2007 SUPPORTING STATEMENT
for
USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site
OMB NO. 0581-0224
A. Justification.
EXPLAIN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION NECESSARY. IDENTIFY ANY LEGAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS THAT NECESSITATE THE COLLECTION.
The information collection requirements in this request are necessary for the operation of the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site, which operates pursuant to the authority of Section 32 of Public Law 320, Section 8 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1777), and the National School Lunch Program (7 CFR Part 210). The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service mission of facilitating the efficient, fair marketing of U.S. agriculture products, and providing assistance to States to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food. Registering to participate on or use of the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site is voluntary.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site was developed to assist the institutional food service community across the United States. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site focuses on providing information to institutional food service professionals (e.g., public and private schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities, Native American facilities, health care facilities, colleges and universities, prisons, child care facilities and facilities for needy families) in identifying processors who can further process (manufacture value-added foods) USDA supplied commodities that best meet their nutritional requirements. At the same time, the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site provides a platform for processors, distributors, and brokers to post information about their commercial food products, in addition to their further processed USDA supplied commodities, that are available for institutional food service purchase. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site provides food related associations a location to provide information on services and materials available from the organization.
INDICATE HOW, BY WHOM, AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE THE INFORMATION IS TO BE USED. EXCEPT FOR A NEW COLLECTION, INDICATE THE ACTUAL USE THE AGENCY HAS MADE OF THE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE CURRENT COLLECTION.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site will collect all information electronically at one time upon registration. There are five types of users; institutional food service professionals, processors, distributors, brokers, and food related associations that information is collected from when they initially register on the Web site. No information is collected from a user when they access the Web site as a guest. A guest is someone who visits the Web site without registering, but only has access to approximately one-third of the Web site system functionality.
When a new user registers on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site (www.foodconnect.usda.gov), they will be re-directed to the USDA eAuthentication Web site to register their Level 1 Access. Each new user must create their own login ID and password, meeting the eAuthentication requirements. Once their eAuthentication account is completed, the new registers will select their registration type, “institutional food service professional” (schools, the military, Veterans Administration facilities, Native American facilities, health care facilities, colleges and universities, prisons, child care facilities and facilities for needy families), “processor” (manufacturer), “distributor”, “broker”, or “association”. If the new user registers as an institutional food service professional their registration page requires: the registrants’ first and last name, position, email address, telephone number, school/company, address, city, state, zip code, and selecting the country. Processors registered on the Web site can search for institutional food service professionals registered on the Web site by school name, city, state, or zip code. Institutional food service professionals’ names, email addresses, telephone number are collected so that the Web site administrators can keep consumers updated on changes to the Web site.
If the new user registers as a processor, their registration page requires: whether the company is eligible to participate in Federal procurement, the registrants’ first and last name, position, email address, telephone number (this information is used to contact the company by the Web site administrators if there are issues regarding their product data), company name, address, city, state, zip code, country. Institutional food service professionals registered on the Web site can search for processors registered on the Web site by company name and the contact information the processor provided when they registered.
Once the processor registers, they need to register their plant that will provide the items that it will entered by providing the following information: the physical address of the plant including the plant name, address, city, selecting the state/province, zip code, country, telephone number, the mailing address, if the mailing address is different that the physical address of the plant; and the plant sanitation inspection audit point of contact including the first and last name of the contact, their position, and their email address. USDA, the United States Department of Commerce, National Marine Fishery Service certification and United States Army Veterinary Command (Vetcom) activities use this information to contact the processors’ plants for a plant audit, as required for participation in USDA Food and Commodity Web site.
After registering the plant, the producer must request an audit or have their current audit verified. To request an audit, the processor selects the type of audit necessary for the type of products they produce, indicating their Food Safety Inspection Service establishment number, if they produce products containing meat, poultry, or egg product; their Interstate Milk Shippers number for fluid milk products; or the type of products they produce when they select an “other” audit. The Web site administrator utilizes this information to determine which USDA Certification Program will conduct the audit and to verify the audit status.
Once the processor requests the audit, they register their products. The product registration includes entering the name of the product and categorizing the product by selecting the product category and product class (selected from a drop down menu). Institutional food service professionals can search for products by product name and the category and class that the producer provided.
If the new user registers as a distributor their registration page requires: the registrants’ first and last name, position, email address, telephone number (this information is used to contact the company by the Web site administrators if there are issues regarding their product data), company name, address, city, state; zip code, and country. Institutional food service professionals can search for distributors registered on the Web site by the distributors name, state(s) serviced, or zip code and view the contact information the distributor provided when they registered.
