Supporting Statement 12-6-10

2010 SUPPORTING STATEMENT

for

USDA Food Connect Web site

OMB NO. 0581-0224

A. Justification.

1. 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 Connect Web site (previously known as 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 Connect 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 Connect Web site is voluntary.

The USDA Food Connect Web site (www.foodconnect.usda.gov) was developed to assist the institutional food service community across the United States. The USDA Food Connect 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 Connect 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 Connect Web site provides food related associations a location to provide information on services and materials available from the organization.

2. 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 Connect 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 Connect Web site, they will be re-directed to the USDA eAuthentication web site to register their Level 1 Access (approved under OMB No. 0503-0014). 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, 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 and fax numbers; 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 and fax numbers 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; Uniform Code Council manufacturer ID; and whether or not the company supplies their products nationally or regionally. When the processor notes that the company is regional, they need to select the states they supply. 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 manufacture 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 and fax numbers, 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 Connect Web site.

After registering the plant, the producer must request an audit. 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 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 and fax numbers, 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, country, and the processor they represent. If the brokerage has more than one office, each branch office may be registered. 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.

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.

3. 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 Connect Web site is collected electronically. After completing the USDA eAuthentication registration process, registrants are permitted access to use the USDA Food Connect Web site by their individual login and password. Processors and distributors now can choose among three methods to populate their product information on the USDA Food Connect Web site. They may continue to enter products one product at a time, download their product information from a commercial product databases, or use an Excel spreadsheet template which they complete and from which they can download their information to the USDA Food Connect Web site. Web site programming problems currently prevent distributors from registering warehouses and products, and brokers from listing branches. Therefore, even though distributors and brokers have registered on the web site they have not been able to complete the process. We are currently addressing this issue with our IT to repair these problems and hope to have this function operational within the next year.

When the USDA Food Connect Web site was initially launched in 2004, the Web site was not fully automated. All registrants including processors and distributors that provide the majority of the data collected and available on the web site entered their data manually. After the initial launch in 2004, it was determined that manually entering product data for processors and distributors was too time consuming for these registrants. Processors and distributors with extensive product lines requested simpler data entry forms. The USDA Food Connect Web site was upgraded and re-launched in 2007, providing processors and distributors three options for submitting product data. In addition to manual entry, product data may be entered via an Excel spreadsheet or downloaded from the Food Profile web site operated by AFS Technologies, Inc. Although we have made substantial progress in reducing the total burden hours, there have been unforeseen problems with several of the submission pages. We are working with our information technology group to repair the technical problems.

4. 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 Connect Web site collects from registrants.

5. 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. Of the 275 respondents, 87are determined to be small businesses.

6. 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 USDA Food Connect Web site is provided to food buyers, processors/ distributors, brokers, and associations as a service. The USDA Food Connect 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. Without the USDA Food Connect Web site, institutional food service professionals would have problems locating processors, distributors, and brokers who manufacture, distribute, and represent processors that can further process USDA commodities or supply other value-added foods.

7. 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 required to provide the requested information one time. They can update their own information anytime at their convenience.

• 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.

• 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.

8. 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 May 25, 2010, Vol. No. 75, No. 100, pages 29,303 to 29,306, the agency 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.

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:

School Food Service: Ms. Sandy Stokes, Supervisor/Nutritionist, Chesterfield County Schools, 7610 Whitepine Road, Richmond, Virginia 23237, telephone: (804) 743-3717, extension 128.

Processor: Mr. Brian Kleinsmith, Executive Vice President, School Channel, 4U2U Brands, 20 North 20^th Street, Suite A, Richmond, Virginia 23223, telephone: (714) 287-3740.

Processor: Mr. Glenn Osborne, Vice President, Government Sales, Organic Milling, 505 West Allen Avenue, San Dimas, California 91773-1445, telephone: (909) 599-0961, extension 102.

9. 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.

10. DESCRIBE ANY ASSURANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY PROVIDED TO RESPONDENTS AND THE BASIS FOR THE ASSURANCE IN STATUTE, REGULATION, OR AGENCY POLICY.

The USDA Food Connect Web site does not request confidential information from respondents. Guests to the USDA Food Connect Web site are able to browse and view minimal amount of information available in the database. 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.

11. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JUSTIFICATION FOR ANY QUESTIONS OF A SENSITIVE NATURE, SUCH AS SEXUAL 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.

