SNAP State Agency Performance Reporting Tool

TO:
SUBJECT:
PURPOSE:

State Agencies Administering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Annual Performance Reporting on the SNAP-NDNH Matching Program
Explanation and Detailed Instructions on How to Complete and Submit the “SNAP
Agency NDNH Matching Program Performance Reporting Tool”

BACKGROUND:
The federal Office of Management and Budget requires the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement
(OCSE) to periodically report performance measures of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS),
which includes the National Directory of New Hires (NDNH). These performance measures demonstrate
how the NDNH supports OCSE’s strategic mission, goals and objectives, and cross-agency collaboration.
To assist OCSE in its compliance with federal reporting requirements, a state agency administering
SNAP must report performance outputs and outcomes attributable to the state agency’s use of NDNH
match results, as noted in the Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) between OCSE and state agencies
administering SNAP. Please see section XV, “Periodic Reporting of Performance Outcomes of the
CMA,” for more information.
INSTRUCTIONS:
The information in the SNAP Agency NDNH Matching Program Performance Reporting Tool should
represent what happened to the applicant and recipient with verified employment—specifically if the
individual’s benefits were reduced or if the case he/she was a part of was closed. State agencies will
report data annually to OCSE by December 31, which is 90 days after the end of the federal fiscal year
(October 1-September 30).
Each state agency participating in the NDNH matching program is required to report annually on the four
items listed in the SNAP Agency NDNH Matching Program Performance Reporting Tool for the NDNH
new hire, quarterly wage, and unemployment insurance information received from OCSE. All match
results should be reported in the month the match was conducted, not the month in which action is taken
on the case or when costs are avoided.
EXAMPLE:
In the following example, the actions taken for the 350 adults in October (resulting in cost avoidance in
November) would be reported on the July row of the reporting form.
Consider the following example:
Date
End of July:
Early August:
September:
October:
October 31:
November:

Action
June SNAP adults are matched to the NDNH (15,000 adults)
July match results are returned to the state (4,000 total New Hire matches)
Match results verified and sent to local offices for action (400 adults verified to
have employment that was previously unknown to the agency)
Based on verified employment information (350 adults have actions taken)
States report and submit outcomes on the SNAP Agency NDNH Matching
Program Performance Reporting Tool
Adult receives adjusted benefit/no benefit as a result of action (350 adults)

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FURTHER EXPLANATION OF REPORTING ITEMS:
Item 1. Unduplicated Individuals Verified as Employed (receiving SNAP benefits): The number of
unduplicated individuals with previously unknown employment that had an NDNH match and
were verified as being employed while receiving SNAP benefits in your state.
“Unduplicated individuals” means counting the same person no more than once per federal fiscal year. If
the individual was found in more than one of the three NDNH datasets (new hire, quarterly wage, or
unemployment insurance), the individual should be reported under the data match that triggered the
verification resulting in case action. Consider the following example:
A match reveals verified income that is insufficient to trigger benefit reduction or case closure,
but in a later match the individual is again identified as employed but this time has income
significant enough to result in benefit reduction or case closure.
The first verified match (revealing income but not enough for a benefit change) should be reported under
item 1 as previously unknown employment but would not be reported on items 2, 3, or 4 on the tool. The
reporting on the second match resulting in case action depends on whether the employment is different
than the employment discovered in the earlier match and when in the federal fiscal year the match occurs.
If the later match identifies the same employment as the first match (although the person may be working
a different number of hours or may be paid more or less than before), this would not meet the definition
of “previously unknown employment” and should not be reported. If the second match is for a different
employer but within the same federal fiscal year as the first match, it should not be reported a second
time. However, if the second match is for a different employer and in a new federal fiscal year, it should
be reported in the new federal fiscal year under item 1 as previously unknown employment and also
under items 2, 3, and 4 if applicable.
Matches that are not acted upon should still be reported under item 1 as previously unknown
employment, even though there would be nothing to report under items 2, 3, and 4.
Item 2. Unduplicated SNAP Cases Closed Due to Earnings: The number of unduplicated individuals
reported in item 1 whose SNAP benefits were terminated as a result of employment verified from
an NDNH match.
As the explanation to items 2 and 3 specifies, these items should represent the “number of unduplicated
individuals reported in item 1 [adults with previously unknown employment that were verified as
employed] . . . whose SNAP benefits were terminated [or reduced].” Therefore, information reported in
items 2 and 3 should represent the number of individuals with previously unknown employment that had
their benefits reduced or terminated, not the number of individuals in the case that were affected by these
actions.
Item 3. Unduplicated SNAP Cases with Benefits Reduced: The number of unduplicated individuals
reported in item 1 whose SNAP benefits were reduced as a result of employment verified from an
NDNH match.
As the explanation to items 2 and 3 specifies, these items should represent the “number of unduplicated
individuals reported in item 1 [adults with previously unknown employment that were verified as
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employed] . . . whose SNAP benefits were terminated [or reduced].” Therefore, information reported in
items 2 and 3 should represent the number of individuals with previously unknown employment that had
their benefits reduced or terminated, not the number of individuals in the case that were affected by these
actions.
Item 4. Unduplicated First-Month Avoided SNAP Costs: The total first-month SNAP costs avoided from
items 2 and 3.
First-month avoided costs equal the difference between 1) the monthly benefit the SNAP case would
have been given in the absence of verified employment information resulting from an NDNH match, and
2) the monthly benefit the SNAP case actually received after the verified employment information was
used to modify benefits. For example, suppose an NDNH match is verified and reveals previously
unknown employment. The state verifies the income and recalculates the SNAP benefit for the case,
resulting in the case receiving monthly SNAP benefits that are $100 less than what they would have
received in absence of the employment information found through the NDNH. As a result of the NDNH
match, the state has avoided $100 in costs in the month when benefits were reduced. The state should
report a $100 first-month avoided cost in item 4 of the report. There is no need to report costs avoided in
subsequent months.
Overlap between NDNH and the State Directory of New Hires
States should report on all NDNH verified matches that reveal previously unknown employment, not just
those that are out-of-state or federal agency matches that would not be available from the State Directory
of New Hires. If information is received as a result of an NDNH match, the individual is verified as
employed, and the employment was previously unknown to the agency, it should be reported on item 1 of
the form regardless of whether the match would also be found in the State Directory of New Hires.
SUBMISSION DATES:
Report data by December 31, which is 90 days after the end of the federal fiscal year (October 1September 30).
SUBMITTAL PROCEDURE:
Submit electronically reports to:
Linda Boyer, Director, Division of Federal Systems
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS:
SNAP Agency NDNH Matching Program Performance Reporting Tool
QUESTIONS:
Please direct questions to:
Annette Hocker, OCSE
[email protected]
202-260-2785
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.L. 104-13)
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1.92 hours, per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
OMB Control No.: 0970-0464
Expires: xx/xx/xxxx

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