Once the distributor registers, they are required to register their warehouse by providing the following information: warehouse name, its physical address, city, selecting the state/province, zip code, country, telephone number, the states/provinces served, mailing address, and the warehouse audit point of contact including the first and last name of the contact, their position, and their email address. The USDA certification programs use this information to contact the distributors’ warehouses for a warehouse audit. Warehouse audits are conducted to ensure that the manufactured products are handled and stored under sanitary conditions.
Once the warehouse is registered, the distributor may register their products. The product registration includes the product name, and selecting the product category and product class (selected from a drop down menu). Institutional food service professionals registered on the Web site can search for products by product name and the category and class the distributor provided when they registered.
If the new user registers as a broker their registration page requires: the registrants’ first and last name, position, e-mail address, telephone number (this information is used to contact the brokerage by the Web site administrator if there are issues regarding their product data), brokerage company name, address, city, state; zip code, and country. Institutional food service professionals can search for brokers registered on the Web site by the brokers name, state(s) serviced, or zip code and view the contact information the broker provided when they registered. Once the broker registers, they need to register the processors they represent.
If the new user registers as a food related association their registration page requires: whether the association represents suppliers of food service groups providing food for human consumption, the association name, address, city, state, zip code, country, e-mail address, telephone number (this information is used to contact the association by the Web site administrators if there are issues regarding their association), and a description of association services. Institutional food service professionals can search for associations registered on the Web site by the food related association name, state(s) serviced, or zip code and view the contact information the association provided when they registered.
DESCRIBE WHETHER, AND TO WHAT EXTENT, THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION INVOLVES THE USE OF AUTOMATED, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL COLLECTION TECHNIQUES OR OTHER FORMS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, E.G. PERMITTING ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES, AND THE BASIS FOR THE DECISION FOR ADOPTING THIS MEANS OF COLLECTION. ALSO DESCRIBE ANY CONSIDERATION OF USING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE BURDEN.
The information collected on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site (www.foodconnect.usda.gov) is collected electronically. After completing the USDA eAuthentication registration process, registrants are permitted access to use the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site by utilizing their individual login and password. Processors and distributors now may choose between four methods to populate their product information on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. They may continue to enter products one product at a time, load their product information from existing product databases, or use an Excel spreadsheet template which they complete and from which they can download their information to the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. Processors and distributors who choose to download their product information from existing product databases reduce their burden hours as they complete one page by adding their product uniform code council (UCC) numbers then request the electronic transfer of the data from existing product databases. Processors and distributors who choose to use the Excel spreadsheet template save the blank template to their computer, add their product information to the template saving it to their computer, and then upload the information to the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. Downloading product information from existing product databases and completing the Excel spreadsheet reduce the amount of time that processors and distributors spend adding their product information to the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. Finally, processors and distributors who choose to can send the raw product data electronically to USDA and we will input the data into the required format. Previously, the majority of the estimated burden hours were for processors and distributors adding their products, one product at a time, to the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
DESCRIBE EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY DUPLICATION. SHOW SPECIFICALLY WHY ANY SIMILAR INFORMATION ALREADY AVAILABLE CANNOT BE USED OR MODIFIED FOR USE FOR THE PURPOSE(S) DESCRIBED IN ITEM 2 ABOVE.
There are no other Federal agencies that are collecting the information the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site collects from registrants.
IF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION IMPACTS SMALL BUSINESSES OR OTHER SMALL ENTITIES (ITEMS 5 OF THE OMB FORM 83-I), DESCRIBE THE METHODS USED TO MINIMIZE BURDEN.
The act of collection of information will not have an adverse impact on small businesses or other small entities. The same information, voluntarily collected from each registrant may help small businesses by providing them more exposure to institutional food service professionals. In addition, we encourage small businesses to use the USDA data entry service to limit their expenditures of time and other resources.
DESCRIBE THE CONSEQUENCE OF FEDERAL PROGRAM OR POLICY ACTIVITIES IF THE COLLECTION IS NOT CONDUCTED OR IS CONDUCTED LESS FREQUENTLY, AS WELL AS ANY TECHNICAL OR LEGAL OBSTACLES TO REDUCING BURDEN.
