S. Sample MOU

Attachment S. Sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

OMB No. 0584-[NEW]

Job Search as a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) Component

January 14, 2021

Project Officer: Danielle Deemer

Office of Policy Support

Food and Nutrition Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1320 Braddock Place

Alexandria, VA 22314

703.305.2952

[email protected]

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

INSIGHT POLICY RESEARCH and <STATE>

Month XX, 2019

This document represents a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Insight Policy Research, Inc. (herein “Insight”) and <State Name>, (herein “the State”) in an important and useful study to better understand job search activities in SNAP E&T programs. Hereinafter either Insight or State may be referred to individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties”. This MOU clarifies roles and responsibilities of the Parties for accomplishing the Study and provides the milestones for completing the Study in the State. Insight and the State are preparing this agreement in good faith and with the expectation that each Party will fulfill its obligations as described in the MOU. This MOU is entered into and will be administered consistent with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) contract number GS-10F-0136X/12319818F0106 awarded to Insight to conduct the study entitled “The Role of Job Search as a SNAP E&T Component”, herein “Study”.

1. Background

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) sponsored this study to better understand the overall role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) employment and training (E&T) job search activities in serving participants and examine whether certain approaches to job search activities are more effective than others in leading SNAP participants to self-sufficiency. Specifically, Insight is addressing the following study objectives:

1. For each study State, document and describe job search activities offered, as well as State-level E&T policies and requirements.

2. Conduct a process evaluation documenting implementation and operation of job search activities in the study States.

3. For each study State, conduct an outcome evaluation to assess short- and long-term effects of job search activities on participants

To attain these objectives, Insight is conducting:

• Document review. Insight will include the following documents in the review: State E&T plans and activity reports, and any available staff training materials, State and local policy manuals and memos, handbooks, desk guides, or reported outcome measures.

• 

  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-xxxx. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 8 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the following address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314, ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx*). Do not return the completed form to this address.

  Site visits to four States. Each site visit will include (1) visits to the State SNAP agency, (2) visits to any additional stakeholders such as State departments of labor, (3) visits to two local SNAP offices (to speak with certification and E&T staff), and (4) visits to two E&T job search service providers. Within each State, the study team will collect data through (1) semistructured interviews, (2) process-mapping, and (3) observations of operations, including intake, assessment, and referrals.

• SNAP administrative data and Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage analysis. Linked UI and administrative data will be used to conduct a quantitative assessment of the relationship between participation in job search activities and employment outcomes.

• Interviews with job search participants. Insight will conduct phone interviews with up to 50 randomly selected job search participants in each of four study States. Interviews will focus on participants’ experiences with SNAP job search programs.

To meet the needs of the study, active cooperation for participating States will be required to conduct site visits, collect extant administrative data, collect UI wage data, and provide contact information for SNAP E&T participants. States will work with Insight to schedule a four-day site visit where Insight staff will interview State SNAP staff. The State will also assist Insight in recruiting other Stakeholders as needed, local SNAP office staff, and E&T providers for the remaining site visit interviews. States will provide Insight with requested background documentation, such as policy manuals or memos regarding the E&T program, in advance of the site visit. States will provide the research team with a SNAP administrative data extract including up to 12 months of data covering the period October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018, for individuals 16 or older who received SNAP at any point during the 12-month period. This data extract will also be used by Insight to create a sample of E&T participants that will be contacted to participate in phone interviews. The State will also work with Insight and the relevant State agency to obtain UI wage data that will be merged with the SNAP administrative data. The UI wage data will cover a period of two years, from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2019.

2. Tasks to be Performed by <State>

This section describes the activities that the State will perform to support data collection for the Study.

1. Provide administrative data. The State will provide a data extract including one record per individual aged 16 or older for each month they received SNAP benefits during the 12-month period from October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. The State will also provide an additional month of more recent data (the month prior to OMB clearance) from which Insight will create a sample of E&T participants to contact for phone interviews. The administrative data file will be submitted once the research team receives OMB clearance, expected spring 2020. Exhibit A describes the required data variables and formats. The research team will also request a 1-3-month test file to be submitted after the initial data call (expected spring 2019). The research team will work with the State to determine whether the test file complies with the data needed for the final administrative data set.

2. Facilitate UI Data Agreement. The State will work with Insight and any other relevant State Agency(s) to secure data agreement(s) needed to obtain a 24-month UI wage data file, covering the period of October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019. Exhibit A describes the required data variables and formats.

3. Facilitate Site Visits. The research team will conduct site visits in each State to interview State and local SNAP staff, other Stakeholders with a role in the SNAP E&T program, as well as E&T providers to develop in-depth knowledge of the SNAP E&T job search program in each State. The State will identify when key State respondents will be available for interviews. The State will also help facilitate other Stakeholder, local SNAP office and E&T provider participation in the visits by assisting the site visit team with selection and recruitment.

