WIC_SA_LA Needs Assessment Fast Track Clearnce

Request for Approval under the “FNS Fast Track Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0584-0611)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: National Outreach Campaign Needs Assessment for WIC State and Local Agencies

PURPOSE:

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting approval for formative research under approved OMB Clearance No. 0584-0611 Fast Track Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) National Outreach Campaign is a national effort by FNS to increase awareness about WIC and the health and nutrition benefits associated with participating in WIC, while reducing disparities in program access and delivery among all who are eligible.

This request is to acquire clearance to field a web-based qualitative survey in English and collect voluntary feedback among WIC State and local agencies. This qualitative survey content—in terms of recruitment criteria and topics of exploration—builds from in-depth calls with FNS Regional Offices and WIC State and local agencies to hear their perspectives and insights with campaigns and will inform the WIC national outreach effort.

Feedback collected will be used to meet the following goals:

• To identify State and local agency current communication and outreach activities and needs to inform the development and execution of the National Outreach Campaign.

• To identify approaches to engaging and supporting State and local agencies in the National Outreach Campaign, including training and technical assistance.

• To learn how the National Outreach Campaign and its resources, trainings, and tools can help WIC build on existing efforts.

Lastly, the effort will inform the need for changes in dissemination strategies and tactics.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS:

The qualitative survey instrument will be shared directly with WIC State and Local Agency Directors. There are 89 State agency and approximately 1,900 Local Agency Directors. The FNS National Office will provide the email address contact list. The Director can complete the needs assessment (qualitative survey instrument) themselves or delegate an appropriate individual within the agency to complete the needs assessment on behalf of the agency. Only one needs assessment can be submitted per agency.

TYPE OF COLLECTION: (Check one)

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software) [ ] Small Discussion Group

[ ] Focus Group [ ] Other: ______________________

[ü] Quick census or survey (qualitative)

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The results are not intended to be disseminated to the public.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name: Lisa Southworth_____________________________________________

To assist review, please provide answers to the following question:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X ] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Sensitive Information:

1. Will sensitive information, such as demographic characteristics, be collected from respondents?

[ ] Yes [X ] No

2. If yes, explain the necessity of such information to the programmatic objective(s)?

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [ X ] No

BURDEN HOURS

Category of Respondent	No. of Respondents	Participation Time	Burden
State WIC Agency Directors	45 (89 total with an assumed survey response rate of 50%)	0.5 hours (0.033 hours for the email; 0.05 hours for the About document; 0.417 hours for the qualitative survey)	22.5 hours
	22 (89 total with an assumed read through rate of 25% for the email and the About document)	0.083 hours (0.033 hours for the email; 0.05 hours for the About document)	1.826 hours
	22 (89 total with an assumed read through rate of 25% for the email only)	0.033 hours (0.033 hours for the email)	0.726 hours
Local WIC Agency Directors	633 (1,900 total with an assumed survey response rate of 33%)	0.5 hours (0.033 hours for the email; 0.05 hours for the “About” document; 0.417 hours for the qualitative survey)	316.5 hours
	633 (1,900 total with an assumed read through rate of 33% for the email and the About document)	0.083 hours (0.033 hours for the email; 0.05 hours for the About document)	52.539 hours
	634 (1,900 total with an assumed read through rate of 34% for the email only)	0.033 hours (0.033 hours for the email)	20.922 hours
Totals	1989	--	415.00hours

We estimate that the email invitation will take each respondent approximately 0.033 hours (2 minutes) to read, the “About” document will take approximately 0.05 hours (3 minutes) to read, and the qualitative survey will take approximately 0.417 hours (25 minutes) to complete. A total of 1,989 individuals will be contacted to collect information one time.

We expect a survey response rate of 50% from the 89 State WIC Agency Directors (n=45) and a survey response rate of 33% from the 1,900 Local WIC Agency Directors (n=633). We expect survey responses from a total of 678 individuals.

The total annual respondent cost for this qualitative survey is $17,375.93. This estimate of respondent cost is based on the burden estimates and utilizes the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 National Occupational and Wage Statistics, All Occupations (00-0000) (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm). The hourly mean wage for functions performed by respondents is estimated at $31.48 per hour. With a burden of 339 hours at $31.48 per hour, the base annual respondent cost is estimated at $13,064.61. An additional 33% of the estimated base annual respondent cost must be added to represent fully loaded wages, equaling $4,311.32.

FEDERAL COST: The total estimated annual cost to the Federal government is $39,049.37.

It is estimated that Federal employees will spend approximately 40 hours overseeing this collection in 2024 with an average of a GS-14, step 1 wage. Using the hourly wage rate of $66.79 for a GS-14, step 1, Federal employee from the 2024 Washington, DC, locality pay table, the estimated costs equal $2,671.60 plus $881.63 in fringe benefits for a total of $3,553.23.

Contractor costs to the Federal Government will total $35,496.14 over the course of this collection based on fully loaded rates.

When combining the Federal employee and contractor costs, the total annual cost to the Federal Government for this information collection is estimated at $39,049.37.

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe?

[ X] Yes [ ] No

2. If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

This will be a census sample of all WIC State and Local Agency Directors. Email addresses for the Directors will be provided by the FNS National Office.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[ü] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [ ] Yes [ü] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

List of Attachments:

1. Needs assessment survey email invitation. File name: CO3_5.2.1.2.5_WIC_SA_LA_Needs_Assessment_Email_Invitation_Final_ 5.8.24

2. Needs assessment survey about the WIC outreach campaign document. File name: CO3_5.2.1.2.5_WIC_SA_LA_Needs_Assessment_About_Survey_Final_ 5.8.24

3. Needs assessment instrument. File name: CO3_5.2.1.2.5_WIC_SA_LA_Needs_Assessment_Instrument_Final_ 5.8.24

4. Needs assessment survey screenshots. File name: CO3_5.2.1.2.5_WIC_SA_LA_Needs_Assessment_Screenshots_Final_ 5.8.24

5. Needs assessment survey human subjects research determination letter. File name:

SACO3_5.2.1.2.5_WIC_SA_LA_Needs_Assessment_Human_Subjects_Determination_Final_ 5.8.24

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