Agency Information Collection Activities: Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits, 34475-34479 [2023-11386]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 30, 2023 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Assessment of Mobile
Technologies for Using Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Benefits
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
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 is a new collection for the contract
Assessment of Mobile Technologies for
Using Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits
(Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation). The
purpose of the Mobile Payment Pilot
evaluation is to assess the effects of five
pilot projects that will allow SNAP
participants to use mobile payments to
purchase food as an alternate option to
a physical electronic benefit transfer
(EBT) card.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before July 31, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to:
Maya Sandalow, 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
maya.sandalow@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 Maya Sandalow at
(703) 305–1615.
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
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SUMMARY:
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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: Assessment of Mobile
Technologies for Using SNAP Benefits
(Mobile Payment Pilot).
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
Type of Request: New Collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) provides
monthly benefits to low-income
households to reduce food insecurity
and improve health and well-being.
Benefits are delivered via electronic
benefit transfer (EBT), which is accepted
at more than 250,000 authorized
retailers nationwide. For nearly two
decades, SNAP participants have used
EBT in person at retailers, where they
swipe their card at checkout using a
point of sale (POS) terminal and enter
their personal identification number
(PIN) to pay for their purchases.
The Agricultural Act of 2018 (2018
Farm Bill) authorized the use of mobile
payments from devices like cell phones,
tablets, and smart watches, as an
alternate option to a physical electronic
benefit transfer (EBT) card to conduct a
SNAP transaction. This authorization
was subject to the result of five mobile
payment pilot projects. Mobile
payments may improve the customer
experience; save participant and retailer
time; reduce potential stigma of using
EBT; reduce costs; and prevent benefit
fraud, loss, or theft.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
selected five State SNAP agencies to
participate in the Mobile Payment Pilot:
Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts,
Missouri, and Oklahoma. These State
pilots include a variety of design
implementation strategies in terms of
payment model, retail partnerships,
marketing plans, and pilot scale. The
Mobile Payment Pilot Evaluation will
assess the effects of the pilots, using
information obtained from FNS,
selected State SNAP agencies, retailers,
and SNAP participants. The evaluation
has four objectives: (1) assessing the
implementation of the pilots, (2)
examining the adoption and use of
mobile technologies, (3) understanding
implications for program integrity, and
(4) assessing replicability and costs. In
each of the five sites, the evaluation will
conduct three rounds of semi-structured
interviews with State SNAP agencies,
EBT processors, retailers, and other
partners. Interviews will occur during
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the pilot planning period and once the
pilots are implemented, and will collect
information about the pilot design and
implementation.
In each of the five sites, the evaluation
will also conduct two, 5-minute surveys
and four focus groups among SNAP
participants. One survey will be
conducted among 250 participants who
used mobile payments and the other
will be conducted among 250
participants who did not use mobile
payments. Similarly, two focus groups
will be conducted with participants
who used the technology and two others
will be conducted with participants
who did not use it.
In addition, the evaluation will collect
SNAP administrative data, cost data,
and retailer transaction data from the
FNS ALERT and STARS systems. These
data will be used to describe the
adoption of mobile payment
technologies and benefit redemption
patterns by participant, retailer, and
community characteristics.
Data collected from staff at State
SNAP agencies, partners (such as EBT
processors, mobile application vendors,
and payment providers), and retailers
will be used to describe how the pilots
were planned and implemented. Data
collected from SNAP participants will
provide more information about their
decisions to use or not use mobile
payments, barriers to use, and
participant satisfaction and user
experience. Administrative, cost, and
transaction data will provide insights on
adoption and use of mobile payments.
Ultimately, the findings will guide FNS
in determining if expanding availability
of mobile payments nationwide is costeffective, secure, and accessible to
participants.
Affected Public: Respondent groups
identified include: SNAP participants in
the pilot areas; members of State SNAP
agencies; retailers in the pilot areas; and
mobile payment processers and other
vendors.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
The total estimated number of
respondents is 21,246. The number of
respondents includes: 20,330 SNAP
participants (13% of whom will
complete surveys or focus groups); 103
State SNAP agency and other State
agency staff; 210 staff from businesses
supporting the Mobile Payment Pilots
(such as mobile payment processors,
mobile application providers, EBT
hotlines, EBT processors, and/or token
services providers); and 603 retailer staff
offering mobile payments, including
managers and other staff. The total
estimated number of non-respondents is
11,190 and includes 10,934 SNAP
participants (who will be contacted to
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complete surveys or focus groups), 252
staff from businesses, and 4 State SNAP
agency or other State agency staff.
