Memo for OMB_FFVP NSLP sampling frames

Memorandum

Date: November 13, 2024

To: Laurel Havas, OMB Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget

Through: Rachelle Ragland-Greene, Desk Officer, United States Department of Agriculture, Office of the Chief Information Officer

Jamia Franklin, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Food and Nutrition Service, Planning & Regulatory Affairs Office

From: Ashley Chaifetz, Senior Analyst, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Evidence, Analysis, and Regulatory Affairs

Re: FNS Quick Response Surveys:
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and National School Lunch Program Sample Frame Data Collection

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requests approval to collect sample frame information for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) from the 54 State agency administrators under Approved Generic OMB Clearance No. 0584-0613 FNS Quick Response Surveys, expiration date 06/30/2027.

The following information is provided for your awareness:

1. Title of the project: Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and National School Lunch Program Sample Frame Data Collection

2. Control number: 0584-0613, Expires 06/30/2027

3. Public affected by the project: State Governments, specifically the 54 State agency administrators of the NSLP and FFVP

4. Research activities, number of respondents, and time per response:

   Research activities	Number of FY 2024 Respondents	Time
   Read the email request for information (Appendix B)	54	0.02 hours (1 minute)
   Read up to 3 reminder email(s) (Appendix C)	8 (Assuming an 85% response rate to the initial email request)	0.02 hours (1 minute)
   Prepare and email the requested information (Appendix D)	54	1.5 hours

5. Total hours of burden on the public:

This information collection will require an estimated 82.56 hours of burden. The complete burden table, which shows how this number was calculated, is in Appendix A.

6. Project purpose and methods:

Background

The FNS Quick Response Surveys generic clearance allows FNS to quickly collect sample frame information to use to select study samples.

Purpose

We will compile the information we collect into two frames. We will collect one school-level frame for FFVP and one School Food Authority (SFA) level frame for NSLP. We will use the sampling frames to 1) weight a nationally representative sample of schools for the FFVP component of the 2024-2025 National School Foods Study (OMB Control No: 0584-0698, expires 06/30/2027) and 2) survey all SFAs for an iteration of its Pulse Survey (OMB Control No. 0584-0689, expires 12/31/2026).

Methods

We will email the 54 State agencies that administer FFVP and NSLP (Appendix B) to request information they have in their administrative database (Appendix D). The same agencies administer both programs. We developed the email (Appendix B) based on a previous collection under this OMB number, finding it effective. State agencies may provide the requested information in whatever format is easiest.

Based on prior experience, we estimate most State agencies (85% or more) will provide the requested information within a two-week timeframe. State agencies that do not respond within the two-week timeframe will receive up to three reminder emails (one per week, Appendix C).

Design/Sampling Procedures

No sampling will occur. We will request information from all 54 State agencies that administer the FFVP and NSLP.

Recruitment and Consent

We will not recruit or seek consent from the State agencies. Their cooperation is required under Section 28 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. While participation is mandatory under statute, program operators that do not agree to participate in quick response surveys will not be penalized or have benefits withdrawn by FNS.

7. Confidentiality:

The information that is collected (Appendix D) will be used to for two studies and will not be shared beyond the study team, except as otherwise required by law. We will not ask for any personally identifiable information.

FNS published a system of record notice (SORN, Appendix E) titled FNS-8 USDA/FNS Studies and Reports in the Federal Register on April 25, 1991, volume 56, pages 19078-19080, that discusses the terms of protections that will be provided to respondents. FNS will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974.

8. Federal Costs: $1376.67

A federal employee will spend approximately 15 hours overseeing this information collection. Using the hourly wage rate of $69.02 (Federal Pay Schedule; GS-14, step 2, 2024, Washington-Baltimore-Arlington), the estimated cost is $1035.03. A 33% estimated fringe benefit is an additional $341.65. In total, this information collection will cost the Federal Government an estimated $1376.67.

9. Appendices:

• Appendix A: Burden Table

• Appendix B: Email Request for Information

• Appendix C: Reminder Email

• Appendix D: Template

• Appendix E: SORN