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Notices Federal Register

60913 

Vol. 88, No. 171 

Wednesday, September 6, 2023 

1The White House. (2021). Executive order on 

advancing racial equity and support for 

Continued 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Assessing Equity in Work 

Requirements and SNAP Employment 

& Training 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

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 for 

the Assessing Equity in Work 

Requirements and SNAP [Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program] 

Employment & Training study. This is a 

new information collection request. 

This study informs the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) about feasible 

options for assessing and monitoring 

equity in the administration of SNAP 

work requirements and SNAP 

Employment and Training (E&T) 

services. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before November 6, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to 

Kristen Corey, USDA Food and 

Nutrition Service, Office of Policy 

Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 

Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may 

also be submitted via email to 

Kristen.Corey@usda.gov. Comments will 

also be accepted through the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://

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 Kristen Corey at 

(703) 305–2517. 

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: Assessing Equity in Work 

Requirements and SNAP Employment 

and Training. 

Form Number: Not applicable. 

OMB Number: 0584–NEW. 

Expiration date: Not yet determined. 

Type of request: New collection. 

Abstract: Section 17 [7 U.S.C. 2026] 

(a)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 

2008, as amended, provides general 

legislative authority for the planned 

data collection. It authorizes the 

Secretary of Agriculture to enter into 

contracts with private institutions to 

undertake research that will help 

improve the administration and 

effectiveness of SNAP. 

FNS is conducting this study to 

identify data available from SNAP State 

agencies, their E&T provider partners, 

and other sources that can be used to 

develop measures to assess equity in the 

administration of SNAP work 

requirements and E&T services. The 

developed measures can be used to 

determine how and whether States are 

providing equitable access to SNAP 

through the administration of work 

requirements, achieving equitable 

participation in education and training 

opportunities through the SNAP E&T 

program, and adopting program option 

and discretionary policies and 

procedures that influence disparities. 

FNS has identified four objectives for 

this study: 

(1) Identify areas in the 

administration of work requirements in 

SNAP and in SNAP E&T program 

administration and access where equity 

issues could occur. 

(2) Identify and describe the data that 

could be used to assess access and 

outcomes in the areas identified in 

Objective 1. 

(3) Describe how State agencies 

address equity in administering work 

requirements in their SNAP and SNAP 

E&T programs. 

(4) Develop recommendations on how 

FNS should assess and measure equity 

in the administration of work 

requirements in SNAP and in SNAP 

E&T program administration and access. 

The study will gather data through a 

web-based survey and document review 

of all 53 SNAP State agencies and key 

informant interviews in six States. The 

web-based survey will provide 

information on current practices 

addressing equity and data available to 

assess equity. The web-based survey 

questions will be limited to those not 

answerable through the document 

review. The document review will 

include extant documents, manuals, 

guides, and other data sources from all 

53 SNAP State agencies. We will 

identify nine SNAP State agencies and 

recruit as necessary to ensure the 

completion of key informant interviews 

in six States. The key informant 

interviews will include staff from each 

of the six study States at (1) the SNAP 

State agency office and (2) the SNAP 

local office; interviews will also include 

(3) SNAP E&T providers and (4) relevant 

interested parties, who may be 

government employees or 

representatives of academic and 

business interests (e.g., communitybased organizations, community college 

consortium, American Job Centers). We 

will pretest the web-based survey with 

individuals with previous experience 

working in SNAP State agencies. We 

will pretest the key informant 

interviews with State and local office 

staff from a SNAP State agency not 

selected as a study State. 

This study aligns with President 

Biden’s January 20, 2021, Executive 

Order on Advancing Racial Equity and 

Support for Underserved Communities 

Through the Federal Government and 

the goal of equitable implementation of 

Federal programs.1 These data will 


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underserved communities through the Federal 

Government. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefingroom/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executiveorder-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-forunderserved-communities-through-the-federalgovernment/. 

ultimately result in recommendations 

on how FNS can assess and measure 

equity in the administration of work 

requirements and SNAP E&T. The data 

collected will be kept private and will 

not be shared with anyone outside the 

study team and FNS research and 

administrative staff. 

Affected public: Members of the 

public affected by the data collection 

include State, local, and Tribal 

governments; business (for profit and 

not for profit); and individuals. 

Respondent groups identified include 

the following: 

(1) State, local, and Tribal 

government: The web-based survey will 

be completed by all 53 SNAP State 

agency Directors with input from SNAP 

E&T Directors and SNAP State agency 

data analysts who are familiar with 

SNAP data and data systems. 

