Notice2026-05938
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Evaluation
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing to collect data for the new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Evaluation.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14859-14860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05938]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Evaluation
AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration
for Children and Families; U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE),
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing to collect data for the
new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Pilot Evaluation.
DATES: Comments due May 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific
aspects of the information collection described above. You can obtain
copies of the proposed collection of information and submit comments by
emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0f607f7d6a666169606c6063636a6c7b6660614f6e6c692167677c21686079"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b4dbc4c6d1dddad2dbd7dbd8d8d1d7c0dddbdaf4d5d7d29adcdcc79ad3dbc2">[email protected]</span></a>. Identify all requests by the
title of the information collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description: The TANF Pilot Evaluation will include implementation
and outcomes studies of pilot programs authorized under the Fiscal
Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023 (Pub. L. 118-5), which authorizes HHS
to select up to five states to test new outcomes-based performance
benchmarks in the TANF program. The implementation study will describe
pilot design, staffing, service provision, partnerships, contextual
details, and factors that support or hinder the pilot's implementation.
The outcomes study will assess changes in participant outcomes using
surveys and administrative data. This new information collection
request includes a semi-structured discussion guide, staff survey,
time-use survey, cost and resource workbooks, and in-depth participant
interview guide for the implementation study. It also includes a 12-
month post-TANF-exit survey for the outcomes study. These instruments
will provide information on how states implement the pilots, how
services and staffing evolve, and how outcomes change under the new
performance benchmarks. The data will be used to produce a report on
outcomes to be submitted to Congress, as required by the FRA; inform
future TANF policy development; and contribute to the broader evidence
base on outcomes-based performance monitoring.
Respondents: Most of the implementation study data collection
instruments will be conducted with TANF staff including state and
local-level leadership staff, data specialists, supervisors, and
frontline staff. The in-depth interview guide will be conducted with
TANF participants. The 12-month post-TANF-exit survey will be conducted
with TANF participants who provided contact information through the
Study Information Form, which was approved under ACF's generic
clearance for formative research (Office of Management and Budget #:
0970-0356), and agreed to be contacted for this survey.
Annual Burden Estimates
Instruments 1, 2, and 5 will be tailored based on the respondent
and, therefore, the burden table shows the breakdown by respondent
type.
[[Page 14860]]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
Total number Total number Average burden Annual
Instrument Respondent of of responses burden per hours (3 burden
respondents per respondent response years) hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instrument 1: Semi-structured state-level 50 6 1.5 450 150
program discussion guide. leadership 200 6 1.5 1,800 600
staff.
local-level
leadership
staff.
data specialists 10 6 1 60 20
supervisors..... 100 6 1 600 200
frontline staff. 200 6 1 1,200 400
Instrument 2: Leadership and local-level 500 2 0.33 330 110
staff survey. leadership
staff.
supervisors..... 500 2 0.33 330 110
Instrument 3: Staff survey.... frontline staff. 2,140 2 0.33 1412 471
Instrument 4: Staff time use frontline staff. 2,140 9 0.17 3274 1,091
survey.
Instrument 5: Pilot costs and state-level 10 3 4 120 40
resources workbook. leadership
staff.
local-level 10 3 4 120 40
leadership
staff.
Instrument 6: In-depth participants.... 100 1 1.25 125 42
participant interview guide.
Instrument 7: 12-Month Post- participants.... 3,000 1 0.75 2,250 750
TANF-Exit Survey.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual ................ ............ .............. ........... .......... 4,024
Burden Hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments: The Department specifically requests comments 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; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 613.)
Mary C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-05938 Filed 3-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-09-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 27, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.