Supporting_Statement_07_22_09[1]

NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE DATABASE FORM (FNS-543)

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

FOR

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION

Submitted by:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service

Communications and Governmental Affairs

Consumer and Community Affairs

3101 Park Center Drive

Room 1441

Alexandria, VA 22302

Rachel Johnson, COR

703-305-2297

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances That Make This Information Collection

Necessary 1

2. How, by Whom, and for What Purpose the Information Is to

Be Used 2

3. Use of Information Technology 2

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication 2

5. Methods to Minimize Burden on Small Businesses or Other

Small Entities 2

6. Consequences If Information Is Not Collected or Is Collected Less

Frequently; Technical or Legal Obstacles to Reducing the Burden 3

7. Special Circumstances Requiring Specific Collection

Methods 3

8. Public Input into the Information Collection Prior to Submission

to OMB

a. Comments on FITS’ Federal Register Notice in Compliance

with 5 CFR 1302.8 (d) 3

b. Consult with Persons Outside the Agency 3

c. Circumstances that Preclude Consultation with

Respondents at Least Once Every 3 Years 4

9. Decisions to Provide Any Payment or Gift to Respondents,

Other Than Remuneration of Contractors or Grantees 4

10. Assurances of Confidentiality to Respondents 4

11. Additional Justification for Any Questions of a Sensitive Nature 4

12. Estimates of the Pour Burden of the Information Collection

a. Number of Respondents, Frequency of Response, Annual 4

Hour Burden, How Burden Was Estimated

b. Hour Burden Estimates for Additional Forms 5

c. Annualized Cost Estimates of Hour Burden Estimates 5

13. Total Annual Cost Burden Estimates to Respondents 5

14. Total Annual Cost Burden Estimates to the Federal

Government 5

15. Reasons for Any Program Changes or Adjustments Reported

in Items 13 and 14 5

16. Plans for Tabulation, Statistical Analysis, and

Publication

a. Publications 6

b. Time Schedule 6

17. Displaying Expiration Date of OMB Approval on Database

Form 6

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement of Compliance

with 5 CFR 1320.6 6

Part B Statistical Methods B-1

B.1 Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods B-1

B.2 Procedures for the Collection of Information including: B-1

B.3 Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Deal with Non-Response B-1

B.4 Tests of Procedures or Methods to Be Undertaken B-2

B.5 Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data B-2

APPENDIX A: P.L. 108-265, SECTION 128

APPENDIX B: P.L. 105-336, SECTION 112

APPENDIX C: NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE DATABASE FORM

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances That Make This Information Collection Necessary

This is a revision of a currently approved data collection. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is interested in maintaining and further developing an information clearinghouse (named “Nationa1 Hunger Clearinghouse”) for groups that assist low-income individuals and communities concerning nutrition assistance programs or other assistance.

This project is of major interest to Congress, as reflected by legislation in 1994, 1998, and 2004.

Section 26 of the National School Lunch Act, which was added to the Act by section 123 of P.L. 102-446 on November 2, 1994, mandates that FNS enter into a

contract with a non-governmental organization to develop and maintain a national information clearinghouse of grassroots organizations working on hunger, food, nutrition, and other agricultural issues, including food recovery, food assistance and self-help activities to aid individual to become self-reliant and other activities that empower low-income individuals. FNS contracted with World Hunger Year (WHY), of New York, New York on September 29, 1995 to carry out this work.

Consumer and Community Affairs, Communications and Governmental Affairs; Office of Strategic Initiatives and Outreach Programs began data collection activities for the National Hunger Clearinghouse May 1996. The National Hunger Clearinghouse Database Form (FNS 543) (Appendix C) was developed and sent to business and other for profits and not for profit institutions that assist low-income individual or communities. The organization submits data annually about the type of services it provides and who is the organizations target population.

The information aids FNS to fight hunger and improve nutrition by increasing participation in the FNS nutrition programs through the development, coordination, and evaluation of strategic initiatives, partnerships, and outreach activities.

This database enables FNS to get the resources to those who need it most. Information is collected annually and maintained by our contractors for five years. Thus FNS is renewing this data collection to continue to collect information mandated by congress to cover burden hours in years four and five.

2. How, by Whom, and for What Purpose the Information Is to Be Used

The information collected annually on the FNS-543 will provide a resource for groups that assist low-income individuals or communities regarding nutrition assistance programs or other assistance. Organizations will provided important information such as, office hours, website address, phone numbers, contact names, target population types of services provided to the community, the organization service location, children services provide, whether the organization provides counseling or educational or job training services, health care assistance, homeless or housing services and any food assistance or government program assistance which will enable service groups to do a better job of assisting the target audience.

This information will be used by policy officials at the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at USDA. Other interested parties may include nutrition or health education professionals, state or local government health officials, nutrition councils, public interest advocates, private foundations, and corporate officials.