Submission of files for document review 

will be completed by the SNAP State 

agency Directors and data analysts. 

Staff from the SNAP State office, the 

SNAP local office, and an interested 

party will pretest the interview 

instruments. The key informant 

interviews will be conducted in the six 

study States with SNAP State agency 

Directors, State agency data analysts, 

SNAP E&T Directors, staff from two 

local offices, SNAP E&T providers, and 

interested parties, such as staff at 

American Job Centers. 

(2) Business (for profit and not for 

profit): One SNAP E&T provider will 

pretest the interview instrument. SNAP 

E&T providers and interested parties, 

such as staff at community-based 

organizations from the six study States, 

will participate in key informant 

interviews. 

(3) Individuals: Six individuals will 

pretest the web-based survey 

instrument. 

Pretesting: We anticipate 100 percent 

participation from the respondents 

involved in pretesting the web-based 

survey and the key informant interview 

guides. Six individuals with previous 

experience working in SNAP State 

agencies will pretest the web-based 

survey. Key informant interview 

instruments will be pretested by one 

SNAP State Director, one local SNAP 

E&T administrator, one interested party, 

and one SNAP E&T provider. 

Survey: We will contact all 53 SNAP 

State agency Directors to request that 

they complete the survey. FNS 

anticipates 100 percent participation 

from the SNAP State agency Directors. 

Each SNAP State agency Director may 

designate up to two staff to complete 

sections of the survey, accounting for up 

to an additional 106 State agency staff 

participating as respondents (159 SNAP 

State agency staff respondents total). 

This is the highest possible number of 

survey respondents. 

Document review: When recruited for 

participation in the survey, SNAP State 

agencies will also be asked to submit 

documents for a document review; FNS 

anticipates 100 percent participation. 

We will reach out to 53 SNAP State 

agency Directors to submit documents; 

Directors will be assisted by one staff 

member (i.e., data analyst) to identify 

the necessary documents. 

Key informant interviews: We will 

identify nine candidate States and 

conduct key informant interview in six 

States. The key informant interviews 

will involve semi-structured interviews 

with program administrators and staff of 

SNAP State agencies and SNAP local 

agencies, businesses or other agencies 

providing SNAP E&T services, and 

interested parties representing other 

government agencies or businesses. 

After FNS and the study team recruit 

the six States, FNS expects all selected 

local SNAP agencies, SNAP providers, 

and interested parties to participate. 

Estimated number of respondents: 

The total estimated number of 

respondents is 264 as follows: 203 State, 

local, and Tribal government staff; 55 

business (for profit and not for profit) 

staff; and 6 individuals. Of the 264 

contacted, 264 are estimated to be 

responsive, and three are estimated to 

be nonresponsive. The breakout of 

respondents follows: 

(1) State, local, and Tribal 

government staff: Of the 159 SNAP State 

agency staff contacted, 159 are 

estimated to be responsive, and three 

will be nonresponsive. The web-based 

survey will be completed by 53 SNAP 

State Directors, 53 data analysts, and 53 

SNAP E&T Directors; we expect them all 

to be responsive. The submission of files 

for document review will be completed 

by 53 SNAP State Directors and 53 data 

analysts; we expect them all to be 

responsive. Before beginning key 

informant interviews, we will pretest 

the interview instruments with a SNAP 

State Director, a local SNAP E&T 

administrator, and an interested party 

working for the government; we expect 

them all to be responsive. We will 

conduct key informant interviews in six 

study States. To successfully recruit six 

study States, FNS and the study team 

will contact up to nine SNAP State 

Directors; six SNAP State Directors will 

agree to participate in the interviews 

and three will be nonresponsive. Other 

State staff joining the SNAP State 

Directors for the key informant 

interviews will be six data analysts and 

six SNAP E&T Directors, who will all be 

responsive, and zero will be 

nonresponsive. Other local government 

staff will include 12 local SNAP E&T 

administrators, 24 local office staff, and 

six interested parties working for the 

government will be contacted and be 

responsive; zero will be nonresponsive. 

(2) Business (for profit and not for 

profit) staff: One SNAP E&T provider 

will be recruited to pretest the key 

informant interview instrument, and 

they will be responsive. Of the 48 SNAP 

E&T providers contacted for key 

informant interviews in the six study 

States, 48 are estimated to be 

responsive, and zero will be 

nonresponsive. Six interested parties 

employed by businesses will be 

contacted for key informant interviews; 

we expect all six to be responsive and 

zero to be nonresponsive. 