The evaluation team will pretest the
survey and semi-structured interviews.
The team will conduct pretest
interviews with nine SNAP participants
for the two survey instruments, three
State SNAP agency staff members for
the key informant interview guide, and
three retailer staff members for the
retailer interview guide.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: Across all respondents, the
average number of responses is 7.91.
Respondent groups include:
(1) SNAP participants who did and
did not use mobile payments,
(2) State SNAP agency, other State
agency, and business staff (including
vendors who provide mobile
application development, electronic
benefit transfer processing, payment
providers, and other services in support
of mobile payments),
(3) Retailer staff overseeing the
provision of mobile payments for the
pilot projects at a corporate level, or
staff working in a retailer location
offering mobile payments.
SNAP participants in the pilot areas
will be asked to participate in one
survey or focus group (including
participants who did or did not use
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mobile payments). SNAP participants
will receive an advance letter to notify
them about the survey, emails or text
messages to assess their interest in
participating in the survey, and a
reminder letter to encourage them to
complete the survey. Participants who
choose to complete the survey will
complete a five minute web or phone
survey. SNAP participants in the pilot
areas may also receive emails or text
messages to ask if they would be
interested in participating in a focus
group. If they choose to participate in a
focus group, the participant would
receive a text message or phone call
with several questions to ensure they
are eligible to participate, followed by
reminder emails or text messages to
encourage them to attend the in-person
focus group.
State SNAP agency, other State
agency, and business staff will respond
to up to three in-person or telephone
interviews. Staff from these entities will
receive an email to invite them to
participate in an interview, before
participating in an interview lasting up
to 60 minutes. Selected State SNAP
agency staff will provide administrative
data one time and cost data on a
quarterly basis 10 times.
Retailer staff will respond to up to
two in-person interviews. Retailer staff
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will receive a screening telephone call
to invite the retail store to participate in
interviews with staff. The screener will
include several questions to help the
evaluation team tailor interview
protocols for the store in advance.
Following the screener, the retail store
manager or other applicable staff will
receive an email to invite them to
participate in an interview. Each
interview with a retail staff member will
last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
254,963 (168,077 respondents and
86,886 nonrespondents).
Estimated Time per Response: The
estimated time of response varies from
a few minutes to over an hour,
depending on the respondent group, but
averages 0.027 hours (or about 2
minutes) for all respondents as shown
in the table below. State SNAP agency
providing administrative and cost data
will spend up to 8 hours per response.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 415,467 minutes (6,924
hours). See the table below for estimated
total annual burden for each type of
respondent.
Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service.
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Retail Business Staff
Retail Business Staff
Vendor Staff ............
Vendor Staff ............
Retail Business Staff
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
SNAP Participants ...
Type of respondents
Instruments
Pretest: Semi-structured interview
guide.
Business: Semistructured interview invitation
email.
Business: Semistructured interview guide.
Retailer: Interview
Screener.
Retailer: Semi-structured interview invitation email.
Pretest: Client Experience Survey.
Pretest: Survey of
Non-Adopters.
Client Experience
Survey: Advance
Letter.
Client Experience
Survey: Email/
Text.
Client Experience
Survey: Reminder
Letter.
Client Experience
Survey.
Survey of NonAdopters: Advance Letter.
Survey of NonAdopters: Email/
Text.
Survey of NonAdopters: Reminder Letter.
Survey of NonAdopters.
Focus Group: Recruitment Email/
Text.
Focus Group:
Screener.
Focus Group: Reminder emails/
texts.
Focus Group Discussion Guide.
