This document provides information to states to assist in the development of state plans to operate Pandemic EBT for school children and children in child care.
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 March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This legislation provides support for American families, state governments, and communities to rebuild and respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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.
Building on best practices to date and consistent with USDA’s efforts to improve customer service and increase state flexibility within the bounds of the law, while continuing to encourage states as laboratories of innovation, FNS is once again expanding allowable activities for states seeking to use vendor/private staff in call centers
This memorandum clarifies FNS regulations and policies regarding the allowability of requiring payment and soliciting contributions (i.e., "payments" or "pay") in exchange for foods from FNS program participants.