Questions of a sensitive nature are not found in this information collection.

12. 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 275 respondents (one response per institutional food service professionals, three responses per processors, three responses per distributors, two responses per broker, and one response per food related association) providing up to 388 responses. It is estimated that a total of 52 hours per year will be required for the 275 respondents to complete the responses, averaging approximately eight minutes 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 Connect Web site: http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov. Each registrant may only access for completion the page(s) that matches their USDA Food Connect Web site registration ID.

Institutional Food Service Professionals Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterConsumer.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 188 institutional food service professionals will register on the USDA Food Connect 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 21 hours.

Processors Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterProcessor.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 37 processors will register on the USDA Food Connect 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 six 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 37 processors will register 37 plants on the USDA Food Connect Web site per year. Processors will only complete this submission once for each plant they own that manufactures the products they register on the Web site. It is anticipated that the annual burden for completing the submission will be five 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 two producers will register ten products on the USDA Food Connect 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 five hours.

Processors Add a New Product Registration Submission (AFS Technologies, Inc., Food Profile database Upload) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/FtpManager/AddUccNumbers/AddUCCNumbers.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately five producers will register their products on the USDA Food Connect 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 nine minutes.

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 30 producers will register 10 products on the USDA Food Connect 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 five hours.

Distributors Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/RegisterDistributor.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately seven distributors will register on the USDA Food Connect 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 one hour.

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 seven distributors will register seven warehouses on the USDA Food Connect 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 one hour.

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 one distributor will register five of their “house brand” products on the USDA Food Connect 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 one hour.

Distributor Add a New Product Registration Submission (AFS Technologies, Inc., Food Profile database Upload) http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/FtpManager/AddUccNumbers/AddUCCNumbers.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately two distributors will register their “house brand” products on the USDA Food Connect 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 four minutes.

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 four distributors will register their “house brand” products on the USDA Food Connect 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 38 minutes.

Brokers Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterBroker.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately 40 brokers will register on the USDA Food Connect 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 six hours.

Broker Add a Branch Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterBrokerBranch.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately one broker will register three branch offices on the USDA Food Connect 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 27 minutes.

Food Related Association Registration Submission http://www.foodconnect.usda.gov/fcc/Register/RegisterAssociation.aspx. It is anticipated that approximately three food related associations will register on the USDA Food Connect 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 20 minutes.

• 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 spreadsheet. The respondents’ estimated annual cost in providing information on the USDA Food Connect Web site is $1,337.44. This total has been estimated by multiplying 52 total burden hours by $25.72, an average of the mean hourly earnings by full-time State and local government 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, 2008”, published August 2009 (Bulletin 2720). This publication can also be found at the following web site: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ ncswage2008.pdf.

13. 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 CAPITAL AND START-UP-COST COMPONENT (ANNUALIZED OVER 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 BURDENS 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 PUBLIC 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 THEREOF, 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 PRIVATE PRACTICES.

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

14. 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 Federal government’s annual costs for administering this information collection is estimated at $135,000 for the first year and subsequent years assuming cost of living increases for salary and higher overhead costs. In addition, an annual fee of $4,000 payable to AFS Technologies, Inc. to allow manufacturers and distributors to transfer their product information from the Food Profile web site to USDA Food Connect thus, reducing their burden.

Salaries/benefits/awards $135,000

ASF Technologies, Inc fee 4,000

Total $139,000

15. EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR ANY PROGRAM CHANGES OR ADJUSTMENTS REPORTED IN ITEMS 13 OR 14 OF THE OMB FORM 83-I.

Since the initial submission as a new collection of three years ago, the Agency has more accurate data available as reflected in this submission. As a result, there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of responses and burden hours, reducing the total responses from 15,200 responses to 388 responses and the total burden hours from 3,948 hours to 52 hours annually. Since the re-launch and last approval December 2007, the USDA Food Connect Web site has experienced some programming system errors that currently do not permit distributors to register their warehouses or to populate their product information, or brokers to add any branch offices. We are working with our information technology group to repair the technical problems and should have links operational within the next year. Due to ROCIS rounding of the previous burden, there is a slight difference in the actual burden.

16. FOR COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION WHOSE RESULTS WILL BE PUBLISHED, 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.

17. IF SEEKING APPROVAL TO NOT DISPLAY 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.

18. 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.

2. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

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