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600
800
210
262
600
600
210
210
3
20,330
31,264
3
200
200
250
312
1,250
6,500
8,000
10,000
1,250
6,500
8,000
10,000
9
9
Number of
respondents
200
250
312
6,240
12,500
8,125
10,000
12,500
12,500
8,125
10,000
12,500
12
12
Sample
size
1
1
1
1
1
8.15
1
2
1
4
1
1
8
1
1
1
8
1
1
1
Frequency
of
response
0.026
1.50
0.0167
0.0501
0.0167
0.0900
0.0501
0.0167
0.0501
0.0835
0.0501
0.0167
0.0501
0.5000
0.5000
4,357
300.0
6.7
12.5
20.8
112.5
325.7
1,068.8
501.0
104.4
325.7
1,068.8
501.0
4.5
4.5
Individuals/Household
Hours per
response
Annual
burden
(hours)
600
600
210
210
3
0.0167
0.0501
1.00
0.0167
1.00
2.5
7.5
210.0
3.5
3.0
0
50
0
52
0
10,934
0
50
62
5,928
11,250
1,625
2,000
2,500
11,250
1,625
2,000
2,500
3
3
Number
of nonrespondents
Business (Profit, Non-Profit, or Farm)
165,616
200
400
250
1,248
1,250
6,500
64,000
10,000
1,250
6,500
64,000
10,000
9
9
Total
annual
responses
Responsive
1
1
1
1
1
7.92
1
2
1
4
1
1
8
1
1
1
8
1
1
1
0
50
0
52
0
86,630
0
100
62
23,712
11,250
1,625
16,000
2,500
11,250
1,625
16,000
2,500
3
3
Total
annual
responses
Non-responsive
Frequency
of
response
0.00
0.0167
0.00
0.0167
0.0167
0.020
0.00
0.0167
0.0167
0.0167
0.0167
0.0501
0.0167
0.0501
0.0167
0.0501
0.0167
0.0501
0.0167
0.0167
Hours per
response
0.0
0.8
0.0
0.9
0.0
1,722
0.0
1.7
1.0
396.0
187.9
81.4
267.2
125.3
187.9
81.4
267.2
125.3
0.1
0.1
Annual
burden
(hours)
2.5
8.4
210.0
4.4
3.0
6,079
300.0
8.4
13.6
416.8
300.4
407.1
1,336.0
626.3
292.3
407.1
1,336.0
626.3
4.6
4.6
Grand total
annual
burden
estimate
(hours)
22.15
22.15
59.31
59.31
59.31
..............
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
7.25
$7.25
Hourly
wage rate
288.53
961.75
16,191.63
337.36
231.31
57,295.45
2,827.50
78.70
127.81
3,928.64
2,831.03
3,836.56
12,591.80
5,902.41
2,754.46
3,836.56
12,591.80
5,902.41
42.88
$42.88
Total
annualized
cost of
respondent
burden
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Pretest: Semi-structured interview
guide.
State agency: Semistructured interview invitation
email.
State agency: Semistructured interview guide.
Provide Administrative Data.
Provide Cost Data ...
State Program Staff
Total .................
State Program Staff
State Program Staff
State Program Staff
.................................
Retailer: Semi-structured interview
guide.
Retail Business Staff
State Program Staff
Instruments
Type of respondents
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21,246
103
107
32,436
5
5
90
90
3
813
600
Number of
respondents
5
5
90
94
3
1,065
600
Sample
size
7.911
2.31
10
1
1
1
1
2.73
1
Frequency
of
response
168,077
238
50
5
90
90
3
2,223
600
Total
annual
responses
Responsive
557
225.0
0.031
1.195
3.00
8.00
1.00
0.0167
1.00
5,198
285
150
40
90
2
1.0
State Government
0.250
0.50
Hours per
response
Annual
burden
(hours)
11,190
4
0
0
0
4
0
252
0
Number
of nonrespondents
8
1.000
1
1
1
1
1
1.00
1
86,886
4
0
0
0
4
0
252
0
Total
annual
responses
Non-responsive
Frequency
of
response
0.020
0.017
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.0167
0.0167
0.017
0.00
Hours per
response
1,727
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.07
0.0
4.208
0.0
Annual
burden
(hours)
6,924
284.57
150.00
40.00
90.00
1.57
1.0
561
225.0
Grand total
annual
burden
estimate
(hours)
..............
..............
59.31
59.31
59.31
59.31
59.31
..............
22.15
Hourly
wage rate
105,885.71
21,941.19
11,565.45
3,084.12
6,939.27
121.04
231.31
26,649.07
8,638.50
Total
annualized
cost of
respondent
burden
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 30, 2023 / Notices
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority.
The program is authorized pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989; 16 U.S.C.
