T.2 Response to NASS Comments

Attachment T.2 Response to NASS Comments

OMB No. 0584-[NEW]

Best Practices in Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) Operations and Planning

May 11, 2021

Project Officer: Eric Sean Williams

Office of Policy Support

SNAP Research and Analysis Division

Food and Nutrition Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1320 Braddock Place

Alexandria, VA 22314

703.305.2640

[email protected]

Response to NASS Comments

Comment Number	NASS Comment	Response
1	While survey objectives were clearly stated, it was not clear how the objectives will be met.	The proposed data collection does not include a survey. To address the study objectives, the study team will employ a mixed-methods approach with four primary data collection components: (1) document review of all available information on the planning, implementation, operation, and post-disaster reporting of D-SNAP in five States; (2) interviews with Federal staff at FNS Headquarters and Regional Offices who worked with States on D-SNAP administration and approvals; (3) site visits to the five selected States to assess all aspects of the D-SNAP operations; and (4) collection of administrative caseload data to examine the characteristics and economic circumstances of D-SNAP households and assess the economic impact of D-SNAP in the State.
2	The sampling frame, stratification and sample design were not clearly stated.	The data collection does not employ design-based sample. FNS will purposively select States who’s recent (2017-2020) D-SNAP experiences can be studied to identify innovative and potentially replicable approaches to improve States’ ability to provide food assistance during a disaster.
3	There are many open-ended survey questions that may be difficult to quantify.	The proposed data collection does not include a survey. The open-ended questions are part of individual, in-depth interviews. This qualitative information is formative in nature and not meant to be quantified.
4	The estimated burden time is quite long; 4 hours in some cases. A shorter survey may result in better quality survey responses.	The burden rate of 4 hours does not apply to individuals completing a survey. This is the estimated time needed for an individual to prepare and provide the administrative data on their State’s D-SNAP operations.
5	The process to summarize the reported data are not clear. (e.g., “The study team will request and review a variety of documents from FNS and the State agencies selected for the study and systematically extract important data elements into a comprehensive data matrix for analysis.”)	For the quantitative data, the study team will use State caseload data to report the characteristics of D-SNAP households and circumstances and to compare their characteristics with those of SNAP households before and after the disaster. These analyses will take two forms: (1) descriptive statistics to compare the characteristics of different types of households and (2) a geographic analysis of the locations of different types of households. For the qualitative data, the study team will conduct a descriptive and thematic analysis and report detailed descriptions of: (1) Each State’s process for developing the D-SNAP annual plan; (2) details regarding the D-SNAP program(s) of interest, including submitting the D-SNAP request to FNS, conducting the needs assessment, selecting the site(s), certifying and issuing benefits, conducting case reviews, and reporting; and (3) lessons learned, challenges, and best practices for D-SNAP implementation and operations.
6	Some summary analytic measures are not clear. (e.g., “The study team will assess the relationship between the disaster area, the location used for D-SNAP administration, and the relative socioeconomic conditions of the area affected by the disaster.”)	For the geographic analysis, the study team will use caseload and geographic data to produce a set of maps comparing the locations of households participating in SNAP (but not D-SNAP) at the midpoint of the D-SNAP period, households participating in D-SNAP, and households participating in SNAP in the 6 months after the disaster. We will link the caseload data to geodatabases and shapefiles from the U.S. Census Bureau in ArcGIS and/or Tableau to produce the maps.