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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91314-91319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26941]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Agency Information Collection Activities, Proposed Collection: 
Request for Comments on Guidance for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP) Certification and Quality Control Interviews Study

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection. This is a new information 
collection for the contract of the study titled Guidance for SNAP 
Certification and Quality Control Interviews. The purpose of this 
collection is to help FNS develop new guidance for SNAP eligibility and 
Quality Control interviews based on principles of human-centered design 
and cultural competency.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before January 21, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Eric Williams, 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 Eric 
Williams at (703) 305-2640.

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: Guidance for SNAP Certification and Quality Control 
Interviews.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    OMB Number: 0584-NEW.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The SNAP is the foundation of the nation's nutrition 
safety net. SNAP provides benefits to millions of people who are 
experiencing economic hardship, and those benefits help to

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avert hunger. SNAP eligibility interviews help determine eligibility 
and benefit levels for SNAP applicants. SNAP Quality Control (QC) 
interviews help measure how accurately State agencies determine SNAP 
households' eligibility and benefit amounts.
    This project will produce new guides for SNAP eligibility and QC 
interviews that SNAP agencies will have the option to use or adapt. The 
guides will incorporate principles of human-centered design (HCD) and 
cultural competency (that is, the ability to serve clients from diverse 
cultures and communities effectively). Infusing the interview processes 
with the principles of HCD and cultural competency will help expand 
equitable access to SNAP.
    To draft the updated interview guides, the study team examined 
literature on HCD and cultural competency and reviewed existing 
guidance on SNAP interviews. The study team also assembled expert 
panels of SNAP participants and State SNAP agency staff to get their 
perspectives.
    The study team will conduct semi-structured interviews with staff 
from state SNAP agencies in four States during virtual site visits. 
During these interviews, the team will collect qualitative data on 
State SNAP agency interview processes, the training SNAP staff receive 
on conducting them, and information about any written guidance State 
agencies give staff on conducting interviews. The team will also ask 
State agency staff for feedback on the draft guides. After revising the 
guides based on this feedback, the study team will test them with the 
community; for each guide, they will conduct cognitive interviews with 
40 individuals with low incomes. The cognitive interviews will use a 
mix of in-person and telephone formats.
    Affected public. Members of the public affected by the data 
collection include State or local SNAP agency staff, CBO staff, and 
people with low incomes. Respondent groups include (1) State SNAP 
directors, (2) State SNAP management officials who helped develop 
interview guides, (3) State QC reviewers, (4) State SNAP policy 
officials, (5) State SNAP training officials, (6) local SNAP directors, 
(7) SNAP eligibility workers, (8) managers at not-for-profit 
organizations, and (9) people with low incomes.
    Estimated number of respondents. The total estimated number of 
unique respondents--which includes everyone contacted for data 
collection regardless of whether they participate--is 278. This 
includes up to 185 individuals with low incomes, 85 State or local SNAP 
agency staff, and eight CBO staff. The study team will contact State 
SNAP agency directors to ask them to participate in the study. To 
obtain approval from four agency directors, the study team expects to 
contact up to eight, with half agreeing to participate and half 
declining.
    Across the four States selected, the study will seek to complete 
semi-structured interviews with four State SNAP management officials 
who helped develop interview guides, four State SNAP policy officials, 
four State SNAP training officials, 16 State QC reviewers, and 32 SNAP 
eligibility workers. The study team will send the interview guides to 
respondents at least a week before the interviews so that they can 
review them in advance. State SNAP management officials, SNAP policy 
officials, and SNAP training officials will review both the eligibility 
and QC interview guides before their semi-structured interviews. 
Eligibility workers will review the eligibility interview guide and QC 
reviewers will review the QC interview guide. The study team will seek 
assistance from the SNAP agency directors in the four participating 
States to schedule interviews and identify community partners.
    To locate people with low incomes to participate in cognitive 
testing, the study team will contact up to eight CBO managers and 
request referrals. The study team expects to contact as many as 160 
individuals with low incomes and ask them to participate. The study 
team will schedule cognitive tests with up to 120 of them, with the 
expectation that 40 will not agree to participate. Among the 120 
individuals scheduled to participate in a cognitive test, the study 
team expects to complete a cognitive test with 80, with the expectation 
that the other 40 will ultimately be considered nonrespondents. Of the 
80 respondents, 40 will complete a cognitive test of the eligibility 
interview guide and 40 will complete a cognitive test of the QC 
interview guide.
    Before the start of data collection, the study team will pre-test 
the semi-structured interview guide with one State SNAP management 
official who helped develop interview guides, one State SNAP policy 
official, one State SNAP training official, two State QC reviewers, and 
four eligibility workers in one non-study State. The study team will 
pre-test the eligibility interview guide with up to nine individuals 
with low incomes. Up to nine individuals with low incomes will complete 
a cognitive test of the QC interview guide.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent. Across all 278 unique 
respondents (227 respondents and 51 nonrespondents) and 1,177 responses 
annually, the average number of responses is 4.30.
    Estimated total annual responses. 1,177.
    Estimated time per response. The estimated time per response varies 
from 0.02 hours for activities related to reading recruitment texts for 
the interviews to 1.5 hours for the cognitive testing interviews. The 
response time will vary depending on the respondent group, with an 
average estimated time per respondent of 89 minutes (1.48 hours).
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents. The total estimated 
annual burden on respondents is 412.22 hours.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

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Tameka Owens,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-26941 Filed 11-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C
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