3. Use of Information Technology

In compliance with the e-Government Act 2002, FNS has reviewed this information collection in an effort to make electronic collection available to respondents. The National Hunger Clearinghouse uses state-of-the-art computer and telecommunications technologies when it is feasible to connect the target audience. The information is collected through fax, the Internet, e-mail, and regular mail. The information is available free of charge through a toll-free telephone line (1-866-3HUNGRY) and via the World Wide Web on www.worldhungeryear.org/nhc data/nhc 01.asp. Clearinghouse information is also disseminated broadly through the mail and through periodic e-mail and broadcast fax announcements. Organizations may also register to be included in the Clearinghouse database at http://www.whyhunger.org/resources/grassroots-resources-directory.html. Overall, approximately 50 percent of the surveys are received electronically

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication

There are similar data collections; however, those do not meet our needs.

5. Methods to Minimize Burden on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

The burden for this information collection is minimal. Participation is voluntary.

In order to maintain the database, the database form will be sent to all organizations included in the database once each year. The size of the organizations varies, ranging from large, national groups to small, volunteer-run grassroots organizations.

The database form is easily read. The information sought should be readily available to the respondents. Efforts to incorporate multiple response methods using various electronic media will further reduce the burden. The total expected burden per respondent is estimated to be about 10 minutes for this approval.

6. Consequences if Information Is Not Collected or Is Collected Less Frequently

If this data is not collected or collected less frequently FNS’ responsibility to aid low-income individual or communities to become more self-reliant and empowered; improve the lives of low-income individual and reduce reliance on the Federal, State, or local governmental agencies for food or other assistance will diminished. The database provides valuable information to groups that assist low-income individuals or communities regarding nutrition assistance programs or other assistance. The Clearinghouse database is the only readily available source of current information on effective program models, pending legislation and rule makings, surplus and emergency food distribution networks, and USDA food programs and policies.

In order to maintain the database, updated program and mailing information must be collected from organizations contained in the database once each year.

7. Special Circumstances Requiring Specific Collection Methods

There are no circumstances requiring specific collection methods.

8. Public Input into the Information Collection Prior to Submission to 0MB

A Federal Register Notice was published on March 17, 2009 (Volume 74, FR 11345); one comment was received.

WHY, contractor for the National Hunger Clearinghouse, has had numerous consultations (both within its organization and with outside professionals) over the years. The reasons were to ensure the technical soundness of the design in order to maximize the potential usefulness of the Clearinghouse database, to confirm the collection of appropriate data, and to include techniques to reduce respondent burden. Individuals consulted are:

William Ayres

Executive Director

World Hunger Year

505 Eighth Avenue, 21st Floor

New York, New York 10018

(212) 629-8850

Pricilla Ramos

Program Director

National Hunger Clearinghouse

World Hunger Year

505 Eighth Avenue, 21st Floor

New York, New York 10016

(212) 629-8850

There will be consultations with the respondents annually.

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9. Decisions to Provide Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

No payments or gifts will be provided to respondents.

10. Assurances of Confidentiality to Respondents

No confidential data will be collected in this project.

11. Additional Justification for Any Questions of a Sensitive Nature

No questions are of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimates of the Hour Burden of the Information Collection

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,750.

Frequency of Response: One (1) response per respondent.

Average Time Per Response: .167 or 10 minutes.

Total Annual Responses: 1,750

Annual Hour Burden: 291.9 or 292 hours.

TABLE 1. ESTIMATED ANNUAL HOUR BURDEN

Type of Respondent	Form Number	Number of Respondents	Number of responses annually per Respondent	Total annual responses (c x d)	Estimate of Burden Hours per response	Total Annual Burden Hours (e x f)
Business - For-profit and non-profit,	543	1,732	1	1732	0.17	291
non-response	543	18	1	18*	0.06	1
Total		1,750				292
*Approximately 5% of the respondents will not complete and submit the FNS 543 which FNS attributes 8 minutes and 45 seconds.

Annualized Cost Estimates of Hour Burden Estimates

A wide variety of people affiliated with an organization may complete the form—from CEOs to volunteer interns. Therefore, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics—Occupational Employment Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008, an average wage of $16 per hour will be used to calculate the cost or $0.27 per minute. Since it will take a respondent approximately 10 minutes to complete the form ($0.27 x 10=$2.70), the annualized cost estimates are $4,725 for each data collection (1,750 respondents x $2.70).

13. Total Annual Cost Burden Estimates to Respondents

There are no capital/start-up or ongoing operational/maintenance cost associated with this information collection.

14. Total Annual Cost Burden Estimates to the Federal Government

The estimated cost to the Federal Government for information collection for this information collection is $5,925. The hours worked on the clearance process are 30; the cost for a GS-13, step 01, Program Analyst for 30 hours is $1,200 plus the annualized cost estimates are $4,725. The annual amount of the contract is $90,532. The annual total cost Federal Government is $96,457.

15. Reasons for Any Program Changes or Adjustments

This is a revision of a currently approved information collection. This adjustment is due to additional questions on the FNS-543. There is an increased in the response time from five minute to ten minutes per respondent; which increased the total burden from 146 to 292.

16. Plans for Tabulation, Statistical Analysis, and Publication

This submission does not involve the collection of information by statistical methods.

17. Displaying Expiration Date of OMB Approval on Database Form

We are not seeking approval concerning the display of the expiration date.

18. Exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19 on OMB Form 83-I,

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

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