Reporting Permanently Disqualified WIC-Only/Authorized Store Owners to the System for Award Management (SAM)

The purpose of this memorandum is to inform WIC state agencies of a new requirement to notify the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) when they permanently disqualify a WIC-only authorized store owner. Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, and Departmental Regulations at 2 CFR 417, Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension, require FNS to conduct business only with responsible persons and entities and to alert other federal agencies of program violators through a government-wide system, the System for Award Management (SAWM). The General Services Administration Excluded Parties List System migrated to SAM, effective July 2012. FNS and other federal agencies protect themselves from doing business with those individuals who would commit fraud and other unethical business practices by checking the SAM as they award future loans, contracts, grants and other program benefits.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC program have reciprocal disqualification requirements for retail store owners authorized by both SNAP and WIC. SNAP is already using SAM to notify appropriate FNS staff and other government agencies when these store owners are permanently disqualified from the programs. However, to complete FNS' reporting requirements, the WIC program must now enter permanently disqualified WIC-only authorized store owners into SAM.

Please use the attached memorandum template to inform FNS of WIC-only authorized store owner(s) your state agency has permanently disqualified during the proceeding quarter. FNS WIC program staff will enter the information into SAM. Notices are due to FNS each quarter no later than 30 days following the end of each quarter.

Please contact your respective regional office if you have any questions concerning this requirement.

DEBRA A. WHITFORD
Director
Supplemental Food Programs Division

Attachments

• SAM Memorandum Template