School Meals Operations Study: Evaluation of the COVID-19 Child Nutrition Waivers and Child Nutrition Programs

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
SMO_OP1_Part B Final 9.27.21.docx Supporting Statement B	2021-09-27
SMO_OP1_Part A Final 9.27.21.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-09-27
Appendix G.1 Notification from USDA FNS to Regional Offices.docx Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix M SMO Option Period 1 Pre-test Findings Memo.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix K Estimated Annualized Burden.xlsx Supplementary Document	2021-09-27
Appendix J Confidentiality Pledge.docx Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix I.2 FNS Response to National Agricultural Statistics Service Comments.docx Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix I.1 National Agricultural Statistics Service Comments.docx Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix C. Section 28 of the NSLA and Section 305 of the HHFKA of 2010.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix B Research Questions and Waiver List.docx Supplementary Document	2021-09-26
Appendix A Section 2202 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.pdf Supplementary Document	2021-09-26

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
249504	School Food Authorities (SFAs) Non-Respondents (SFA Directors) - Non-Profit Businesses Other-Non Respondents Burden Instrument	New
249497	School Food Authorities (SFAs) (SFA Directors) - Non-Profit Business Other-Appendix F.1 School Food Authority Director Survey 2021-20	New
249495	State Agencies and School Food Authorities (SFAs) Non-Respondents (SFA Directors) - SLT Other-Non Respondents Burden Instrument	New
219293	State Agencies and School Food Authorities (SFA) (CN and SFA Directors) - SLT Other-Appendix D.1 State Agency Child Nutrition Director Survey:	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0584-0607	ICR Reference No: 202109-0584-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202101-0584-001
Agency/Subagency: USDA/FNS	Agency Tracking No: COVID-19 and CNP 2021-2022
Title: School Meals Operations Study: Evaluation of the COVID-19 Child Nutrition Waivers and Child Nutrition Programs
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 10/17/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	08/31/2022
Responses	10,015	714
Time Burden (Hours)	4,116	1,173
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: This information collection request is a revision of the currently approved School Meals Operations Study (SMO): COVID-19 Child Nutrition Waivers Evaluation. This study collects data annually through various combinations of online surveys of CN and SFA directors and a disaggregated administrative data collection from the States. The data collected from the CN directors will focus primarily on meeting the State's statutory reporting requirements for the nationwide CN COVID-19 waivers required in section 2202 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) (Pub. L. 116-127) and used in Fiscal Years 21 and 22 which correspond roughly to School Years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. The data collected from the SFA director survey will focus on the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and program operations during School Years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 116 - 127 2202 (d) Name of Law: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
   US Code: 42 USC 1769i (Sec 28) Name of Law: Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
   PL: Pub.L. 111 - 296 305 Name of Law: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 116 - 127 2202 Name of Law: Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

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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 20654	04/21/2021
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	86 FR 57407	10/15/2021
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
School Food Authorities (SFAs) (SFA Directors) - Non-Profit Business
School Food Authorities (SFAs) Non-Respondents (SFA Directors) - Non-Profit Businesses
State Agencies and School Food Authorities (SFA) (CN and SFA Directors) - SLT
State Agencies and School Food Authorities (SFAs) Non-Respondents (SFA Directors) - SLT

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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	10,015	714	9,299	0	2	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	4,116	1,173	2,931	0	12	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

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

Burden Increase Due to:

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

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This information collection is currently approved with 1,173 burden hours and 714 responses. This revision includes online surveys and state-level administrative data collections from State agencies. This revision also adds an online survey of School Food Authority directors and a pre-test of SFA adjustments. The data collection from the State agencies will be used to meet the States' statutory reporting requirements on the COVID-19 Child Nutrition nationwide waivers under FFCRA, while the data collection from the School Food Authority directors collects financial and operational data during the pandemic. FNS estimates that these changes, along with changes to some of the burden estimates, will result in an additional 2,931 burden hours and 9,299 responses being added to the collection due to a program change. FNS learned that an additional State would have two agencies responding to the data collection instead of one agency, so the number of respondents for the FNS-10 administrative data request was adjusted. FNS estimates that this adjustment will result in an additional 12 burden hours and 2 responses being added to the collection as a result of an adjustment. Overall, the total program and adjustment changes result in an increase of 2,943 burden hours and 9,301 responses. With this revision, FNS estimates that this collection will have 4,116 burden hours and 10,015 responses.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $719,117

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? Yes

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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: 10/17/2021

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