2022 Rate Changes for the Basetime, Overtime, Holiday, Laboratory Services, and Export Application Fees, 74063-74065 [2021-28300]
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74063
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 86, No. 247
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
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.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket Number FSIS–2021–0029]
2022 Rate Changes for the Basetime,
Overtime, Holiday, Laboratory
Services, and Export Application Fees
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the 2022 rates it will charge meat and
poultry establishments, egg products
plants, and importers and exporters for
providing voluntary, overtime, and
holiday inspection and identification,
certification, and laboratory services.
Additionally, FSIS is announcing that
there will be no changes to the fee FSIS
assesses to exporters that choose to
apply for export certificates
electronically through the export
component of the Agency’s Public
Health Information System.
The new rates will be applied on
January 2, 2022.
DATES: FSIS will charge the rates
announced in this notice beginning
January 2, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Michael
Toner, Director, Budget Division, Office
of the Chief Financial Officer, FSIS, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Room 2159,
South Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–
3700; Telephone: (202) 690–8398, Fax:
(202) 690–4155.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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SUMMMARY:
Background
On April 12, 2011, FSIS published a
final rule amending its regulations to
establish formulas for calculating the
rates it charges meat and poultry
establishments, egg products plants, and
importers and exporters for providing
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voluntary, overtime, and holiday
inspection and identification,
certification, and laboratory services (76
FR 20220).
In the final rule, FSIS stated that it
would use the formulas to calculate the
annual rates, publish the rates in
Federal Register notices prior to the
start of each calendar year, and apply
the rates on the first FSIS pay period at
the beginning of the calendar year. This
notice provides the 2022 rates, which
will be applied starting on January 2,
2022.
On September 6, 2017, FSIS
published a Federal Register notice,
‘‘Public Health Information System
(PHIS) Export Component Country
Implementation’’ (FR 82 42056). The
notice announced the delayed
implementation of the export
component to ensure sufficient testing
and outreach to stakeholders and that
the application fee would be
recalculated based on available costs
and number of applications, but would
not be assessed prior to January 1, 2019.
In addition, FSIS announced that it
would implement the PHIS Export
Component with a limited number of
countries and gradually expand
implementation to additional countries.
On April 29, 2019, FSIS published a
Federal Register notice, ‘‘Public Health
Information System Export Component
Fee’’ (84 FR 17999). The notice
announced that starting June 1, 2019,
FSIS would assess a fee of $4.01 to
exporters that chose to apply for export
certificates electronically through the
export component of PHIS. As noted
below, that fee remains unchanged since
2019.
On July 15, 2021, FSIS published a
Federal Register notice, ‘‘Overtime and
Holiday Inspection Fee Reductions for
Small and Very Small Establishments’’
(86 FR 37276). The noticed explained
that the American Rescue Plan Act
provided FSIS with $100 million in
budget authority to reduce the costs of
overtime inspection for small and very
small official meat and poultry
establishments and egg products plants.
The notice also announced that FSIS
implemented this provision by reducing
overtime and holiday inspection fees for
small establishments by 30 percent and
very small establishments by 75 percent.
More information on how to apply for
the fee reduction is available at: https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federal-
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register-rulemaking/federal-registernotices/overtime-and-holidayinspection-fee.
2022 Rates and Calculations
The following table lists the 2022
Rates per hour, per employee, by type
of service:
Service
Basetime ...............................
Overtime ...............................
Holiday ..................................
Laboratory .............................
Export Application .................
2022 Rate
(estimates
rounded
to reflect
billable
quarters)
$67.00
2.60
98.20
85.72
* 4.01
* Per application.
The regulations that cover these fees
(other than the export application fee)
state that FSIS will calculate the rates
using formulas that include the Office of
Field Operations (OFO) inspection
program personnel’s previous fiscal
year’s regular direct pay and regular
hours (9 CFR 391.2, 391.3, 391.4,
590.126, 590.128, 592.510, 592.520, and
592.530).
FSIS determined the 2022 rates using
the following calculations:
Basetime Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
hours, plus the quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
living increase, plus the benefits rate,
plus the travel and operating rate, plus
the overhead rate, plus the allowance
for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 basetime
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by the previous fiscal year’s
Regular Hours ($456,808,446/
15,032,156)] = $30.39 + ($30.39 *
2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of
Living Increase)) = $31.21 + $11.86
(benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and
operating rate) + $21.45(overhead
rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance
rate) = $67.00, which is divisible by
4.
