Appendix B7 Template Letter from State to Sponsors (Notification of Selection for Study)

APPENDIX B7. TEMPLATE LETTER FROM STATE TO SPONSORS

(NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION FOR STUDY)

OMB Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

<Date>

Dear <NAME OF SPONSOR ORGANIZATION>:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is conducting the Erroneous Payments in Child Care Centers Study (EPICCS). This study was mandated by Congress to help ensure FNS’ compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act (IPERIA) of 2012. The findings from this study will inform future legislation and regulations regarding the child care center component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Your agency has been randomly selected for participation in the study.

This study will focus on the breakfasts and lunches provided by child care centers participating in the CACFP. Data collection will include meal observations at sampled child care centers to determine the program’s method of meal preparation and serving to ensure sufficient quantities of nutritious foods are available for all children. The study will also review income eligibility applications and administrative records that are utilized to track and report meal counts and meal claims. Finally, data collection will include a survey with a sample of parents/guardians of enrolled children.

This is a very important study for the CACFP community. Your participation is crucial for ensuring that the study includes a representative sample and produces scientifically valid findings. Your participation is important, and it will help support the integrity of the CACFP. It will also help influence policy decisions about the future of the CACFP. All information collected will be kept strictly private and will not affect meal reimbursements or meal program benefits for any participating state agency, sponsoring organization, child care center, or household.

The <STATE> CACFP Administering Agency urges you to participate in the study and cooperate with the research team in keeping with the provisions outlined in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

A member of the study team will contact you soon to gather some preliminary data, answer any questions you may have, and coordinate your role in the study. You may contact the Study team directly at 1-855-272-0058 or [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your help and cooperation.

Sincerely,

<NAME AND TITLE OF SENDER>

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control 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 5 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the collection of information.