State Agencies (State QC directors, QC supervisors and QC reviewers)

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service

Enhancing Completion Rates for SNAP

(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Quality Control Reviews

Request for Clearance

Supporting Statement and

Data Collection Instruments

Attachment A.1A:

Advance Letter to States

Project Officer: Robert Dalrymple

September 26, 2013

OMB Control Number: 0584-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Food and

Nutrition

Service

3101 Park

Center Drive

Alexandria, VA

22302-1500

April xx, 2013

Name, Title

Agency

Address

Dear [SNAP STATE QC DIRECTOR]:

We are writing to request your participation in an upcoming study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The purpose of this study, entitled “Enhancing Completion Rates for SNAP Quality Control Reviews,” is to identify the factors that consistently lead to incomplete cases among active cases and to recommend ways to enhance the completion rates for SNAP Quality Control (QC) reviews. This study will examine the QC process in each State, including the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands, and Federal Regional offices.

The objectives of this study include 1) gaining an understanding of the QC review process, specifically the process that leads to designating a case review as incomplete; 2) examining the characteristics of the incomplete cases as compared to complete cases; 3) identifying the problems that the QC reviewers face when attempting to complete cases; and 4) recommending ways to enhance the completion rates for SNAP QC reviews.

Our contractor, Insight Policy Research (Insight), an independent research organization, has been tasked with interviewing State QC management and staff in all 53 States. Most States will participate in telephone interviews with Insight researchers. However, Insight will complement these data by conducting site visits to selected State and Regional offices, and interviewing QC staff in person during these visits. Researchers will also analyze the characteristics of incomplete cases, and conduct QC re-reviews of a small subset of cases for these States. Your State’s participation in this study will involve:

1. Providing SNAP administrative data to Insight for complete and incomplete cases.

2. Coordinating site visits with Insight and your State’s SNAP QC personnel.

3. Providing case files to your regional SNAP office for a subset of incomplete cases.

Because you and your staff complete the SNAP QC reviews for your State, your participation in this study is very important. Within the next few weeks, a representative from Insight will contact you to schedule a conference call to provide further details about the study.

We would like to thank you in advance for your important contribution to this research. The information your State will provide will help FNS to improve the quality control review process and create Best Practices recommendations for all States and Regions.

If you would like further information about this study, please feel free to contact Bob Dalrymple, the FNS Project Officer, at [email protected] or 703-305-2122. If you have questions regarding the study plan, please contact Stéphane Baldi, the Executive Project Director, at [email protected] or 703-504-9486.

Sincerely,

___________________________ _________________________

Kathryn Law Ronald Ward

Director Director

Family Programs Staff Program Accountability and

Office of Research and Analysis Administration Division

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 3 minutes per response.