3. State Responsibilities

The State is responsible for coordinating with the research team to provide the required data, facilitate obtaining UI wage data, and facilitate and participate in the site visits. The administrative data test file will be provided after the initial data call with Insight, and the final administrative data file will be submitted in approximately April 2020, once OMB clearance is received (estimated March 2020). The UI wage data process will begin in Winter 2019 and end once the UI wage data file is received, in approximately April 2020. Site visits will be planned for spring/summer 2020.

4. Insight’s Responsibilities for Protecting Confidential Information

Any confidential information or data of a personal nature about individual or proprietary information or data pertaining to an institution or organization received by Insight from the State shall be used only for its intended purpose under this MOU. Insight will not duplicate or disclose the confidential information or data to any third party, except as may be required by law. Insight will establish administrative and physical safeguards to prevent the unauthorized disclosure and/or use of all confidential data or information provided under this agreement.

1. Key Contacts

1. Insight Key Contacts

For any technical questions related to the study or the data collection, contact the project director:

Brittany McGill

Insight Policy Research, Inc.

1901 North Moore Street, Suite 1100

Arlington, VA, 22209

Phone: 703.504.9485

Email: [email protected]

For any legal notification related to this Agreement, submit notices to:

Bryan Johnson

Insight Policy Research, Inc.

1901 N Moore St, Suite 1100

Arlington VA, 22209

Phone: 703.504.9482

Email: [email protected]

2. State Key Contacts

For technical matters related to the study, contact:

Name

Role

Address

Phone

Email

For any legal notification related to this Agreement, submit notices to:

Name

Role

Address

Phone

Email

2. Duration and Termination

Insight will begin data collection in spring 2019 with the 1-3-month administrative data test file. The State will then provide the final administrative data file with up to 12 months of data in spring 2020.

The term of this Memorandum of Understanding is for the period beginning January 2020 and shall end at the end of the study (exact date pending OMB clearance timing), unless modified by the mutual written agreement of the Parties.

Either Party may terminate this agreement by providing written notice to the other party. Upon receipt of such notice, the agreement will be terminated within 10 days.

5. Entire Agreement

This Memorandum of Understanding constitutes the entire agreement between Insight and the State with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes and replaces any other arrangements, oral or written, between the parties hereto pertaining to this agreement. No waiver, modification or amendment of any of the terms and conditions hereof shall be effective unless set forth in writing and duly signed by both Insight and the State.

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the respective parties have entered into this MOU on the date first cited above.

For Insight Policy Research, Inc: For <State Name>:

Signature: __________________ Signature: __________________

Name: ____________________ Name: _____________________

Title: ______________________ Title: ______________________

Date: ______________________ Date: ______________________

Exhibit A: Request for SNAP Administrative and UI Wage Data

Table A provides a list and description of the variables that should be included in the file for every individual who received SNAP at any point during the 12-month period from October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018. Please provide the variables in the order shown in table A.

If codes are used to identify information (e.g., reasons for sanctions, reasons for case closures), please submit a crosswalk of these codes and their descriptions with your file.

Table B provides a list and description of the requested UI wage record data variables for every individual listed in the SNAP caseload file (see table A) for the two-year period October 1, 2017 to September 30, 2019.

Preferred file formats are comma-separated values (.csv) or Excel (.xls). We can also receive other tabulated datafile formats, including SAS data files. Please discuss alternate formats with Insight.

Missing values should be indicated by a BLANK space. Please do NOT fill unknown values with zeroes. Zero should ONLY indicate an actual zero value, such as zero dollar income. For example, if the participant’s household stops receiving SNAP benefits, the household size and benefit fields should be BLANK, not zero.

For all yes/no indicator variables, a value of “1” should represent “yes,” and a value of “0” should represent “no.”