The food buyers, processors/distributors, brokers, and associations that participate on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site, do so voluntarily. The information provided during registration and any updates to their information is provided voluntarily without a required or implied frequency. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site is designed as a central location in which institutional food service professionals, who provide meals in institutional settings, can locate processors who manufacture foods utilizing USDA provided commodities, distributors who distribute the manufactured food, brokers who represent the processors, and food related associations. The technical design of the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site has adapted processes to limit the burden that participating parties providing information may anticipate.
EXPLAIN ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WOULD CAUSE AN INFORMATION COLLECTION TO BE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER:
REQUIRING RESPONDENTS TO REPORT INFORMATION TO THE AGENCY MORE OFTEN THAN QUARTERLY;
Respondents participate voluntarily and, if they choose to do so, are asked to provide the requested information one time. They can update their information anytime at their connivance.
REQUIRING RESPONDENTS TO PREPARE A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION IN FEWER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF IT;
Respondents participate voluntarily and therefore are not required to prepare a written response to a collection of information.
REQUIRING RESPONDENTS TO SUBMIT MORE THAN AN ORIGINAL AND TWO COPIES OF ANY DOCUMENT;
Respondents are not required to submit any documents.
REQUIRING RESPONDENTS TO RETAIN RECORDS, OTHER THAN HEALTH, MEDICAL, GOVERNMENT CONTRACT, GRANT-IN-AID, OR TAX RECORDS FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS;
Respondents are not required to retain any additional records.
IN CONNECTION WITH A STATISTICAL SURVEY, THAT IS NOT DESIGNED TO PRODUCE VALID AND RELIABLE RESULTS THAT CAN BE GENERALIZED TO THE UNIVERSE OF STUDY;
The information collected will not be utilized in connection with a statistical survey.
REQUIRING THE USE OF A STATISTCAL DATA CLASSIFICATION THAT HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY OMB;
There is no requirement for a statistical data classification.
THAT INCLUDES A PLEDGE OF CONFIDENTIALITY THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED IN STATUE OR REGULATION, THAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY DISCLOSURE AND DATA SECURITY POLICIES THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE PLEDGE, OR WHICH UNNECESSARILY IMPEDES SHARING OF DATA WITH OTHER AGENCIES FOR COMPATIBLE CONFIDENTIAL USE; OR
No confidential information is collected. Registered users (institutional food service professionals, processors, distributors, brokers, and food related associations) access to view database information is determined by their user ID and password.
REQUIRING RESPONDENTS TO SUBMIT PROPRIETARY TRADE SECRET, OR OTHER CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION UNLESS THE AGENCY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT IT HAS INSTITUTED PROCEDURES TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION’S CONFIDENTIALITY TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
Respondents are not required to submit proprietary trade secrets or other confidential information.
IF APPLICABLE, PROVIDE A COPY AND IDENTIFY THE DATE AND PAGE NUMBER OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER OF THE AGENCY’S NOTICE, REQIRED BY 5 CFR 1320.8(d), SOLICITING COMMENTS ON THE INFORMATION COLLECTION PRIOR TO SUBMISSION TO OMB. SUMMARIZE PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THAT NOTICE AND DESCRIBE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE AGENCY IN RESPONSE TO THESE COMMENTS. SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS COMMENTS RECEIVED ON COST AND HOUR BURDEN.
On January 18, 2007, Vol. No. 72, pages 2252 to 2255, AMS published the notice of information collection and request for comments in the Federal Register. There were no comments received.
DESCRIBE EFFORTS TO CONSULT WITH PERSONS OUTSIDE THE AGENCY TO OBTAIN THEIR VIEWS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF DATA, FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION, THE CLARITY OF INSTRUCTIONS AND RECORDKEEPING, DISCLOSURE, OR REPORTING FORMAT (IF ANY), AND ON THE DATA ELEMENTS TO BE RECORDED, DISCLOSED, OR REPORTED.
During the development of the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site, 67 institutional food service professionals, processors, distributors, brokers, associations, and USDA employees were asked for assistance to determine what information would need to be collected and to evaluate the Web site to ensure that it would meet the needs of the users. During 2004, while the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Website was in the process of launching to the processors, it was determined that changes were required before formally launching the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site to all participants. The upgrades were completed in August 2006 and the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site was launched to participants.
CONSULTATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE FROM WHOM INFORMATION IS TO BE OBTAINED OR THOSE WHO MUST COMPILE RECORDS SHOULD OCCUR AT LEAST ONCE EVERY 3 YEARS – EVEN IF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION ACTIVITY IS THE SAME AS IN PRIOR PERIODS. THERE MAY BE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY PRECLUDE CONSULTATION IN A SPECIFIC SITUATION. THESE CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD BE EXPLAINED.