1005; Division B, Title VII General
Overview
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Provisions, Section 783 of the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020
Federal Awarding Agency Name:
Rural Utilities Service
(Pub. L. 116–94); and Division A, Title
Rural Utilities Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Technical VII General Provisions, Section 771 of
[Docket #: RUS–23–WATER–0001]
Assistance and Construction for
the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
Innovative Regional Wastewater
2021 (Pub. L. 116–260). The program is
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the
Treatment Solutions Grant Pilot
implemented through 7 CFR part 1775,
Technical Assistance and
Technical Assistance Grants, and the
Program for Fiscal Year 2023.
Construction for Innovative Regional
Announcement Type: Notice of
provisions of this NOFO. Other Federal
Wastewater Treatment Solutions Grant
Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
statutes and regulations are listed at 7
Pilot Program
Funding Opportunity Number: TAC–
CFR 1775.8, Other Federal statutes.
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
RWTS–FY23.
3. Definitions. The terms and
Assistance Listing: 10.761.
conditions provided in this NOFO are
ACTION: Notice.
Dates: Completed electronic
applicable to and for purposes of this
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Services
applications and supporting materials
NOFO only. In addition to the
(RUS or the Agency), an agency of the
must be filed through https://
definitions provided below, the
United States Department of Agriculture www.grants.gov/ by 11:59 p.m. ET on
definitions found in 7 CFR 1775.2,
(USDA), announces its Technical
July 31, 2023. Late or incomplete
Definitions, are also applicable to this
Assistance and Construction for
applications will not be accepted.
grant opportunity.
Rural Development (RD) Key
Innovative Regional Wastewater
Consortium means regional
Priorities: The Agency encourages
Treatment Solutions (TAC–RWTS)
institutions of higher education,
Grant Pilot Program application window applicants to consider projects that will academic health and research institutes,
economic development entities, or a
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Grants may be advance the following key priorities:
• Assisting rural communities recover combination thereof, located in the
made to eligible entities for the study,
economically through more and better
region identified to be served that have
design, or construction of regional
market opportunities and through
experience in addressing these issues in
wastewater systems for historically
the region.
impoverished communities in areas that improved infrastructure;
• Ensuring all rural residents have
Consortium agreement means a
have had difficulty installing traditional
equitable access to RD programs and
document, signed and dated, by all
wastewater treatment systems due to
benefits from RD funded projects; and
members of the consortium, which
soil conditions. Solutions must be
• Reducing climate pollution and
identifies how each organization will
innovative and account for strategic
increasing resilience to the impacts of
interact, every member’s level of
management and regulatory models.
commitment, roles and responsibilities,
Successful applications will be selected climate change through economic
support to rural communities.
and the transfer of funds from the lead
by the Agency for funding and
entity to other members. An appropriate
subsequently awarded from available
A. Program Description
level of detail should be included to
funds for the TAC–RWTS Grant Pilot
1. Purpose of the Program. Grants will outline, among other items: minimum
Program. All applicants are responsible
and maximum levels of involvement,
for any expenses incurred in developing be made to qualified regional
consortiums to identify, evaluate, and
ownership of any resulting tangible or
their applications.
construct economically feasible,
intangible items developed from the
DATES: Completed applications must be
regional wastewater systems for
Consortium’s efforts, and the use of
filed through https://www.grants.gov/ by historically impoverished communities
resources. The agreement must address
11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 31, in areas which have had difficulty
whether the members of the consortium
2023. Late or incomplete applications
installing traditional wastewater
will conduct work for the project
will not be accepted.
treatment systems due to soil
directly, via contract, or some other
ADDRESSES: Applications and all
conditions. A successful applicant will
arrangement. As part of the application,
supporting documentation must be
be, or coordinate with, a regional
if the consortium agreement is more
submitted electronically through
university to solve untreated raw
than 12 months old, a certification
Grants.gov via https://www.grants.gov.
sewage issues with innovative
stating that none of the members or
Instructions and additional resources, to technologies, while taking into
provisions within the existing document
include an Application Guide, are
consideration strategic management and have been modified or otherwise
available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
regulatory models. Grants are for
changed must be provided. The
programs-services/water-environmental- wastewater-related technical assistance, consortium agreement must be in effect
programs/technical-assistance-andincluding such services as developing
through the defined period of
construction-innovative-regionalneeds assessments, testing wastewater
performance for the proposed project.
wastewater-treatment-solutions-tacoptions, preliminary design assistance,
Eligible project costs means only
rwts, under the ‘‘To Apply’’ tab.
developing regulatory guidance, and
those costs incurred during the grant
submitting applications for financial
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
period and that are directly related to
assistance. Additionally, the grant funds the use and purposes of the TAC–RWTS
Christina Cerio, Community Programs
may be used to construct the identified
Specialist, Water and Environmental
Grant Pilot Program. See Section C.3. of
Program, RUS, USDA, by email at water- solutions, including eligible associated
this notice for eligible project costs.