Table A. Requested SNAP Caseload Data Variable List

Variable Requested	Variable Name	Variable Description	Code/Categories Examples
Individual-Level Variables
Reference month and year	REF_MONTH_YEAR	Benefit reference month and year for the SNAP participant’s SNAP household If no SNAP benefit was received that month, still include a row for that month with data for the CLIENT_ID and REF_MONTH_YEAR	MMYYYY
Client ID	CLIENT_ID	Participant’s individual SNAP ID provided by the State to identify individual participants within a SNAP household If no SNAP benefit was received that month, still include a row for that month with data for the CLIENT_ID and REF_MONTH_YEAR	Example: 2130768 (character variable)
Social Security number	SSN	Social Security number	Example: 510981319
Received SNAP benefits	SNAP_FLAG_PER	Whether the participant received SNAP benefits this month	0 = no 1 = yes
First name	FIRST_NAME	Participant’s first name	Example: John
Last name	LAST_NAME	Participant’s last name	Example: Doe
Address line 1	ADDRESS_1	First line of participant’s street address	Example: 1233 Main St
Address line 2	ADDRESS_2	Second line of participant’s street address	Example: Apartment 12
State	STATE	Participant’s State of residence	Provide two-letter abbreviation
ZIP Code	ZIP	Participant’s ZIP Code of residence	20817
County	COUNTY	Participant’s county of residence	Example: Montgomery
Phone number—primary	PHONE	Participant’s primary phone number	508-645-6098
Phone number—secondary	PHONE_ALT	Participant’s secondary phone number	508-655-6098
E-mail address	EMAIL	Participant’s e-mail address	[email protected]
Date of birth	DOB	Participant’s date of birth	MMDDYYYY
Gender	GENDER	Participant’s gender	1 = male 2 = female
Race/ethnicity	RACE_ETHN	Participant’s race and ethnicity	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Marital status	MARITAL	Participant’s marital status (e.g., married, single)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Relationship to case head	RELATION	Participant’s relationship to the case head (e.g., head of household, spouse, child, adult)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Primary language spoken or language used on application	LANGUAGE	Codes used to identify primary language for participant or participant’s household	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Level of school completed	EDUCATION	Codes used to identify level of school completed (or whether SNAP participant received a high school diploma or GED)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Participant’s monthly earned income amount	INDIV_INCOME	Participant’s total individual monthly earned income amount	Example: 540
Individual received Medicaid benefits	MEDICAID_FLAG_PER	Whether the SNAP participant received Medicaid benefits this month	0 = no 1 = yes
Individual received Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits	TANF_FLAG_PER	Whether the SNAP participant received TANF benefits this month	0 = no 1 = yes
Individual received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits	SSI_FLAG_PER	Whether the SNAP participant received SSI benefits this month	0 = no 1 = yes
Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) exemption status	ABAWD_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify exemption status for ABAWD from ABAWD time limits	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Work registrant exemption status	WR_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify whether SNAP participant is exempt or not exempt from work registration	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Voluntary or mandatory SNAP E&T participation	MAND_OR_VOL	Indicator of whether the SNAP participant is identified as voluntary or mandatory E&T participant	1 = voluntary 2 = mandatory
E&T sanction status	ET_SANCT	Whether the individual is under E&T sanction this month	0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP E&T exemption status	ET_EXEMPT	Codes used to identify whether SNAP participant is exempt or not exempt from E&T	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
SNAP E&T referral status	ET_REFERRAL	Indicator of whether the SNAP participant was referred to SNAP E&T	0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP E&T participation status	ET_PART	Whether the referred SNAP E&T individual participated in E&T component	0 = no 1 = yes
Household-Level Variables
SNAP case identification (ID)	CASE_ID	Household or case ID provided by the State to identify the SNAP household of the individual participant	Example: 02076085 (character variable)
Received SNAP benefits (household)	SNAP_FLAG_HHLD	Whether the participant’s SNAP household received SNAP benefits this month	0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP benefit amount	BEN_AMT	Total SNAP benefit received by the SNAP household this month (rounded to nearest dollar)	Example: 357
SNAP household size	HH_SIZE	Number of individuals in the participant’s SNAP household this month	Example: 3
Certification/ recertification date	CERT_DATE	Certification or recertification date associated with household’s SNAP benefit month (the last review date associated with current SNAP benefit month)	MMDDYYY
County serving the case	COUNTY	County code or name of the county serving the participant’s SNAP household	Provide definitions of county codes in separate crosswalk
SNAP household’s gross income amount	GROSS_INC	Total monthly gross income for the participant’s SNAP household (i.e., gross income used to determine SNAP eligibility before deductions)	Example: 700
SNAP household’s net income amount	NET_INC	Total monthly net income for the participant’s SNAP household (i.e., net income after all deductions from gross income used to determine SNAP benefit amount)	Example: 600
SNAP household’s earned income amount	EARNED_INC	Total monthly earned income for the participant’s SNAP household	Example: 300
SNAP household’s receipt of Medicaid	MEDICAID	Indicator whether the household receives Medicaid	0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP household’s receipt of TANF	TANF	Indicator whether the household receives TANF	0 = no 1 = yes
SNAP household’s receipt of SSI	SSI	Indicator whether the household receives SSI	0 = no 1 = yes
Presence of elderly household member	ELDERLY	Indicator that at least one household member is over the age of 60	0 = no 1 = yes
Presence of children in household	CHILDREN	Indicator that at least one household member is under the age of 16	0 = no 1 = yes
Presence of disabled household member	DISABLED	Indicator that at least one household member receives SSI or SSDI	0 = no 1 = yes
Number of household members	NUM_HH	Number of individuals in the household	Example: 4
Closed case	CLOSED_CASE	Indicator that the SNAP case is closed	0 = no 1 = yes
Closure date	CLOSED_DATE	Date of SNAP case closure	MMDDYYYY
Closure reason	CLOSED_REASON	Reason for SNAP case closure (e.g., ABAWD time limit, sanction for failure to meet E&T requirements, missed recertification appointment, income over threshold, other)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
E&T Activities and Outcomes
E&T provider serving SNAP E&T participant	PROVIDER_1 PROVIDER_2 PROVIDER_3 PROVIDER_4	Name of E&T providers serving the E&T participant	Provide name(s) of providers
Type of E&T service assigned	ET_SERVICE1 ET_SERVICE2 ET_SERVICE3 ET_SERVICE4	Codes used to identify the type of E&T service(s) participant was assigned to receive (e.g., assessment, English as a second language [ESL], high school equivalence, Institute of Higher Education, independent job search, job search training, workfare, work experience, on-the-job training, basic education, vocational training, self-employment training, WIOA program, job retention)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Type of job search assigned	JOB_SEARCH1 JOB_SEARCH2 JOB_SEARCH3 JOB_SEARCH4	Codes used to identify the type of job search service(s) the participant was assigned to receive (e.g., independent job search, job search assistance, job search training, job search combined with other services)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Start date of E&T assignment	ET_START1 ET_START2 ET_START3 ET_START4	Start date of E&T assignment to component for the E&T participant	MMDDYYYY
End date of E&T assignment	ET_END1 ET_END2 ET_END3 ET_END4	End date of E&T assignment to component for the E&T participant	MMDDYYY
Outcome of the SNAP E&T participation	ET_OUTCOME1 ET_OUTCOME2 ET_OUTCOME3 ET_OUTCOME4	Outcome of the SNAP E&T participation (e.g., completed a training, educational, work experience, or on-the-job training component; exempted for good cause; quit)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Whether participant dropped out of E&T component	ET_DROP1 ET_DROP2 ET_DROP3 ET_DROP4	Indicator whether the participant dropped out of E&T prior to completing the program or transitioning off benefits	0 = no 1 = yes
Reason participant stopped participating in E&T	ET_EXIT1 ET_EXIT2 ET_EXIT3 ET_EXIT4	Reason the participant stopped participating in E&T (e.g., finished component, got a job, quit)	Provide definitions of codes in separate crosswalk
Whether participant is in unsubsidized employment after E&T	EMPLOY_OUTCOME1 EMPLOY_OUTCOME2 EMPLOY_OUTCOME3 EMPLOY_OUTCOME4	Indicator of whether the participant is in unsubsidized employment after completing E&T program	0 = no 1 = yes
Start date of unsubsidized employment	EMPLOY_START1 EMPLOY_START2 EMPLOY_START3 EMPLOY_START4	Start date of unsubsidized employment obtained after the participant completed E&T program	MMDDYYYY
End data of unsubsidized employment	EMPLOY_END1 EMPLOY_END2 EMPLOY_END3 EMPLOY_END4	End date of unsubsidized employment obtained after the participant completed E&T program	MMDDYYY

