Summary
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved information collection in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for the reporting and record-keeping burdens associated with the WIC program regulations.
Request for Comments
Written comments must be received on or before June 12, 2023.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will be a matter of public record.
The Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, invites interested persons to submit written comment.
- Preferred Method: Federal eRulemaking portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
- Mail: Send comments to Allison Post, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Room 328, Alexandria, VA 22314.
- Email: Send email to allison.post@usda.gov.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Additional Information
The purpose of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to provide supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals to low income, nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five. Currently, WIC operates through State health departments in 50 States, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The Federal regulations governing the WIC Program (7 CFR part 246) require that certain program-related information be collected and that full and complete records concerning WIC operations are maintained. The information reporting and record-keeping burdens are necessary to ensure appropriate and efficient management of the WIC program.
The reporting and record-keeping burdens covered by this information collection include requirements that involve the certification of WIC participants; the nutrition education that is provided to participants; the processing of sanctions, complaints, and appeals; the household requirement to pick up food instruments and CVVs outside of scheduled recertification and nutrition education clinic visits; the authorization, training and monitoring of vendors; and the collection of vendor pricing information in order to comply with the federal regulations regarding WIC cost containment. State plans are the principal source of information about how each state agency operates its WIC program. Information collected from participants and local agencies is collected through state-developed forms or management information systems. The information collected is used by the Department of Agriculture to manage, plan, evaluate, make decisions, and report on WIC program operations. This information collection is requesting a revision in the burden hours due to program changes and adjustments that primarily reflect the inclusion of programmatic requirements that are being included in this ICR for the first time and expected changes in the number of WIC participants; WIC authorized vendors; and WIC state and local agencies. The revisions increased the approved reporting burden by 11,381,356 hours; decreased the total approved record-keeping burden by 244,302 hours; and increase the total approved public disclosure burden by 15 hours.