This memorandum replaces the WIC Informational Memorandum dated Aug. 10, 2022. In particular, the USDA FNS State Systems Office (SSO) has revised the section titled Threshold for FNS Review of EBT Projects after Statewide EBT. Handbook 901 will be updated to reflect this revised guidance.
The primary purpose of the rule was to strengthen the requirements for adequate testing and pilot before rolling out a new management information system or major system changes. The rule also made changes to the SNAP regulations to provide clarifications and revisions since the last update which occurred in 1996.
As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's Regulations, Part 275--Quality Control.
On Aug. 10, 2011, we announced a time-limited, specific exception to the cost allocation requirements set forth in OMB Circular A-87 that requires benefiting programs to pay their share of the costs associated with building state-based information technology systems. This letter provides additional guidance on how states may take advantage of this exception to leverage these investments to serve multiple programs and needs.
This rule proposes to amend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)--formerly the Food Stamp Program) regulations to implement the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill), which requires adequate system testing before and after implementation of a new state automatic data processing (ADP) and information retrieval system, including the evaluation of data from pilot projects in limited areas for major systems changes, before the Secretary approves the system to be implemented more broadly.
In March 2007, WIC state agencies and regional offices received a memorandum that provided guidance on the process for State Agency Model (SAM) transfers. That guidance included: 1) the priority for funding, 2) the components of the streamlined Implementation Advance Planning Document (IAPD), and 3) examples of justification for non-SAM transfers.
FNS has become aware of a growing trend in states to consolidate or centralize some or all of the state's IT services across departmental lines. Because these organizational changes can have unintended consequences for our Food Stamp and WIC state agencies, we think it prudent to remind states of FNS requirements regarding such arrangements.