Historically impoverished refers to
costs. Funding must benefit
RD@usda.gov or phone at (315) 403–
any community meeting criteria for
communities that are historically
3112. Persons with disabilities that
persistent poverty counties, which
impoverished, as defined within this
require alternative means for
according to Division A, Title VII
notice.
communication should contact the
[FR Doc. 2023–11386 Filed 5–26–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
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USDA Target Center at (202) 720–2600
(voice) or the 711 Relay Service.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34475-34479]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11386]
[[Page 34475]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Assessment of Mobile
Technologies for Using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Benefits
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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 this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for
the contract Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits (Mobile Payment Pilot
evaluation). The purpose of the Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation is to
assess the effects of five pilot projects that will allow SNAP
participants to use mobile payments to purchase food as an alternate
option to a physical electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 31, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Maya Sandalow, 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 [email protected]. 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 Maya
Sandalow at (703) 305-1615.
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: Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using SNAP Benefits
(Mobile Payment Pilot).
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned.
Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
Type of Request: New Collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
provides monthly benefits to low-income households to reduce food
insecurity and improve health and well-being. Benefits are delivered
via electronic benefit transfer (EBT), which is accepted at more than
250,000 authorized retailers nationwide. For nearly two decades, SNAP
participants have used EBT in person at retailers, where they swipe
their card at checkout using a point of sale (POS) terminal and enter
their personal identification number (PIN) to pay for their purchases.
The Agricultural Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) authorized the use of
mobile payments from devices like cell phones, tablets, and smart
watches, as an alternate option to a physical electronic benefit
transfer (EBT) card to conduct a SNAP transaction. This authorization
was subject to the result of five mobile payment pilot projects. Mobile
payments may improve the customer experience; save participant and
retailer time; reduce potential stigma of using EBT; reduce costs; and
prevent benefit fraud, loss, or theft.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) selected five State SNAP agencies to participate in the Mobile
Payment Pilot: Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, and
Oklahoma. These State pilots include a variety of design implementation
strategies in terms of payment model, retail partnerships, marketing
plans, and pilot scale. The Mobile Payment Pilot Evaluation will assess
the effects of the pilots, using information obtained from FNS,
selected State SNAP agencies, retailers, and SNAP participants. The
evaluation has four objectives: (1) assessing the implementation of the
pilots, (2) examining the adoption and use of mobile technologies, (3)
understanding implications for program integrity, and (4) assessing
replicability and costs. In each of the five sites, the evaluation will
conduct three rounds of semi-structured interviews with State SNAP
agencies, EBT processors, retailers, and other partners. Interviews
will occur during the pilot planning period and once the pilots are
implemented, and will collect information about the pilot design and
implementation.
In each of the five sites, the evaluation will also conduct two, 5-
minute surveys and four focus groups among SNAP participants. One
survey will be conducted among 250 participants who used mobile
payments and the other will be conducted among 250 participants who did
not use mobile payments. Similarly, two focus groups will be conducted
with participants who used the technology and two others will be
conducted with participants who did not use it.
In addition, the evaluation will collect SNAP administrative data,
cost data, and retailer transaction data from the FNS ALERT and STARS
systems. These data will be used to describe the adoption of mobile
payment technologies and benefit redemption patterns by participant,
retailer, and community characteristics.
Data collected from staff at State SNAP agencies, partners (such as
EBT processors, mobile application vendors, and payment providers), and
retailers will be used to describe how the pilots were planned and
implemented. Data collected from SNAP participants will provide more
information about their decisions to use or not use mobile payments,
barriers to use, and participant satisfaction and user experience.
Administrative, cost, and transaction data will provide insights on
adoption and use of mobile payments. Ultimately, the findings will
guide FNS in determining if expanding availability of mobile payments
nationwide is cost-effective, secure, and accessible to participants.
