School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II, Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment

APPENDIX B-8

SFA DIRECTOR RECRUITING TELEPHONE SCRIPT

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SFA Director Recruiting Telephone Script

Note: The burden associated with gathering and submitting the requested documents is included in the disclosure statement on Appendix A.

OMB Control No.: 0584-0606

Expiration Date: 03/31/2019

Hello, my name is [Recruiter Name]. I’m calling from Insight Policy Research to follow up on an email I sent you about a new U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service study in which your school food authority, or SFA, was selected to participate. The study is looking at the cost of producing reimbursable school meals in [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands]. May I please speak with [SFA Director Name]?

If asked for more details:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and its partner, Insight Policy Research, to conduct the Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment. The purpose of the reassessment is to determine the extent of information available about the costs of reimbursable meals for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and update the information gathered in 2018. Reimbursement rates for school meals sold in the contiguous 48 States and the District of Columbia are assessed periodically using a rigorous cost study methodology applied to a sample of public SFAs and schools. That cost study methodology has never been applied in outlying areas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This study is important because an accurate assessment of meal costs could help adjust per-meal reimbursement rates in [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands]. The study is not an audit.

If not speaking with the SFA director:

May I leave [Mr./Ms. Director Last Name] a voicemail now, and could you please tell me when it would be a good time to reach him/her? Also, may I have your name please? [COLLECT INFORMATION AND LEAVE MESSAGE.]

CALLBACK DATE AND TIME:

NAME:

VOICEMAIL MESSAGE: [Mr./Ms. Director Last Name], my name is [Recruiter Name]. I’m calling from Insight Policy Research to follow up on an email I sent you about a U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service study in which your school food authority has been selected to participate. I’d like to speak with you to answer any questions you have and start to arrange the visit. I can be reached at [Email] or [Telephone Number]. Thank you.

If speaking with the SFA director:

I’m calling to follow up on my recent email about the Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment, which we’re conducting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

• OBTAIN OR CONFIRM CONTACT INFORMATION: First, I’d like to [get/confirm] the contact information for the staff we would like to interview.

PUERTO RICO CENTRAL SFA ONLY: We plan to interview staff in the new regional SFAs. Can you please [give me/confirm] the names and address of each regional SFA, plus the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers for the regional SFA directors and district business managers? [RECORD THE INFORMATION. IF ONLY SOME OF THE SFAS ARE PHASED IN, IDENTIFY THE REGIONAL OFFICE STAFF WHO ARE LIKELY TO BECOME THE SFA DIRECTORS AND BUSINESS MANAGERS.]

ALL: We plan to interview school nutrition managers and principals in up to [USVI: three public schools in your SFA/PUERTO RICO: 10 public schools across Puerto Rico]. These public schools should have different characteristics. For example, they should vary in whether they: (1) have staff who are not in the food service department but work on food service activities, (2) purchase any foods directly, and (3) prepare food onsite versus receive meals from a central kitchen or a production kitchen. [IF PR CENTRAL SFA: Please select schools that are located across the seven new SFA regions, and are located near the regional SFA offices.] The schools should also include [an/at least one] elementary, middle, and high school, if possible, and staff should be available and willing to participate in face-to-face interviews during our visit. We’ll talk about the visit shortly. If a central kitchen prepares school meals for any schools, we would like to interview the school nutrition manager for the central kitchen.

Can you please [give me/confirm] the school names and mailing addresses, plus the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers for the principals and school nutrition managers in [three/10] public schools, and describe why you are recommending each school? [RECORD THE INFORMATION.]

• REQUEST DOCUMENTS: The visit will be faster if we can gather some documents in advance. That way we can review everything and tailor some of the questions we will ask. I’d like to get these documents by [DATE] to be able to prepare. I’m going to read a list of documents. Can you please tell me which ones you will be able to share? [LIST ONLY ITEMS TO BE REQUESTED FROM EACH RESPONDENT. DO NOT REQUEST DUPLICATE DOCUMENTS (FOR EXAMPLE, FROM BOTH THE CENTRAL AND REGIONAL SFA DIRECTORS IN PUERTO RICO).]

• Audited and unaudited revenue and expenditure statements for your SFA from fiscal year 2017–2018, or if those are not available, audited and unaudited revenue and expenditure statements from fiscal year 2016–2017

• Completed daily production records that document the foods that are prepared for and served in reimbursable meals each day for a typical school week for the selected schools

• Documentation that identifies the cost categories and support functions included in the district’s indirect cost rates or indirect cost allocation plan(s), such as documentation submitted to the State Department of Education for approval

• If applicable, your SFA’s cycle menu(s)

• If applicable, your SFA’s food service management company contract

• If applicable, your SFA’s food service employee union contract

• Examples of records of food purchases, such as invoices, delivery slips, or monthly vendor statements, that show the item, unit size, the price per unit, and the quantity obtained; please gather an example from each of your SFA’s suppliers, including all vendors, USDA Foods, and if applicable, DoD Fresh

• Examples of standardized recipes for foods prepared from scratch

• Examples of records for SFA personnel or personnel in the selected schools who work on food service activities and are paid out of the food service account. These records should show job title, salary, hours worked, amount of leave time, and amount of time spent on food service activities. Please redact any names, Social Security Numbers, or other personally identifiable information from these records.

• Examples of records for district personnel or personnel in the selected schools who work on food service activities but are paid out of the district account rather than the food service account. These records should show job title, salary, hours worked, amount of leave time, and amount of time spent on food service activities. Please redact any names, Social Security Numbers, or other personally identifiable information from these records.

• If applicable, examples of records of non-reimbursable foods sales (for example, adult meals or items that are sold a la carte in the cafeteria or elsewhere in school, such as in vending machines, school stores, food carts, or snack bars)

Again, I’d like to get these documents by [Date]. Please post the documents to the secure website by [PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS]. I will include these instructions in a confirmation email too.

• SCHEDULE VISIT: Now I need your help coordinating the face-to-face interviews with staff during our team’s visit. We are planning a [Number]-day visit during [Month] 2019 to interview everyone. This is how much time we’d like to schedule for each interview, including some time in case we need to collect documents during the visit.

• PUERTO RICO CENTRAL SFA AND USVI SFAs: You and the district business manager: 3 hours for the interview and up to 1.5 hours for gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit

The district business manager can leave after the first part of the interview, but [he/she] may also be involved in up to 30 minutes of gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit. May I have his or her name, email address, and telephone number? I will send [him/her] an email confirming the interview details after we’ve made the arrangements. [RECORD THE INFORMATION.]

• PUERTO RICO REGIONAL SFAs: 2 hours for the interview and up to 1 hour for gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit

The district business manager can leave after the first part of the interview, but [he/she] may also be involved in up to 30 minutes of gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit. May I have his or her name, email address, and telephone number? I will send [him/her] an email confirming the interview details after we’ve made the arrangements. [RECORD THE INFORMATION.]

• The State Child Nutrition agency director: 1 hour for the interview and up to 30 minutes of gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit

• School nutrition managers: 2 hours for the interview and up to 30 minutes of gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit

• Principals: 30 minutes for the interview and up to 30 minutes of gathering documents if they aren’t sent before the visit

[DETERMINE WHO WILL TAKE LEAD CONTACTING AND SCHEDULING INTERVIEWEES. SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS. SEND VISIT CONFIRMATION EMAIL TO ALL INTERVIEWEES.]

Thank you for your help today. I look forward to meeting with you soon.