3. OMB 0584-0299, FNS380-1 SS Part B 4-04-2012

Supporting Statement – Part B for the

FNS-380-1 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s Quality Control Review Schedule

OMB # 0584-0299

PART B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sam­pling or other respondent selection method to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corre­sponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the uni­verse as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The QC system and its reporting requirements are applicable to all of the 53 State agencies administering the Food Stamp Program. Each State agency is required to select a sample of households from its active case universe, the universe of households certified and issued benefits. State sample selection choices result in an estimated yearly national sample of 59,831 cases. Historically, response rates in the form of completed case reviews have ranged between 90 and 95 percent

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

• Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

• Estimation procedure,

• Degree of accuracy needed for the pur­pose described in the justification,

• Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

• Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

The active case sample procedure is generally in the form of systematic random sampling. Stratification is an option available to State agencies subject to FNS approval. State agencies opting to use stratification divide their sample universe according to household case characteristics, such as household size, geographic area, or program area (i.e., public assistance or general assistance), prior to random selection.

1. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sam­pling, a special justification must be provid­ed for any collection that will not yield "reli­able" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

The QC system attempts to control the potential bias of non-response with a completion standard of 100 percent for both the active and negative case samples. This percentage is the ratio of the number of completed reviews to the number of cases selected subject to review or to the minimum number of cases computed from the sample size equations, whichever is larger. A State agency's entitlement to the increased Federal share of administrative costs depends on the satisfactory completion of all of the required active and negative case reviews. If a State agency does not complete the required number of reviews, its error rates are adjusted by assigning two standard deviations of the estimated error rates added to the regressed error rates to those cases not completed in order to calculate the State agency's official error rates. Two standard deviations correspond to approximately a 95 percent confidence interval. The use of standard deviations of the mean is a common device for measuring the dispersion in a simple distribution and represents a natural breakpoint.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separate­ly or in combination with the main collection of information.

No testing of information-collection procedures is planned.

4. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

Nick Manthos, (703) 305-2474, Senior Statistician, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Program Accountability Division, Quality Control Branch, is responsible for analyzing the national QC data.