Fourth Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification Study Series (APEC IV)

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
APEC IV OMB Part A (Revised 2-7-22)_PRAO clean.docx Supporting Statement A	2022-02-09
J. APEC IV Burden Table_(Revised_2-4-22).xlsx Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
I. Westat Information Technology and Systems Security Policy and Best Practices.docx Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
H. IRB Approval Notice.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
G. Data Collector Code of Conduct and Assurance of Confidentiality.docx Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
F. NASS Comments and Westat Responses.docx Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
A3 OMB M-15-02.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
A2 Payment Integrity Information Act (PIIA) of 2019.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
A1 Richard B. Russell National School Lunch.pdf Supplementary Document	2022-02-09
APEC IV OMB Part B (Revised 2-7-22)_PRAO clean.docx Supporting Statement B	2022-02-09

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
226901	State, Local, and Tribal Government - State Child Nutrition Agency, SFA, and Schools (Non-respondents) Other-Non Respondents Burden Instrument	Modified
226899	State, Local, and Tribal Government - State Child Nutrition Agency, SFA, and Schools Other-B1. (Instrument A5) SFA Request for E-Records_Part A Prior	Modified
226897	Individuals/Households - Households (Non-Respondents) Other-Non Respondents Burden Instrument	Modified
226896	Individuals/Households - Households Other-B5a. (Instrument E1) Household Survey_v12_English	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0584-0530	ICR Reference No: 202106-0584-003
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 201705-0584-004
Agency/Subagency: USDA/FNS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Fourth Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification Study Series (APEC IV)
Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 03/03/2022

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	118,361	0
Time Burden (Hours)	21,013	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: The Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification (APEC) Study series provides reliable national estimates of improper payments made to school districts participating in the NSLP and SBP.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 1766, Sections 4 and 10) Name of Law: Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act of 1966
   EO: EO 13520 Name/Subject of EO: Reducing Improper Payments
   PL: Pub.L. 107 - 300 17 Name of Law: Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA) of 2002
   PL: Pub.L. 111 - 204 1508 Name of Law: Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act (IPERA) of 2010
   PL: Pub.L. 112 - 248 4053 Name of Law: Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act (IPERIA) of 2012
   PL: Pub.L. 111 - 296 305 Name of Law: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 41938	08/04/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 12076	03/03/2022
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Individuals/Households - Households
Individuals/Households - Households (Non-Respondents)
State, Local, and Tribal Government - State Child Nutrition Agency, SFA, and Schools
State, Local, and Tribal Government - State Child Nutrition Agency, SFA, and Schools (Non-respondents)

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	118,361	0	0	118,361	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	21,013	0	0	21,013	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This collection is a reinstatement of a previously approved information collection (APEC III; OMB Number 0584-0530, Discontinued: 10/31/2020) as a result of program changes, and will add 21,013 hours of annual burden and 118,361 responses to OMB’s inventory. This reinstatement reflects greater burden hours and a greater number of estimated responses compared to APEC III (13,042 hours and 59,016 responses). Specifically, there is an increase in 7,971 total burden hours and an increase in 59,345 responses in APEC IV compared to APEC III. The increase in burden is primarily due to a larger household sample in APEC IV than APEC III, which is necessary to account for the low response rate to the household survey in APEC III (31 percent). Also, the two sub-studies and the meal observation pilot study will add a small amount of burden (96 hours) to APEC IV. Finally, SFAs and States will be asked to provide meal count data for all of their schools and SFAs, respectively, in an effort to validate a less burdensome method for future APEC series (see Supporting Statement A2 and A4 for more detail). We have worked to offset the additional burden by thoroughly reviewing and streamlining the data collection instruments. In particular, the SFA director survey and the household survey were heavily edited to remove redundant questions.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $2,034,641

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? Yes Part B of Supporting Statement

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 03/03/2022

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