Overtime Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 29, 2021 / Notices
hours, plus that quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
living increase, multiplied by 1.5 (for
overtime), plus the benefits rate, plus
the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for
bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 overtime
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by previous fiscal year’s
Regular Hours ($456,808,446/
15,032,156)] = $30.39 + ($30.39 *
2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of
Living Increase)) = $31.21 * 1.5 =
$46.82 + $11.86 (benefits rate) +
$2.48 (travel and operating rate) +
$21.45 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad
debt allowance rate) = $82.61,
rounded down to $82.60, so that it
is divisible by 4.
Holiday Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
hours, plus that quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
living increase, multiplied by 2 (for
holiday pay), plus the benefits rate, plus
the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for
bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 holiday
rate per hour per program employee
calculation is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by Regular Hours
($456,808,446/15,032,156)] =
$30.39 + ($30.39 * 2.7% (calendar
year 2021 Cost of Living Increase))
= $31.21* 2 = $62.42 + $11.86
(benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and
operating rate) + $21.45 (overhead
rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance
rate) = $98.21, rounded down to
98.20, so that it is divisible by 4.
Laboratory Services Rate = The
quotient of dividing the Office of Public
Health Science (OPHS) previous fiscal
year’s regular direct pay by the OPHS
previous fiscal year’s regular hours, plus
the quotient multiplied by the calendar
year’s percentage cost of living increase,
plus the benefits rate, plus the travel
and operating rate, plus the overhead
rate, plus the allowance for bad debt
rate.
The calculation for the 2022
laboratory services rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2021 OPHS Regular Direct Pay/
OPHS Regular hours ($25,641,975/
527,590)] = $48.60 + ($48.60 * 2.7%
(calendar year 2021 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $49.91 + $11.86
(benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and
operating rate) + $21.45 (overhead
rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance
rate) = $85.71, rounded up to 85.72,
so that it is divisible by 4.
Calculations for the Benefits, Travel
and Operating, Overhead, and
Allowance for Bad Debt Rates
These rates are components of the
basetime, overtime, holiday, and
laboratory services rates formulas.
Benefits Rate: The quotient of
dividing the previous fiscal year’s direct
benefits costs by the previous fiscal
year’s total hours (regular, overtime, and
holiday), plus that quotient multiplied
by the calendar year’s percentage cost of
living increase. Some examples of direct
benefits are health insurance,
retirement, life insurance, and Thrift
Savings Plan basic and matching
contributions.
The calculation for the 2022 benefits
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2021 Direct Benefits/(Total Regular
hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($214,717,112/
18,590,355)] = $11.55 + ($11.55 *
2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of
Living Increase)) = $11.86.
Travel and Operating Rate: The
quotient of dividing the previous fiscal
year’s total direct travel and operating
costs by the previous fiscal year’s total
hours (regular, overtime, and holiday),
plus that quotient multiplied by the
calendar year’s percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2022 travel
and operating rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Direct Travel and
Operating Costs/(Total Regular
hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($45,098,829/
18,590,355)] = $2.43 + ($2.43 *
2.1% (2022 Inflation) = $2.48.
Overhead Rate: The quotient of
dividing the previous fiscal year’s
indirect costs plus the previous fiscal
year’s information technology (IT) costs
in the Public Health Data
Communication Infrastructure System
Fund plus the provision for the
operating balance less any Greenbook
costs (i.e., costs of USDA support
services prorated to the service
component for which fees are charged)
that are not related to food inspection by
the previous fiscal year’s total hours
(regular, overtime, and holiday) worked
across all funds, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year’s
percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2022 overhead
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Overhead/(Total Regular
hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($
390,615,397/18,590,355)] = $21.01
+ ($21.01 * 2.1% (2021 Inflation) =
$21.45.
Allowance for Bad Debt Rate =
Previous fiscal year’s total allowance for
bad debt (for example, debt owed that
is not paid in full by plants and
establishments that declare bankruptcy)
divided by previous fiscal year’s total
hours (regular, overtime, and holiday)
worked.
The 2022 calculation for bad debt rate
per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Bad Debt/(Total Regular
hours + Total Overtime hours + Total
Holiday hours) = ($249,286/
18,590,355)] = $0.01.
