Attachment P.2. NASS Comments with Responses

Attachment P.2

NASS Comments with Responses

OMB CONTROL NO.: 0584-NEW

EXPIRATION DATE: 00/00/20XX

NASS Review of OMB Documentation for FNS Assessment of States’ Use of Computer Matching Protocol in SNAP

Reviewed by Jennifer Rhorer, NASS Summary, Estimation, and Disclosure Methodology Branch

July 7, 2017

Part A

A.16 (Table A.16): Is this included in respondent burden? How many regional directors are there?

Yes, the introductory letters to regional directors are included in respondent burden. There are seven regional directors (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Mountain Plains, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Western).

Questionnaires

• State-Level Survey:

B.1: Is this [National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC)] a state data source or a national one?

The National Accuracy Clearinghouse is a consortium of five states that provide beneficiary information at the point of application, so it is a state source of information that is shared among its members.

B.5: How is the respondent indicating the primary purpose vs the additional purposes?

There will be a matrix in the web survey that allows respondents to choose the primary and additional purposes.

D.1: I assume respondents will have different interpretations of each category. Is that a concern?

Yes, which is why we included a description in the question to clarify what is meant by effective (match serving purpose, aiding in making eligibility determinations).

D.3a: This question looks like it’s asking for the same information as B4c. Do you need to ask both questions?

Question B4c asks how often a state matches, while Question D3a asks how often the state submits data. We may find that states provide updated data to be matched, but because they are not matching as frequently they may be missing matches or delaying matches.

County Module of the State-Level Survey:

B.1: Is this a state data source or a national one?

The National Accuracy Clearinghouse is a consortium of five states that provide beneficiary information at the point of application, so it is a state source of information that is shared among its members.

B.5: How is the respondent indicating the primary purpose vs the additional purposes?

There will be a matrix in the web survey that allows respondents to choose the primary and additional purposes.

D.1: I assume respondents will have different interpretations of each category. Is that a concern?

Yes, which is why we included a description in the question to clarify what is meant by effective (match serving purpose, aiding in making eligibility determinations).

D.3a: This question looks like it’s asking for the same information as B4c. Do you need to ask both questions?

Question B4c asks how often a state matches, while Question D3a asks how often the state submits data. We may find that states provide updated data to be matched, but because they are not matching as frequently they may be missing matches or delaying matches.

• County-Level Survey:

B.1: Is this [National Accuracy Clearinghouse (NAC)] a state data source or a national one?

The National Accuracy Clearinghouse is a consortium of five states that provide beneficiary information at the point of application, so it is a state source of information that is shared among its members.

B.5: How will the respondent indicate additional purposes?

There will be a matrix in the web survey that allows respondents to choose the primary and additional purposes.

D.1: I assume respondents will have different interpretations of each category. Is that a concern?

Yes, which is why we included a description in the question to clarify what is meant by effective (match serving purpose, aiding in making eligibility determinations).

D.3a: This question looks like it’s asking for the same information as B4c. Do you need to ask both questions?

Question B4c asks how often a state matches, while Question D3a asks how often the state submits data. We may find that states provide updated data to be matched, but because they are not matching as frequently they may be missing matches or delaying matches.

FNS SNAP Supporting Statement, Attachment P.2 4