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Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations WIC Vendor Peer Group Study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of state agencies current peer group systems, and to provide guidance to state agencies on how to evaluate and update their systems. Specifically, it uses empirical analysis to identify one or more effective models for establishing vendor peer groups that could apply to most state agencies.

05/31/2017
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity 2013 WIC Vendor Management Study

This study is part of a larger FNS effort to ensure WIC program integrity and to comply with the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 which requires FNS to estimate improper payments in its programs.

11/26/2013
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity WIC Erroneous Payments to Vendors: Annual Estimates for FY 2011

This report provides improper payment estimates for fiscal year 2011 using a methodology for “aging” the 2005 bookend study. The methodology yields nationally representative estimates of the number of vendors that over- and undercharged and the amount of over- and undercharges across all WIC vendors.

12/01/2012
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity WIC Erroneous Payments to Vendors: Annual Estimates for FY 2010

This report provides improper payment estimates for FY 2010 using a methodology for “aging” the 2005 bookend study. The methodology yields nationally representative estimates of the number of vendors that over- and undercharged and the amount of over- and undercharges across all WIC vendors.

05/01/2012
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity WIC Erroneous Payments to Vendors: Annual Estimates for 2009

This report provides improper payments estimates for FY 2009 using a methodology for “aging” the 2005 bookend study. This updates previous reports providing estimates from 2005 to 2008.

05/01/2012
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity Improper Payments to WIC Vendors 2005-2008

About every 7 years, FNS performs a nationally representative study to examine the extent of error and abuse among food vendors authorized to accept WIC vouchers. The last bookend study was the 2005 WIC Vendor Management Study, which used fiscal year 2005 expenditure data to derive an estimate for 2004. Between bookend studies, there is a need to derive annual estimates of the level of improper payments for compliance with the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002. The purpose of the subsequent annual studies was to provide annual updates to the bookend studies using the developed aging methodology.

05/01/2012
Resource | Research | Participation Characteristics National Survey of WIC Participants II

This report, the first of three, addresses the first objective of the study, which is to explore the characteristics and experiences of WIC participants.

04/01/2012
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity 2005 WIC Vendor Management Study

In 1991 and 1998, FNS conducted national studies of WIC vendors to determine the extent of vendor violation of program rules. After the 1998 study, FNS issued regulations to correct vendor practices. The 2005 study replicates the 1998 study to determine whether the regulations were effective, and to measure the frequency of vendor violations and the degree to which vendors charge accurate prices for WIC transactions.

04/27/2007
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity A Comparison of WIC Vendor Management Practices in 1991 and 1998

FNS published “The WIC Vendor Management Study, 1998” in July 2001 which examined, in part, the extent to which retail grocers, defined as WIC “vendors” were violating program rules and regulations. The 1998 study is a follow-up to the “WIC Vendor Issues Study, 1991” published by FNS in May 1993. 

05/01/2003
Resource | Research | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity WIC Vendor Management Study - 1998

The purpose of the study was to learn the extent to which retail grocers, defined as "vendors" in the WIC Program, authorized to provide food to WIC participants, were violating program rules and procedures, and to determine which programmatic and/or demographic variables could be associated with vendor violations.

07/01/2001
Page updated: October 14, 2021