2022 Electronic Export Application Fee
The 2022 Electronic Export
Application Fee:
Labor Cost ($560,901.60+ ($337,369))+ IT Cost ($1,414,285.60+$0)
=
$4.01
As published in the 2016 final rule,
the Electronic Export Application Fee
Formula is:
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 29, 2021 / Notices
74065
Labor Cost (Technical Support+ Export Library Maintenance) + IT
Cost (Ongoing Operations and Maintenance+ eAuthentication)
Number of Export Applications
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
important. Consequently, FSIS will
announce this Federal Register
publication on-line through the FSIS
website located at: https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federalregister-rulemaking/federal-registerrules. FSIS will also announce and
provide a link to this Federal Register
publication through the FSIS
Constituent Update, which is used to
provide information regarding FSIS
policies, procedures, regulations,
Federal Register notices, FSIS public
meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest
to our constituents and stakeholders.
The Constituent Update is available on
the FSIS website. Through the website,
FSIS can provide information to a much
broader, more diverse audience. In
addition, FSIS offers an email
subscription service which provides
automatic and customized access to
selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.
Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and
notices. Customers can add or delete
subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their
accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil
rights law and USDA civil rights
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Jkt 256001
regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and employees, and
institutions participating in or
administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity (including gender
expression), sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior
civil rights activity, in any program or
activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs).
Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means of communication for
program information (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign
Language, etc.) should contact the
responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET
Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and
TTY) or contact USDA through the
Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339.
Additionally, program information may
be made available in languages other
than English.
To file a program discrimination
complaint, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, AD–
3027, found online at How to File a
Program Discrimination Complaint and
at any USDA office or write a letter
addressed to USDA and provide in the
letter all of the information requested in
the form. To request a copy of the
complaint form, call (866) 632–9992.
Submit your completed form or letter to
USDA by: (1) Mail: USDA, Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,
1400 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20250–9410; (2) fax:
(202) 690–7442; or (3) email:
program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an
equal opportunity provider, employer,
and lender.
Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021–28300 Filed 12–28–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Caribou-Targhee National Forest;
Idaho and Wyoming; Withdrawal of
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Targhee Revised
Forest Plan With Proposed Forest Plan
Amendment
Forest Service, Agriculture
(USDA).
ACTION: Notice; withdrawal.
AGENCY:
The Caribou-Targhee National
Forest is withdrawing the Notice of
Intent (NOI) that was published in the
Federal Register on October 29, 2010
(75(209):66719–66721) to prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement (SEIS) for a Forest Plan
Amendment to the 1997 Revised Forest
Plan for the Targhee National Forest.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning this notice should
be directed to: Robbert Mickelsen,
Forest Planning Staff Officer, 1405
Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho
83401 or 208–206–3637.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf/
hard-of-hearing (TDD) may call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–
877–8339, 24 hours a day, every day of
the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A NOI to
prepare a SEIS was first published in
the Federal Register on May 28, 2008
(73(99):29480–29481) to Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Targhee Revised
Forest Plan with Proposed Forest Plan
Amendment and was revised on
October 29, 2010 (75(209):66719–66721)
to further develop the proposed action.
The Forest Supervisor in consultation
with the Intermountain Regional Office
has determined that the 2010 Proposed
Forest Plan Amendment should be
withdrawn due to changes that have
occurred since the publication in the
Federal Register. Specifically, the 2010
Proposed Forest Plan Amendment does
not align with amendment procedures
in the 2012 Planning Rule, revised
Council on Environmental Quality
regulations, and other new information
SUMMARY:
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FSIS stated in the 2016 final rule (81
FR 42225) and the 2017 Federal
Register notice (FR 82 42056) that it
would update and recalculate the fee
based on the best available estimates for
costs and number of applications;
however, the number of export
applications (the denominator in the
formula) cannot be accurately assessed
until a majority of countries are
included in the export component.
Therefore, because a majority of
countries are not yet included in the
PHIS Export component, the cost
estimates and projected export
applications in the final rule remain the
best estimate for 2022, leaving the
electronic export application fee
unchanged.
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74063-74065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28300]
========================================================================
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,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 29, 2021 /
Notices
[[Page 74063]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket Number FSIS-2021-0029]
2022 Rate Changes for the Basetime, Overtime, Holiday, Laboratory
Services, and Export Application Fees
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the 2022 rates it will charge meat and poultry establishments, egg
products plants, and importers and exporters for providing voluntary,
overtime, and holiday inspection and identification, certification, and
laboratory services. Additionally, FSIS is announcing that there will
be no changes to the fee FSIS assesses to exporters that choose to
apply for export certificates electronically through the export
component of the Agency's Public Health Information System.
