....................            90             1            90         0.083           7.5
 emails).
Advance communications (letter/email/phone       WIC SA staff.....................            12             2            24           0.5            12
 call).
Administrative and EBT data collection and       WIC SA staff.....................            12             2            24             4            96
 submission.
Follow-up communications (reminder or            WIC SA staff.....................            12             2            24           0.5            12
 clarification emails/phone calls, thank-you
 emails).
Advance communications (letter)................  WIC participants.................         4,136             1         4,136          0.05         206.8
Telephone survey: completed interviews.........  WIC participants.................         2,895             1         2,895          0.50       1,447.5
Telephone survey: attempted interviews.........  WIC participants.................         1,241             1         1,241          0.05          62.0
Advance letters................................  WIC former participants..........           625             1           625          0.05          31.3
Telephone survey: completed interviews.........  WIC former participants..........           375             1           375          0.33         123.8
Telephone survey: attempted interviews.........  WIC former participants..........           250             1           250          0.05          12.5
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total......................................  .................................         3,372  ............         9,863          0.21       2,086.3
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    Dated: February 25, 2016.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-05338 Filed 3-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P