We consulted with the following representatives from whom information would be obtained:
Association: Ms. Judi Adams, President, Grain Foods Foundation, 490 Bear Cub Drive, Ridgway, Colorado 81432, telephone: (970) 626-5183.
Processor: Mr. Brian Hofmeier, Director of School Sales, 200 Sales Drive, Harrison, Ohio 45030, telephone: (800) 626-2308.
Processor/Distributor: Ms. Carrie Phon, Internet Coordinator, Ener-G-Foods, Inc., 5960 1st Avenue, South Seattle, Washington 98124, telephone: (206) 764-6660, extension 107.
EXPLAIN ANY DECISION TO PROVIDE ANY PAYMENT OR GIFT TO RESPONDENTS, OTHER THAN REMUNERATION OF CONTRACTORS OR GRANTEES.
No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.
DESCRIBE ANY ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY PROVIDED TO RESPONDENTS AND THE BASIS FOR THE ASSURNACE IN STATUTE, REGULATION, OR AGENCY POLICY.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site does not request confidential information from respondents.
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS OF A SENSITIVE NATURE, SUCH AS SEXULA BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUTDES, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, AND OTHER MATTERS THAT SHOULD INCLUDE THE REASONS WHY THE AGENCY CONSIDERS THE QUESTIONS NECESSARY, THE SPECIFIC USES TO BE MADE OF THE INFORMATION, THE EXPLANATION TO BE GIVEN TO PERSONS FROM WHOM THE INFORMATION IS REQUESTED, AND ANY STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO OBTAIN THEIR CONSENT.
No questions of a sensitive nature are made to any participant on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF THE HOUR BURDEN OF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION.
THE STATEMENT SHOULD:
INDICATE THE NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, FREQUENCY OF RESPONSE, ANNUAL HOUR BURDEN, AND AN EXPLANATION OF HOW THE BURDEN WAS ESTIMATED. UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO, AGENCIES SHOULD NOT CONDUCT SPECIAL SURVEYS TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON WHICH TO BASE HOUR BURDEN ESTIMATES. CONSULTATION WITH A SAMPLE (FEWER THAN 10) OF POTENTIAL RESPONDENTS IS DESIRABLE. IF THE HOUR BURDEN ON RESPONDENTS IS EXPECTED TO VARY WIDELY BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCE IN ACTIVITY, SIZE, OR COMPLEXITY, SHOW THE RANGE OF ESTIMATED HOUR BURDEN, AND EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR THE VARIANCE. GENERALLY, ESTIMATES SHOULD NOT INCLUDE BURDEN HOURS FOR CUSTOMARY AND USUAL BUSINESS PRACTICES.
The public reporting burden for approximately 850 respondents (1 response per institutional food service professionals, 3 responses per processors, 3 responses per distributors, 2 responses per broker, and 1 response per food related association) providing up to 1,845 responses. It is estimated that a total of 280 hours per year will be required for the 850 respondents to complete the responses, averaging approximately 0.15 hours per response. The complete public reporting burden is summarized on AMS-71.
IF THIS REQUEST FOR APPROVAL COVERS MORE THAN ON ONE FORM, PROVIDE SEPARATE HOUR BURDEN ESTIMATES FOR EACH FORM AND AGGREGATE THE HOUR BURDENS IN ITEM 13 OF OMB FORM 83-I.
All forms listed below are accessible at the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site: http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov. Each registrant may only access for completion the page(s) that matches their USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site registration ID.
Institutional Food Service Professionals Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterInit.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterConsumer.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 300 institutional food service professionals will register on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Institutional food service professionals will only complete this form once which includes agreeing to the Web site disclaimer. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 33 hours.
Processors Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterInit.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterProcessor.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 300 processors will register on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Processors will only complete this form once which includes agreeing to the Web site disclaimer. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 45 hours.
Processors Add a Plant and Request an Audit Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/processor/AddPlant.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/audit/RequestAudit.aspx?needAuditId=536&requestAuditConfirmed=yes. It is anticipated that approximately 300 processors will register 300 plants on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Processors will only complete this submission once for each plant they own that manufacturer the products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 41 hours.
Processors Add a New Product Registration Submission (A Single Product) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/product/AddAndManageProducts.aspx?Control+addProduct. It is anticipated that approximately 20 producers will register ten products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Processors will only complete this submission once for each product they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 54 hours.