The new rates will be applied on January 2, 2022.
DATES: FSIS will charge the rates announced in this notice beginning
January 2, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact
Michael Toner, Director, Budget Division, Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2159, South
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700;
Telephone: (202) 690-8398, Fax: (202) 690-4155.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On April 12, 2011, FSIS published a final rule amending its
regulations to establish formulas for calculating the rates it charges
meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and importers and
exporters for providing voluntary, overtime, and holiday inspection and
identification, certification, and laboratory services (76 FR 20220).
In the final rule, FSIS stated that it would use the formulas to
calculate the annual rates, publish the rates in Federal Register
notices prior to the start of each calendar year, and apply the rates
on the first FSIS pay period at the beginning of the calendar year.
This notice provides the 2022 rates, which will be applied starting on
January 2, 2022.
On September 6, 2017, FSIS published a Federal Register notice,
``Public Health Information System (PHIS) Export Component Country
Implementation'' (FR 82 42056). The notice announced the delayed
implementation of the export component to ensure sufficient testing and
outreach to stakeholders and that the application fee would be
recalculated based on available costs and number of applications, but
would not be assessed prior to January 1, 2019. In addition, FSIS
announced that it would implement the PHIS Export Component with a
limited number of countries and gradually expand implementation to
additional countries.
On April 29, 2019, FSIS published a Federal Register notice,
``Public Health Information System Export Component Fee'' (84 FR
17999). The notice announced that starting June 1, 2019, FSIS would
assess a fee of $4.01 to exporters that chose to apply for export
certificates electronically through the export component of PHIS. As
noted below, that fee remains unchanged since 2019.
On July 15, 2021, FSIS published a Federal Register notice,
``Overtime and Holiday Inspection Fee Reductions for Small and Very
Small Establishments'' (86 FR 37276). The noticed explained that the
American Rescue Plan Act provided FSIS with $100 million in budget
authority to reduce the costs of overtime inspection for small and very
small official meat and poultry establishments and egg products plants.
The notice also announced that FSIS implemented this provision by
reducing overtime and holiday inspection fees for small establishments
by 30 percent and very small establishments by 75 percent. More
information on how to apply for the fee reduction is available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federal-register-rulemaking/federal-register-notices/overtime-and-holiday-inspection-fee.
2022 Rates and Calculations
The following table lists the 2022 Rates per hour, per employee, by
type of service:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2022 Rate
(estimates
rounded to
Service reflect
billable
quarters)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basetime................................................ $67.00
Overtime................................................ 2.60
Holiday................................................. 98.20
Laboratory.............................................. 85.72
Export Application...................................... * 4.01
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Per application.
The regulations that cover these fees (other than the export
application fee) state that FSIS will calculate the rates using
formulas that include the Office of Field Operations (OFO) inspection
program personnel's previous fiscal year's regular direct pay and
regular hours (9 CFR 391.2, 391.3, 391.4, 590.126, 590.128, 592.510,
592.520, and 592.530).
FSIS determined the 2022 rates using the following calculations:
Basetime Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus
the quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of cost of
living increase, plus the benefits rate, plus the travel and operating
rate, plus the overhead rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 basetime rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by the previous fiscal year's
Regular Hours ($456,808,446/15,032,156)] = $30.39 + ($30.39 * 2.7%
(calendar year 2021 Cost of Living Increase)) = $31.21 + $11.86
(benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and operating rate) + $21.45(overhead
rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance rate) = $67.00, which is divisible by
4.
Overtime Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular
[[Page 74064]]
hours, plus that quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage
of cost of living increase, multiplied by 1.5 (for overtime), plus the
benefits rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the overhead
rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 overtime rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by previous fiscal year's
Regular Hours ($456,808,446/15,032,156)] = $30.39 + ($30.39 * 2.7%
(calendar year 2021 Cost of Living Increase)) = $31.21 * 1.5 = $46.82 +
$11.86 (benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and operating rate) + $21.45
(overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance rate) = $82.61, rounded
down to $82.60, so that it is divisible by 4.
