Appendix E FNS SNAP QC Sampling Handbook

United States
Department of
Agriculture

THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
QUALITY CONTROL SAMPLING
HANDBOOK

Food and
Nutrition
Service
Alexandria, VA

(REPRINTED THROUGH CHANGE NO. 2)

March 1990

FNS HANDBOOK 311

Revisions to this Handbook will be issued as revised pages. They
will be issued with a transmittal sheet indicating Change I, Change 2,
etc. Form FNS-221, Record of Changes, is included in the front of
this Handbook for recording changes. Consistent use of the Record
of Changes will assure that the Handbook is current and up to date.

The date and number of the change will appear at the bottom left of
the revised page. Asterisks in the margin will indicate lines that have
been revised.

DISTRIBUTION:

F3,W
(Special Distr.)

FORM FNS-378 (10-79)

RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARATION AND
MAINTENANCE:

PAD-200

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302

CHANGE TRANSMITTAL
CHANGE NUMBER:

2

DIRECTIVE IDENTIFICATION AND NUMBER:

FNS Handbook 311

DIRECTIVE TITLE:

The Food Stamp Program Quality Control Sampling Handbook.

This Change transmits revised pages to correct typographical
errors on pages 3-38, 3-40, and M-1.
PAGE CONTROL CHART
Insert Pages

Remove Pages

Dated

Dated

3-37 thru 3-40

Undated

3-37
3-38
3-39
3-40

Undated
10-18-90
Undated
10-18-90

Exhibit M, M-1
and M-2

Undated

M-1
M-2

10-18-90
Undated

DISTRIBUTION:

MANUAL MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS:

OPI:

F3,W
(Special distr.)

Retain and file Change Transmittal in
front of directive until further
notice. Remove and insert page(s) if
applicable.

PAD-200

Form FNS-389 (9-88) Previous editions obsolete

Change 2
10-18-90

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE
ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302

CHANGE TRANSMITTAL
CHANGE NUMBER:

2

DIRECTIVE IDENTIFICATION AND NUMBER:

FNS Handbook 311

DIRECTIVE TITLE:

The Food Stamp Program Quality Control Sampling Handbook.

This Change transmits revised pages to correct minor text errors on pages 3-7
and E-10. The correction on pages 3-7 corrects an entry error in Figure 3-4 to
conform with 7 CFR 275.11(b) (3). The correction on page E-10 corrects
typographical errors in the first equation on the page.
PAGE CONTROL CHART
Insert Pages

Remove Pages

Dated

Dated

3-7 and 3-8

Undated

3-7
3- 8

8-17-90
Undated

Exhibit E, E-9
and E-10

Undated

E-9
E-10

Undated
8-17-90

DISTRIBUTION:

MANUAL MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS:

OPI:

F3,W
(Special distr.)

Retain and file Change Transmittal in
front of directive until further
notice. Remove and insert page(s) if
applicable.

PAD-200

Form FNS-389 (9-88) Previous editions obsolete

Change 1
8-17-90

FNS NOTICE 90-23

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
3101 Park Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22302

ACTION BY:

State Agencies

INFORMATION FOR: Regional Offices
FNS Handbook 311, The Food Stamp Program
Quality control Sampling Handbook
This Notice transmits FNS Handbook 311, The Food Stamp Program Quality
Control Sampling Handbook. This Handbook replaces FNS Handbook 311 issued in
August 1979. Many of the Handbook's revisions are policy changes that have
been promulgated by FNS in regulations published since August 1979. The most
important of these regulations was the one published February 17, 1984. It
provided for the implementation of an annual sampling period, a reduction in
the minimum sample size requirements, and a requirement that State agencies
agree to accept the level of reliability of error rates resulting from the
sample sizes which they select. This regulation also established deadlines
for submitting State sampling plans.
In addition to reiterating policy, FNS Handbook 311 also contains background
information on sampling concepts and provides step-by-step instructions for
sampling activities. The revised Handbook provides additional details in
these areas, especially in conjunction with integrated sampling and the
operational aspects of stratified sample designs. The revised Handbook also
updates the instructions for completing the February 1990 revision of
Form FNS-247, Statistical Summary of Sample Disposition, and the November 1989
revision of Form FNS-248, Status of Sample Selection and Completion. The
Attachment to this Notice provides a detailed outline of the revisions to FNS
Handbook 311.
Remove from Manual and destroy FNS Handbook 311 issued in
August 1979. Insert this Handbook.