(3) Individuals: Of the six individuals 

recruited to pretest the web-based 

survey, all six are estimated to be 

responsive, and zero will be 

nonresponsive. 

Estimated number of responses per 

respondent: 3.67—based on 981 total 

annual responses (978 responsive and 3 

nonresponsive) made by the 264 

respondents (264 responsive and three 

nonresponsive). See table 1 for the 

estimated number of responses per 

respondent for each type of respondent. 

The estimate breakout follows: 

(1) State, local, and Tribal government 

staff: 

(a) SNAP State Staff (159): The 

estimated number of responses per 

SNAP State staff is 4.23: 

—Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will 

receive recruitment emails from FNS 

and the study team for the web-based 

survey. They will all respond and 

complete the web-based survey. The 

SNAP State Directors will coordinate 

with their staff to support the accurate 

completion of the survey; 53 data 

analysts and 53 SNAP E&T Directors 

will assist in the completion of the 

web-based survey. 

—Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will 

respond to the request for the 

submission of files for document 

review, including reading advance 

materials and preparation of the files 

for submission. SNAP State Directors 

will coordinate with their staff to 

obtain the necessary files; 53 data 

analysts will assist in the preparation 

of documents. 

—One SNAP State Director will be 

recruited and will pretest the key 


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informant interview instrument that 

will be used with SNAP State office 

staff. 

—Up to nine SNAP State Directors will 

receive and respond to an email 

invitation to participate in key 

informant interviews. SNAP State 

Directors in selected States will 

receive an introductory email from 

the study team and have a meeting to 

schedule interviews and ask 

questions. Of the up to nine SNAP 

State Directors, six will agree to 

participate in the virtual key 

informant interviews and up to three 

will decline to participate. 

—Six SNAP E&T Directors and six data 

analysts will also participate in 

virtual key informant interviews. 

(b) Local SNAP office staff (37): The 

estimated number of responses per local 

SNAP office staff is 2.97: 

—One local SNAP E&T administrator 

will be recruited and will pretest the 

key informant interview instrument 

that will be used with SNAP local 

office staff. 

—Twelve local SNAP E&T 

administrators will respond to 

scheduling and take part in virtual 

key informant interviews; 24 

additional local SNAP office staff will 

take part in virtual key informant 

interviews. 

(c) Non-SNAP State and local 

government agency staff (7): The 

estimated number of responses per nonSNAP State and local staff is 2.86: 

—One interested party will be recruited 

and will pretest the key informant 

interview instrument that will be used 

with interested parties. 

—Six interested parties employed by 

either State or local government 

agencies will respond to scheduling 

and take part in virtual key informant 

interviews. 

(2) Business (for profit and not for 

profit) SNAP E&T providers (55): The 

estimated number of responses per 

business stakeholder staff is 2.98: 

—One SNAP E&T provider will be 

recruited and will pretest the key 

informant interview instrument that 

will be used with E&T providers. 

—Forty-eight business E&T provider 

staff will respond to scheduling and 

participate in virtual key informant 

interviews. 

—Six interested parties employed by a 

for-profit or not-for-profit business 

will respond to scheduling and 

participate in virtual key informant 

interviews. 

(3) Individuals (6): The estimated 

number of responses per individuals is 

2.00: 

—Six individuals will be recruited and 

will pretest the web-based survey that 

will be administered to all 53 SNAP 

State agencies. 

Estimated total frequency response 

per respondent. FNS anticipates 3.67 

responses per respondent. 

Estimated total annual responses: 981 

(978 annual responses for responsive 

participants and 3 annual responses for 

nonresponsive participants). 

Estimated time per response: 0.3796 

hours (0.38 hours for responsive 

participants and 0.25 hours for 

nonresponsive participants). Among 

respondents, the estimated time of 

response varies from 0.03 hours to 1.50 

hours depending on respondent group 

and activity, as table 1 shows. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents and nonrespondents: 

372.41 hours (371.66 hours for 

responsive participants and 0.75 hours 

for nonresponsive participants). See 

table 1 for estimated total annual burden 

for each type of respondent. 

Tameka Owens, 

Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition 

Service. 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P 


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[FR Doc. 2023–19113 Filed 9–5–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–C 


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