FNS Documents & Resources

This document contains a correction to an interim final rule published in the Federal Register on Aug.  13, 2021. The rule codifies statutory requirements enacted by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. This document also extends the comment period for the interim final rule.

USDA is issuing this interim final rule to strengthen and improve the integrity and accuracy of the SNAP Quality Control system by codifying statutory requirements enacted by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 that was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2018.

This is a revision of a currently approved information collection for Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer for the reporting burden associated with administering P-EBT.

On April 30, 2021, FNS issued a memo that SNAP Quality Control will resume nationwide starting July 2021, with special QC review procedures related to COVID-related adjustments, and provides state agencies with a blanket waiver regarding the QC face-to-face interview.

In an effort to make the distribution of P-EBT benefits to eligible children as efficient as possible, USDA has developed a simple P-EBT summer plan template. The template allows states to elect a USDA-determined standard benefit that relieves states of the burden of determining their own benefit levels based on state-specific school district calendars.

FNS would like to thank all of its state agency partners and stakeholders for their patience as the agency assessed its statutory requirements in light of the QC flexibilities provided to states by the Continuing Appropriations Act 2021 and Other Extensions Act. FNS has completed this review and has determined that the agency cannot establish national and state level payment error rates for FY 2020 and 2021.

FNS is establishing a nationwide opt-in waiver to help minimize the impact of coronavirus related school closures on USDA Foods entitlement calculations.

FNS waives, for all states that elect to be subject to this waiver, the meal service time requirements allowing meals served outside of the standard meal times. This waiver applies to state agencies administering and local organizations operating the: Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option. 

FNS waives, for all states, the requirement that Summer Food Service Program sponsors are required to visit each of their sites at least once during the first week of operation. This waiver applies to state agencies administering and local organizations that have operated the SFSP successfully in the previous year, and SFSP sponsors in good standing that have successfully participated in the Child and Adult Care Food Program  or the National School Lunch Program.

Under this waiver, for all states, Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option closed enrolled sites during the COVID-19 public health emergency may determine site eligibility through area eligibility without collecting income eligibility applications.