E.1 Follow-Up Interviews with Stores with Scanning Technologies that Meet the Federal Requirement - Initial Recruitment Letter/E

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

E.1 - Follow-Up Interviews with Stores with Scanning Technologies that Meet the Federal Requirement: Initial Recruitment Letter/Email

Dear [insert store owner/operator name],

Thank you for completing the survey for the SNAP EBT Scanner Study earlier this summer. As you may recall, the study is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to better understand how the new scanner requirement in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill) will affect small business owners, like you, who accept SNAP benefits.

We have selected your business to be one of a small number of stores to take part in a follow-up interview to collect additional information on the costs to buy and use bar code scanners at checkout, staff or services you use to maintain and update the technology, challenges you may have faced with installation or with ongoing use, and any economic or business operation benefits associated with using scanning technology. Each interview will take about 30 minutes and will occur during [insert time period]. You will receive a $20 Visa gift card for as a token of appreciation after the interview.

The Altarum Institute, a partner to RTI International and USDA FNS for this study, will conduct the interview at your store at a time that is convenient for you. If you prefer, you can designate somebody else for the interview if he/she is familiar with your store’s cash register system and costs associated with installing and operating scanning technology. Your participation in this interview is voluntary, and the information you provide will not have any impact on your authorization to accept SNAP benefits. Your responses will be kept private, and any reports prepared with the information you share will not include your name or the name of your business. Your information will not be shared with anyone outside this research team, except as otherwise required by law.

We hope you will participate in an interview. The information you provide will help FNS better understand the costs and operations associated with scanning technology to try to reduce the burden of the SNAP scanning requirement on small business owners.

[Insert staff name] from Altarum Institute will call you within the next 2 weeks to schedule the interview at your store. If you would like to contact [insert staff name] directly or have somebody else complete the interview, [she/he] can be reached at [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] or by email at [insert email address].

Thank you very much for participating in this important study.

Sincerely,

Sheri Cates

RTI International Project Director

Linnea Sallack
Altarum Institute Project Director

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