Processors Add a New Product Registration Submission (Sales Partners Systems Upload) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/FtpManager/AddUccNumbers/AddUCCNumbers.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 60 producers will register their products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Processors will only complete this submission once entering each of their product uniform code council (UCC) numbers for the products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 2 hours.
Processors Add a New Product Registration Submission (Excel Spreadsheet) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/product/AddAndManageProducts.aspx?Control=template. It is anticipated that approximately 220 producers will register 10 products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Processors will only complete this submission once for the products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 35 hours.
Distributors Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterInit.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/RegisterDistributor.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 100 distributors will register on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Distributors will only complete this form once which includes agreeing to the Web site disclaimer. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 15 hours.
Distributors Add a Warehouse and Request an Audit Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/distributor/AddWarehouse.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/audit/RequestAduit.aspx?AuditId=203. It is anticipated that approximately 100 distributors will register 100 warehouses on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Distributors will only complete this submission once for each warehouse they own in which they store products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 14 hours.
Distributor Add a New Product Registration Submission (A Single Product) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/product/AddAndManageProducts.aspx?Control=addProduct. It is anticipated that approximately five distributors will register ten of their “house brand” products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Distributors will only complete this submission once for each product they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 14 hours.
Distributor Add a New Product Registration Submission (Sale Partners Systems Upload) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/FtpManager/AddUccNumbers/AddUCCNumbers.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 20 distributors will register their “house brand” products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Distributors will only complete this submission once entering each of their product uniform code council (UCC) numbers for the products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 1 hours.
Distributor Add a New Product Registration Submission (Excel Spreadsheet) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/product/AddAndManageProducts.aspx?Control=template. It is anticipated that approximately 25 distributors will register their “house brand” products on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year using this method. Distributors will only complete this submission once for each product they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 4 hours.
Brokers Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterInit.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterBroker.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 100 brokers will register on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Brokers will only complete this form once which includes agreeing to the Web site disclaimer. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 15 hours.
Broker Add a Branch Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterBrokerBranch.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 20 brokers will register a branch office on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Brokers will only complete this submission if they have branch offices. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 3 hours.
Food Related Association Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterInit.aspx and http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterAssociation.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 50 food related associations will register on the Food and Commodity Connection Web site per year. Associations will only complete this form once which includes agreeing to the Web site disclaimer. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be 6 hours.
PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF ANNUALIZED COST TO RESPONDENTS FOR THE HOUR BURDENS FOR COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION, IDENTIFYING AND USING APPROPRIATE WAGE RATE CATEGORIES.
Estimates of the burden of collection of information have been summarized on AMS Form 71 (attached). The respondents’ estimated annual cost in providing information on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site is $4,068.40. This total has been estimated by multiplying 280 total burden hours by $14.53, an average of the mean hourly earnings by full-time and part-time administrative support, including clerical, employees. Data for computation of this hourly wage were obtained from the U.S Department of Labor Statistic’s publication, “National Compensation Survey: Occupational Wages in the United States, June 2005”, published August 2006 (Bulletin 2581). This publication can also be found at the following web site: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ocs/sp/ncbl0832.pdf.
PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST BURDEN TO RESPONDENTS OR RECORDKEEPERS RESULTING FROM THE
COLLECTION OF INFORMATION. (DO NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF
ANY HOUR BURDEN SHOWN IN ITEMS 12 AND 14).
THE COST ESTIMATE SHOULD BE SPLIT INTO TWO COMPONENTS: (a) A TOTAL CAPTIAL AND START-UP-COST COMPONENT (ANNUALIZED ONVER ITS EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE); AND (b) A TOTAL OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE AND PURCHASE OF SERVICES COMPONENT. THE ESTIMATES SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH GENERATING, MAINTAINING AND DISCLOSING OR PROVIDING THE INFORMATION. INCLUDE DESCRIPTIONS OF METHODS USED TO ESTIMATE MAJOR COST FACTORS INCLUDING SYSTEM AND TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION, EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE OF CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, THE DISCOUNT RATE(S), AND THE TIME PERIOD OVER WHICH COSTS WILL BE INCURRED. CAPITAL AND START-UP COSTS INCLUDE, AMONG OTHER ITEMS, PREPARATIONS FOR COLLECTING INFORMATION SUCH AS PURCHASING COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE, MONITORING, SAMPLING, DRILLING AND TESTING EQUIPMENT; AND RECORD STORAGE FACILITIES.