Affected Public: Respondent groups identified include: SNAP
participants in the pilot areas; members of State SNAP agencies;
retailers in the pilot areas; and mobile payment processers and other
vendors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 21,246. The number of respondents includes: 20,330 SNAP
participants (13% of whom will complete surveys or focus groups); 103
State SNAP agency and other State agency staff; 210 staff from
businesses supporting the Mobile Payment Pilots (such as mobile payment
processors, mobile application providers, EBT hotlines, EBT processors,
and/or token services providers); and 603 retailer staff offering
mobile payments, including managers and other staff. The total
estimated number of non-respondents is 11,190 and includes 10,934 SNAP
participants (who will be contacted to
[[Page 34476]]
complete surveys or focus groups), 252 staff from businesses, and 4
State SNAP agency or other State agency staff.
The evaluation team will pretest the survey and semi-structured
interviews. The team will conduct pretest interviews with nine SNAP
participants for the two survey instruments, three State SNAP agency
staff members for the key informant interview guide, and three retailer
staff members for the retailer interview guide.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Across all
respondents, the average number of responses is 7.91. Respondent groups
include:
(1) SNAP participants who did and did not use mobile payments,
(2) State SNAP agency, other State agency, and business staff
(including vendors who provide mobile application development,
electronic benefit transfer processing, payment providers, and other
services in support of mobile payments),
(3) Retailer staff overseeing the provision of mobile payments for
the pilot projects at a corporate level, or staff working in a retailer
location offering mobile payments.
SNAP participants in the pilot areas will be asked to participate
in one survey or focus group (including participants who did or did not
use mobile payments). SNAP participants will receive an advance letter
to notify them about the survey, emails or text messages to assess
their interest in participating in the survey, and a reminder letter to
encourage them to complete the survey. Participants who choose to
complete the survey will complete a five minute web or phone survey.
SNAP participants in the pilot areas may also receive emails or text
messages to ask if they would be interested in participating in a focus
group. If they choose to participate in a focus group, the participant
would receive a text message or phone call with several questions to
ensure they are eligible to participate, followed by reminder emails or
text messages to encourage them to attend the in-person focus group.
State SNAP agency, other State agency, and business staff will
respond to up to three in-person or telephone interviews. Staff from
these entities will receive an email to invite them to participate in
an interview, before participating in an interview lasting up to 60
minutes. Selected State SNAP agency staff will provide administrative
data one time and cost data on a quarterly basis 10 times.
Retailer staff will respond to up to two in-person interviews.
Retailer staff will receive a screening telephone call to invite the
retail store to participate in interviews with staff. The screener will
include several questions to help the evaluation team tailor interview
protocols for the store in advance. Following the screener, the retail
store manager or other applicable staff will receive an email to invite
them to participate in an interview. Each interview with a retail staff
member will last between 15 and 30 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 254,963 (168,077 respondents and
86,886 nonrespondents).
Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time of response varies
from a few minutes to over an hour, depending on the respondent group,
but averages 0.027 hours (or about 2 minutes) for all respondents as
shown in the table below. State SNAP agency providing administrative
and cost data will spend up to 8 hours per response.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 415,467 minutes
(6,924 hours). See the table below for estimated total annual burden
for each type of respondent.
Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
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Responsive Non-responsive Grand
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- total Total
Sample annual Hourly annualized
Type of respondents Instruments size Number of Frequency Total Hours per Annual Number of Frequency Total Hours per Annual burden wage cost of
respondents of annual response burden non- of annual response burden estimate rate respondent
response responses (hours) respondents response responses (hours) (hours) burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals/Household
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SNAP Participants........................... Pretest: Client Experience 12 9 1 9 0.5000 4.5 3 1 3 0.0167 0.1 4.6 $7.25 $42.88
Survey.
SNAP Participants........................... Pretest: Survey of Non-Adopters 12 9 1 9 0.5000 4.5 3 1 3 0.0167 0.1 4.6 7.25 42.88
SNAP Participants........................... Client Experience Survey: 12,500 10,000 1 10,000 0.0501 501.0 2,500 1 2,500 0.0501 125.3 626.3 7.25 5,902.41
Advance Letter.
SNAP Participants........................... Client Experience Survey: Email/ 10,000 8,000 8 64,000 0.0167 1,068.8 2,000 8 16,000 0.0167 267.2 1,336.0 7.25 12,591.80
Text.