Attachment
DISTRIBUTION:

EXPIRATION:

F3,W
(Special distr.)

Destroy Notice when action is
completed.

Form FNS-619 (4-86)

RESPONSIBLE FOR
PREPARATION AND
MAINTENANCE:

PAD-200

3-15-90

FNS NOTICE 90-23
ATTACHMENT
CHANGES IN FNS HANDBOOK 311
1.

2.

Changes in style
1.1.

Assignment of an identification number to each equation

1.2.
1.3.

Placement of highly-mathematical material in Exhibits
Increased use of personal pronouns: "you" for the State agency;
"we" for FNS

Changes in content
2.1.

2.2

Additions to discussion of sampling concepts:
2.1.1.

Sampling-frame problems

2.1.2.

Sampling from overlapping populations

Additions/changes to material on sampling activities:
2.2.1.

Additional material on prediction of caseloads

2.2.2.

Distinctions between:
2.2.2.1.

Minimum sample size based on estimated
caseload

2.2.2.2.

End-of-year minimum sample size

2.2.2.3.

Desired sample size

2.2.2.4.

Required sample size

2.2.3.

Minimum sample sizes
processed cases

vis-a-vis

2.2.4.

Additional details on sampling plans:

demonstration

2.2.4.1.

Requirement to retain supporting
documents and records of sampling
activities

2.2.4.2.

Writing guideline

2.2.4.3.

Contents of integrated plans

and

SSA-

Page 1
3-5-90

FNS NOTICE 90-23 ATTACHMENT
2.2.4.4.

2.3.

Submission of plans (definition of major/minor
changes)

2.2.5.

Additional details on frame construction

2.2.6.

Description of an alternative method (replicated
sampling) for systematic sampling with a decimal
interval

2.2.7.

Additional details on simple random sampling

2.2.8.

Update to forms and instructions for Form
FNS-247, Statistical Summary of Sample
Disposition, and Form FNS-248, Status of Sample
Selection and Completion

2.2.9.

New material on determination of actual out-of-scope rate
and actual subject-to-review caseloads

2.2.10.

New material on end-of-year reconciliation

2.2.11.

Additional detail on sampling corrections

2.2.12.

New material on FNS reviews of sampling procedures

New material in Exhibits:
2.3.1.

Bibliography

2.3.2.

Summaries of integrated sample designs

2.3.3.

Formulas for dollar error rates

2.3.4.

Comparing precisions of stratified and
unstratified sample designs

2.3.5.

Estimation of stratum weights for stratified
samples

2.3.6.

Reliability waiver statement

2.3.7.

Computer generation of random numbers

2.3.8.

New table of random digits

Page 2
3-15-90

United States
Department of
Agriculture

THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM
QUALITY CONTROL SAMPLING
HANDBOOK

Food and
Nutrition
Service
Alexandria, VA

March 1990

FNS HANDBOOK 311

Revisions to this Handbook will be issued as revised pages. They
will be issued with a transmittal sheet indicating Change I, Change 2,
etc. Form FNS-221, Record of Changes, is included in the front of
this Handbook for recording changes. Consistent use of the Record
of Changes will assure that the Handbook is current and up to date.

The date and number of the change will appear at the bottom left of
the revised page. Asterisks in the margin will indicate lines that have
been revised.

DISTRIBUTION:

F3,W
(Special Distribution)

FORM FNS-378 (10-79)

RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARATION AND
MAINTENANCE:

PAD-200