Table B. UI Wage Record Data Variable List

Variable Requested	Variable Name	Variable Description	Code/Categories Examples
Individual-Level Variables
Employee Social Security number	UI_SSN	Employee’s Social Security Number		Example: 510981319
Employee first name	FIRST_NAME	Employee’s first name		Example: John
Employee last name	LAST_NAME	Employee’s last name		Example: Doe
Employer name	EMPLOYER	Employer’s name		Example: Company Name
Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)	FEIN	FEIN		12-3456789
Employer address line 1	EMPLOYER_ADDRESS_1	First line of employer’s street address		Example: 1233 Main St
Employer address line 2	EMPLOYER_ADDRESS_2	Second line of employer’s street address		Example: Apartment 12
Employer State	EMPLOYER_STATE	Employer’s State		Provide 2 letter abbreviation
Employer ZIP Code	EMPLOYER_ZIP	Employer’s ZIP Code		20817
Date of hire	HIRE_DATE	Date of hire		MMYYYY
Employee quarterly earnings	EARNINGS_QUART	Employee quarterly earnings amount in dollars		Example: 4588.35
Employee wage amount	WAGE	Employee wage amount in dollars per hour		Example: 10.25
Reporting period	PERIOD	Calendar quarter in which wages were paid		MMYYYY

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-xxxx. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the following address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302, ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx*). Do not return the completed form to this address.