SNAP Participants........................... Client Experience Survey: 8,125 6,500 1 6,500 0.0501 325.7 1,625 1 1,625 0.0501 81.4 407.1 7.25 3,836.56
Reminder Letter.
SNAP Participants........................... Client Experience Survey....... 12,500 1,250 1 1,250 0.0835 104.4 11,250 1 11,250 0.0167 187.9 292.3 7.25 2,754.46
SNAP Participants........................... Survey of Non-Adopters: Advance 12,500 10,000 1 10,000 0.0501 501.0 2,500 1 2,500 0.0501 125.3 626.3 7.25 5,902.41
Letter.
SNAP Participants........................... Survey of Non-Adopters: Email/ 10,000 8,000 8 64,000 0.0167 1,068.8 2,000 8 16,000 0.0167 267.2 1,336.0 7.25 12,591.80
Text.
SNAP Participants........................... Survey of Non-Adopters: 8,125 6,500 1 6,500 0.0501 325.7 1,625 1 1,625 0.0501 81.4 407.1 7.25 3,836.56
Reminder Letter.
SNAP Participants........................... Survey of Non-Adopters......... 12,500 1,250 1 1,250 0.0900 112.5 11,250 1 11,250 0.0167 187.9 300.4 7.25 2,831.03
SNAP Participants........................... Focus Group: Recruitment Email/ 6,240 312 4 1,248 0.0167 20.8 5,928 4 23,712 0.0167 396.0 416.8 7.25 3,928.64
Text.
SNAP Participants........................... Focus Group: Screener.......... 312 250 1 250 0.0501 12.5 62 1 62 0.0167 1.0 13.6 7.25 127.81
SNAP Participants........................... Focus Group: Reminder emails/ 250 200 2 400 0.0167 6.7 50 2 100 0.0167 1.7 8.4 7.25 78.70
texts.
SNAP Participants........................... Focus Group Discussion Guide... 200 200 1 200 1.50 300.0 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 300.0 7.25 2,827.50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31,264 20,330 8.15 165,616 0.026 4,357 10,934 7.92 86,630 0.020 1,722 6,079 ........ 57,295.45
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business (Profit, Non-Profit, or Farm)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Retail Business Staff....................... Pretest: Semi-structured 3 3 1 3 1.00 3.0 0 1 0 0.0167 0.0 3.0 59.31 231.31
interview guide.
Vendor Staff................................ Business: Semi-structured 262 210 1 210 0.0167 3.5 52 1 52 0.0167 0.9 4.4 59.31 337.36
interview invitation email.
Vendor Staff................................ Business: Semi-structured 210 210 1 210 1.00 210.0 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 210.0 59.31 16,191.63
interview guide.
Retail Business Staff....................... Retailer: Interview Screener... 800 600 1 600 0.0501 7.5 50 1 50 0.0167 0.8 8.4 22.15 961.75
Retail Business Staff....................... Retailer: Semi-structured 600 600 1 600 0.0167 2.5 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 2.5 22.15 288.53
interview invitation email.
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Retail Business Staff....................... Retailer: Semi-structured 600 600 1 600 0.50 225.0 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 225.0 22.15 8,638.50
interview guide.
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1,065 813 2.73 2,223 0.250 557 252 1.00 252 0.017 4.208 561 ........ 26,649.07
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Government
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Program Staff......................... Pretest: Semi-structured 3 3 1 3 1.00 1.0 0 1 0 0.0167 0.0 1.0 59.31 231.31
interview guide.
State Program Staff......................... State agency: Semi-structured 94 90 1 90 0.0167 2 4 1 4 0.0167 0.07 1.57 59.31 121.04
interview invitation email.
State Program Staff......................... State agency: Semi-structured 90 90 1 90 1.00 90 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 90.00 59.31 6,939.27
interview guide.
State Program Staff......................... Provide Administrative Data.... 5 5 1 5 8.00 40 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 40.00 59.31 3,084.12
State Program Staff......................... Provide Cost Data.............. 5 5 10 50 3.00 150 0 1 0 0.00 0.0 150.00 59.31 11,565.45
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
107 103 2.31 238 1.195 285 4 1.000 4 0.017 0.1 284.57 ........ 21,941.19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................... ............................... 32,436 21,246 7.911 168,077 0.031 5,198 11,190 8 86,886 0.020 1,727 6,924 ........ 105,885.71
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[FR Doc. 2023-11386 Filed 5-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
