State Agencies

Feasibility of Estimating Meal Claim Errors

for Family Day Care Homes in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Appendix B-2-1. Telephone Follow-Up Script to Recruit State Agency

OMB Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

A. [INTRODUCTION]: Hello, my name is ______________. I’m calling from MSG, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). We recently sent you a letter about the CACFP feasibility study being conducted by FNS. I’d like to make sure you have received the letter and answer any questions you may have about our request for the information.
Do you have a few minutes now?

1. Yes—[PROCEED TO SECTION B]

2. No—[OBTAIN CALLBACK DATE AND TIME]: Is there a better time when we can speak sometime this week, over the next few days?

CALLBACK DATE: _______________ CALLBACK TIME: _______________

[INSTRUCTION: If callback is needed, obtain specific time/date for call. Because of time constraints, attempt to make scheduled callback within 2 days.]

Thank you for your time. I’ll call you back on _____ [DAY] at _____ [TIME] to discuss the study.

2. [INTRODUCTION FOR ALL CALLBACKS]: Hello, this is ______________ from MSG and I’m calling about the letter you received from us about the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) feasibility study to determine a valid and reliable method of assessing errors in CACFP meal claims at family day care homes (FDCHs). I’d like to speak with you about our request for the information listed in
   the letter.

2. [YOUR STATE] has been identified as one of the States for the feasibility study. We’re contacting you now to gain your cooperation in conducting the study. As stated in the letter, FNS has contracted with Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG), an experienced program evaluation and research firm, to develop a feasibility study to determine a valid and reliable method of assessing errors in CACFP meal claims at family day care homes.

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 45 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

2. [INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTION: Review key points from the letter below only as needed to re-familiarize respondent with the study if they indicate they have not read the letter, or go to E if they are familiar with the letter].

• The feasibility study is being conducted in two States. The study calls for a sample of 15 sponsors from each state; 20 providers per sponsor; and approximately five parents per provider.

• MSG has designed two digital data collection platforms and web-based alternatives for use
  in the feasibility study: a smartphone application for providers and a text message cell phone application for parents. These technological advancements provide simple means for FDCHs
  to report meal serving times, and for parents to report child attendance. Study participants will use this technology in the feasibility study.

• MSG will collect preliminary administrative data starting in November 2016. MSG will implement the data collection platforms for the sampled sponsors with participating FDCHs
  and parents in March of 2017.

• During the study’s data collection period, providers and parents in participating FDCHs will use the data collection platforms as instructed. Participation in the feasibility study is voluntary but strongly encouraged for sponsors and FDCH providers per Section 305 of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. Parent participation is voluntary.

2. I’d like to briefly review our data request. At this time, we’re requesting the following information:

• A list of CACFP sponsoring organizations of FDCHs only (including a point of contact, email, telephone number, and mailing address) in your State as of [DATE], and the total number of FDCHs supported by each of these sponsors, by tiering level.

• A count of the total number of active FDCHs that participate in the CACFP in the [STATE] as of [DATE].

MSG will use this information to select and invite sponsors to participate in the feasibility study and to provide additional information that it can use to identify FDCHs that can be invited to the study.

We hope to receive these data from you no later than [DATE].

F. We’d like to receive this information in an electronic format, if possible. Can you provide the data in Excel or Word, or, if not, in PDF?

1. Yes If you are able to send the information electronically, you can email it to [EMAIL ADDRESS]. We’d like to have your data by _________ [DATE] (1-week preference for receiving information).

2. No If the files are in paper format, please use the postage-paid mailer you received with our letter. We’d like to have your data by _________ [DATE] (1-week preference for receiving information).

I’d like to give you my contact information in case you have any questions or concerns about this request. You can reach me at [EMAIL]. You can also call our toll-free study assistance number at 1-800-912-9384, between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., or you can fax us at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX.

I’d also like to confirm your email address so I can confirm receipt of your data via email and by telephone. ______________________________ [EMAIL ADDRESS].

G. Thank you for providing the data for this very important study. We’ll contact you again over the next couple of weeks to inform you about the sponsoring organizations we’ve selected to participate in
the study.

[CLOSING]: I look forward to receiving the information we discussed today. Please call us any time if you have questions. Thank you again.

B-2-1.3