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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78386-78388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30492]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--USDA Foods in Schools Cost Dynamics

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other 
public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. 
This is a new collection for a study of USDA Foods in Schools Cost 
Dynamics.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
March 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate

[[Page 78387]]

of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to: Dennis Ranalli, Policy Analyst, Office of 
Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Dennis 
Ranalli at 703-305-2576 or via email to [email protected]. 
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 written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22301.
    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 
should be directed to Dennis Ranalli at 703-305-2149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: USDA Foods in Schools Cost Dynamics.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.

Abstract

    USDA Foods play an important role in school meals and may 
contribute up to 20% of the foods served in school meals through the 
National School Lunch Program (NSLP). States and School Food 
Authorities (SFAs) receive a USDA Foods entitlement to acquire products 
offered through the USDA Foods program. USDA Foods can be directly 
delivered from USDA's vendor to state warehouses, distributors, buying 
cooperatives, or SFAs. Fruits and vegetables can be requisitioned 
through the Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable 
Program. Bulk USDA Foods can be sent directly to a processor to create 
final products for use in school meals.
    An SFA's costs of using USDA Foods begin with how it spends its 
entitlement, which is managed by State Distribution Agencies (SDAs). 
SFAs incur additional costs to obtain USDA Foods, for procurement, 
storage, distribution and administration. These functions are performed 
by a variety of agencies involved in this process (FNS, SDAs, storage/
distribution contractors, SFAs and schools). SDAs may absorb some of 
these costs. Finally, the model of contracting with food processors may 
affect the full cost of USDA Foods to SFAs--whether the contract is a 
payment for final product (with a rebate or discount for the SFA) or a 
payment for service, i.e. for transforming the USDA Food into a final 
product.
    While several USDA-funded studies have examined SFA food purchasing 
practices and have compared foods purchased by SFAs with commercial 
products, very little research has focused specifically on the full 
cost of USDA Foods used in school meals. The most recent study on this 
topic, and the model for the current study, is the State Commodity 
Distribution System study covering the 1985-86 school year.
    The proposed study will examine the variety of factors that 
determine the cost and value of USDA Foods to local school and school 
district food programs. The objectives of the study are to (1) identify 
distribution models (including procurement, transportation, storage and 
delivery) used by 49 states and the District of Columbia to distribute 
USDA Foods to schools; (2) identify 4 to 10 procurement and 
distribution models that represent the state systems used in School 
Year (SY) 2015-16; and (3) develop cost estimates for a group of USDA 
Foods, full processed products made from USDA Foods, and comparable 
commercial products.
    Affected Public: Respondent groups include: (1) State officials 
with responsibility for USDA Food provision and (2) directors of school 
food authorities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 440-950. The proposed final 
samples will include State Distribution Agencies in up to 49 States and 
the District of Columbia, and 112-280 unique SFAs, depending on how 
many distribution models are studied (Kansas is excluded because it 
receives cash payments in lieu of USDA foods). The number studied will 
be determined on the basis of the results of the survey of SDAs.
    Estimated Frequency of Responses per Respondent: All respondents 
will be asked to respond to each instrument only once.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 440-950, depending on the number 
of distribution models studied.
    Estimated Time per Response: 43 minutes (0.72 hours). The estimated 
response time varies from 5 minutes for notifications of the surveys to 
360 minutes (6 hours), depending on the survey and the respondent 
group, as shown in the following table.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 308 to 693 hours.

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                                                                                                                                           Total annual
                                  Data collection                            Estimated     Frequency of    Total annual    Average hours      burden
       Affected public               activity            Respondents         number of       response        responses     per response      estimate
                                                                            respondents                                                       (hours)
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State........................  Notify state          State education                  50               1              50            0.08               4
                                officials of web      agency financial
                                survey.               officer.
State........................  Self-Administered     Non-respondents....               3               1               3            0.08             0.2
                                Web Survey.
                               (Administrative data  State education                  47               1              47            1.0               47
                                on USDA Food costs).  agency financial
                                                      officer.
State........................  Notify state          State education                8-20               1            8-20            0.25             2-5
                                officials of in-      agency financial
                                person interview.     officer.

[[Page 78388]]

 
State........................  In-person interview   State education                8-20               1            8-20            6             48-120
                                of state              agency financial
                                distribution agency   officer.
                                (Additional
                                information on USDA
                                Food costs).
Local and Tribal.............  Notify local and      Foodservice                 112-280               1         112-280            0.08        9.0-22.4
                                tribal officials of   director.
                                web survey.
Local and Tribal.............  Self-Administered     Non-respondents....           12-30               1           12-30            0.08         1.0-2.4
                                Web Survey.
                               (Administrative data  Foodservice                 100-250               1         100-250            0.75      75.0-187.5
                                on USDA Food costs).  director.
                               Phone Follow-up       Nonrespondents.....           20-50               1           20-50            0.08         1.6-4.0
                                Survey.
                               (Administrative data  Foodservice                  80-200               1          80-200            1.5          120-300
                                on USDA Food costs).  director.
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Grand Total..............  ....................  ...................         440-950               1         440-950            0.72         308-693
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    Dated: December 22, 2014.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-30492 Filed 12-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
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