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    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0584-AD71</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200504</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0584</CODE>
            <NAME>Food and Nutrition Service</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>FNS</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>0500</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Agriculture</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>USDA</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC):  WIC Vendor Cost Containment</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[This interim final rule amends the WIC regulations to implement the vendor cost containment provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-265).  The rule seeks to assure that the WIC Program pays competitive prices to authorized retail food vendors by requiring State agencies to: (1) Establish a vendor peer group system or demonstrate to the Department that the State agencys alternative cost containment system is as effective as a peer group system; (2) establish competitive price selection criteria for use in authorizing vendors and allowable reimbursement levels for each vendor peer group that ensure that a vendors prices remain competitive subsequent to authorization; (3) limit payments to vendors that derive more than 50 percent of their annual food sales revenue from WIC transactions, so that the program does not pay higher food costs if participants use their food instruments at these stores, rather than at other authorized vendors; (4) describe their vendor peer group system, competitive price selection criteria, and allowable reimbursement levels in the State Plan; and (5) comply with the vendor cost containment requirements of Public Law 108-265 by December 30, 2005.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>First Time Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>Undetermined</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>7 CFR 246</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 U.S.C. 1786</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>08/00/2005</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Interim Final Rule Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>08/00/2006</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>02/00/2007</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action Effective</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>03/00/2007</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Governmental Jurisdictions</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Local</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>State</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Tribal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <FURTHER_INFO_URL>www.fns.usda.gov/wic</FURTHER_INFO_URL>
        <PRINT_PAPER>NA</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Not Collected</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Sharon</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Ackerman</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Agency Regulatory Officer</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0584</CODE>
                    <NAME>Food and Nutrition Service</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>FNS</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>703 305-2246</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>sheri.ackerman@fns.usda.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Room 918, 3101 Park Center Drive,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Alexandria</CITY>
                    <STATE>VA</STATE>
                    <ZIP>22302</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