IF COST ESTIMATES ARE EXPECTED TO VARY WIDELY, AGENCIES SHOULD PRESENT RANGES OF COST BURDENTS AND EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR THE VARIANCE. THE COST OF PURCHASING OR CONTRACTING OUT INFORMATION COLLECTION SERVICES SHOULD BE A PART OF THIS COST BURDEN ESTIMATE. IN DEVELOPING COST BURDEN ESTIMATES, AGENCIES MAY CONSULT WITH A SAMPLE OF RESPONDENTS (FEWER THAN 10), UTILIZE THE 60-DAY PRE-OMB SUBMISSION PURBLIC COMMENT PROCESS AND USE EXISTING ECONOMIC OR REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RULEMAKING CONTAINING THE INFORMATION COLLECTION, AS APPROPRIATE.
GENERALLY, ESTIMATES SHOULD NOT INCLUDE PURCHASES OF EQUIPMENT OR SERVICE, OR PORTIONS THEROF, MADE: (1) PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1, 1995, (2) TO ACHIEVE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE INFORMATION COLLECTION, (3) FOR REASONS OTHER THAN TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR KEEPING RECORDS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, OR (4) AS PART OF CUSTOMARY AND USUAL BUSINESS OR PRIVED PRACTICES.
There are no capital/start-up or ongoing operation/maintenance costs associated with this information collection.
PROVIDE ESTIMATES OF ANNUALIZED COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ALSO, PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD USED TO ESTIMATE COST, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE QUANTIFICATION OF HOURS, OPERATION EXPENSES (SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, OVERHEAD, PRINTING, AND SUPPORT STAFF), AND ANY OTHER EXPENSE THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INCURRED WITHOUT THIS COLLECTION OF INFORMATION. AGENCIES ALSO MAY AGGREGATE COST ESTIMATES FROM ITEMS 12, 13, AND 14 IN A SINGLE TABLE.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site development began May 2000 to assist institutional food service personnel utilize USDA commodity products and identify processor who can further process USDA commodities. The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government to provide support staff for 1.5 staff years is $200,000.
EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR ANY PROGRAM CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS REPORTED IN ITEMS 13 OR 14 OF THE OMB FORM 83-I.
The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site has under gone numerous changes since this information collection was approved October 31, 2004. As a result, these changes have created a dramatic reduction in the number of responses and burden hours, reducing the estimated total responses from 15,200 responses to 1,845 responses and the estimated total burden hours from 3,948 hours to 280 hours annually. The previous estimated burden hours were determined based on a single product input process to collect information versus a new multiple products input process. These new estimated burden hours are still estimates, because information was not previously calculated on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site because it was determined necessary that changes were required before formally launching the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site to all participants. The USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site was formally launched in August 2006 to participants. These changes were accomplished to provide processors and distributors additional methods to register their product information. Processors and distributors now have the option of utilizing three different electronic methods to populate their product information on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site. They may continue to enter products one product at a time, retrieve their product information from Sales Partners Systems web site, or complete an Excel spreadsheet template which they complete and upload to their information stored on the USDA Food and Commodity Connection Web site.
FOR COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION WHOSE RESULTS WILL BE PURBLISHED, OUTLINE PLANS FOR TABULATION, AND PUBLICATION. ADDRESS ANY COMPLEX ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES THAT WILL BE USED. PROVIDE THE TIME SCHEDULE FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT, INCLUDING BEGINNING AND ENDING DATES OF THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION COMPLETION OF REPORT, PUBLICATION DATES, AND OTHER ACTIONS.
The collected information will not be published.
IF SEEKING APPROVAL TO NOT DISPLY THE EXPIRATION DATE FOR OMB APPROVAL OF THE INFORMATION COLLECTION, EXPLAIN THE REASONS THAT DISPLAY WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.
The Agency requests approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection. To have the expiration date for each form added and/or updated on the Web site will require a contract to be awarded. Each contract will require a statement of work outlining the task to be completed, proposals for bid from at least three vendors, and funding to have the task completed and accepted. This process would be time consuming and increase the cost of administrating the Web site approximately $200,000.00.
EXPLAIN EACH EXCEPTION TO THE CERTIFICATION STATEMENT IDENTIFIED IN ITEM 19, “CERTIFICATION FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSIONS,” OF OMB FORM 83-I.
The agency is able to certify compliance with all provisions under Item 19 of OMB Form 83-I.
COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.
This information collection does not employ statistical methods.
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | SUPPORTING STATEMENT |
| Author | John Lund |
| Last Modified By | mpish2 |
| File Modified | 2007-07-25 |
| File Created | 2007-07-25 |