State, Local and Tribal Agencies (Directors, SFA & Schools)

APPENDIX B-11. CONTACT GUIDE_ONSITE INTERVIEWS

OMB Number: 0584-NEW

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

This call guide is to be used by the School Meal Forms research team when scheduling on-site interviews with State SNAP Directors, State Child Nutrition Directors, Child Nutrition key staff, School Food Authorities and School Food Managers.

Notes for Research Team (Caller):

1. Any text that should be read to the contact is presented in sentence case.

2. All instructions or notes to the caller are in ALL CAPS. These are not read to the contact.

3. The result of a call and updated contact information must be documented on the Call Record sheet immediately following the call.

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-NEW. The time required to provide this information collection is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the collection of information.

SECTION A. CALL SCRIPT

Hello, my name is <INSERT NAME>and I am calling from Westat regarding the School Meal Forms Study for the USDA. Is <CONTACT NAME> available?

You should have received notice of the study from < STATE AGENCY / SFA / USDA> in the last couple of weeks. This call is to follow-up on that communication. Do you recall receiving notice of the School Meal Forms Study?

(IF HAS NOT RECEIVED NOTICE): I will make a request that the materials are resent to you.

(IF NEEDED, ADD:) As a reminder, the purpose of the School Meal Forms data collection is to understand the processes used to collect and report school meal data via the FNS-10: Report of School Program Operations, FNS-742: School Food Authority Verification Collection Report, and FNS-834: State Agency (NSLP/SNAP) Direct Certification Rate Data Element Report. The final product will be a description of the data collection processes for these forms, and recommendations to improve the process and increase accuracy.

Do you have any questions about the study at this time?

Now that <STATE> has been selected to participate in this research study we will begin planning for a site visit where we will schedule interviews with State agency staff, 10 SFAs, and 3 School

Food Managers within each SFA. We would like to include you as a participant in this research study, and schedule time for an interview with you when we visit the week of <DATES>. The purpose of the interview will be to understand how you collect and submit school meal data.

The discussion should take <NUMBER> minutes. All of the questions we will ask are things that you already know, and there is nothing you will need to prepare in advance.

We are hoping to complete all calls by <DATE>. Can you share dates that work best for you for this call so that I can work to coordinate our schedules? IF THE RESPONDENT CAN’T PROVIDE DATES ON THE PHONE: If you aren’t able to provide your availability right now, can you please email me dates and times that work for you. I can be reached at: <PROVIDE EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER>.

Thank you. If you have any questions about the study or the interview please contact me at <EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER>.

I look forward to talking with you soon.

Section B. ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGE:

• ON FIRST ATTEMPT, LEAVE VOICE MAIL

• DO NOT LEAVE VOICE MAIL ON CALLS 2 THROUGH 4

• ON FIFTH ATTEMPT, LEAVE A SECOND VOICEMAIL MESSAGE

VOICE MAIL MESSAGE: My name is < INSERT NAME>. I work for Westat, a research company based in Rockville, MD. I am calling on behalf of the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service about the School Meal Forms Study. Your office recently received notice of the study from <STATE AGENCY / SFA / USDA>. This call is to follow-up on that communication.

I will call back and try to reach you later or, you can reach me by calling <CONTACT PHONE>. Again, my name is <INSERT NAME> and that number is <CONTACT PHONE>. Thank you and goodbye.

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