Holiday Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus
that quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of cost of
living increase, multiplied by 2 (for holiday pay), plus the benefits
rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the overhead rate, plus
the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 holiday rate per hour per program
employee calculation is:
[FY 2021 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by Regular Hours ($456,808,446/
15,032,156)] = $30.39 + ($30.39 * 2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of
Living Increase)) = $31.21* 2 = $62.42 + $11.86 (benefits rate) + $2.48
(travel and operating rate) + $21.45 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt
allowance rate) = $98.21, rounded down to 98.20, so that it is
divisible by 4.
Laboratory Services Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of
Public Health Science (OPHS) previous fiscal year's regular direct pay
by the OPHS previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year's percentage cost of living increase,
plus the benefits rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2022 laboratory services rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2021 OPHS Regular Direct Pay/OPHS Regular hours ($25,641,975/
527,590)] = $48.60 + ($48.60 * 2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $49.91 + $11.86 (benefits rate) + $2.48 (travel and
operating rate) + $21.45 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance
rate) = $85.71, rounded up to 85.72, so that it is divisible by 4.
Calculations for the Benefits, Travel and Operating, Overhead, and
Allowance for Bad Debt Rates
These rates are components of the basetime, overtime, holiday, and
laboratory services rates formulas.
Benefits Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous fiscal year's
direct benefits costs by the previous fiscal year's total hours
(regular, overtime, and holiday), plus that quotient multiplied by the
calendar year's percentage cost of living increase. Some examples of
direct benefits are health insurance, retirement, life insurance, and
Thrift Savings Plan basic and matching contributions.
The calculation for the 2022 benefits rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 Direct Benefits/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($214,717,112/18,590,355)] = $11.55 + ($11.55 *
2.7% (calendar year 2021 Cost of Living Increase)) = $11.86.
Travel and Operating Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous
fiscal year's total direct travel and operating costs by the previous
fiscal year's total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday), plus that
quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2022 travel and operating rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Direct Travel and Operating Costs/(Total Regular hours +
Total Overtime hours + Total Holiday hours) ($45,098,829/18,590,355)] =
$2.43 + ($2.43 * 2.1% (2022 Inflation) = $2.48.
Overhead Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous fiscal year's
indirect costs plus the previous fiscal year's information technology
(IT) costs in the Public Health Data Communication Infrastructure
System Fund plus the provision for the operating balance less any
Greenbook costs (i.e., costs of USDA support services prorated to the
service component for which fees are charged) that are not related to
food inspection by the previous fiscal year's total hours (regular,
overtime, and holiday) worked across all funds, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2022 overhead rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Overhead/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($ 390,615,397/18,590,355)] = $21.01 + ($21.01 *
2.1% (2021 Inflation) = $21.45.
Allowance for Bad Debt Rate = Previous fiscal year's total
allowance for bad debt (for example, debt owed that is not paid in full
by plants and establishments that declare bankruptcy) divided by
previous fiscal year's total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday)
worked.
The 2022 calculation for bad debt rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2021 Total Bad Debt/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) = ($249,286/18,590,355)] = $0.01.
2022 Electronic Export Application Fee
The 2022 Electronic Export Application Fee:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29DE21.006
As published in the 2016 final rule, the Electronic Export
Application Fee Formula is:
[[Page 74065]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN29DE21.007
FSIS stated in the 2016 final rule (81 FR 42225) and the 2017
Federal Register notice (FR 82 42056) that it would update and
recalculate the fee based on the best available estimates for costs and
number of applications; however, the number of export applications (the
denominator in the formula) cannot be accurately assessed until a
majority of countries are included in the export component. Therefore,
because a majority of countries are not yet included in the PHIS Export
component, the cost estimates and projected export applications in the
final rule remain the best estimate for 2022, leaving the electronic
export application fee unchanged.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS website located at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/federal-register-rulemaking/federal-register-rules. FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this
Federal Register publication through the FSIS Constituent Update, which
is used to provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures,
regulations, Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other
types of information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The Constituent Update is available on
the FSIS website. Through the website, FSIS can provide information to
a much broader, more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an
email subscription service which provides automatic and customized
access to selected food safety news and information. This service is
available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from
recalls to export information, regulations, directives, and notices.
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and
employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA
programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender
expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status,
family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to
File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write
a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA
by: (1) Mail: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202)
690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal
opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021-28300 Filed 12-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
