State, Local, and Tribal Government - State Child Nutrition Agency, SFA, and Schools

Appendix C6. Recruitment 007--SFA Follow Up Discussion Guide (Study Notification and School Data Verification)

OMB Number: 0584-0530

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

SFA Follow-Up Discussion Guide

(Study Notification and School Data Verification)

This discussion guide is to be used by APEC IV recruiters when contacting SFAs. All initial calls should be made within one week of sending the SFA School Data Verification Email. What follows are talking points for the recruiters to: 1) confirm the SFA received the notification letter from their State; 2) confirm the SFA received the recruitment packet containing the Study Notification and Data Request and School Data Verification Reference Guide; 3) inquire about their willingness to participate; and 4) inquire about their ability to provide information on their schools in the web portal.

When Speaking with Point of Contact:

• Introduce yourself and explain that you are part of the APEC IV study team calling to confirm receipt of the recruitment packet sent to them via email and FedEx on [DATE].

  • [If did not receive letter] Tell them you will resend it and confirm their email address. Explain that you will call again in a few days after they have had a chance to read the letter. End call.

• Ask if they have any questions about the study. Answer all questions, and note that the study website contains additional information. Give them the website if necessary.

• Ask if their SFA will participate in the study.

  • [If agrees to participate] That’s wonderful to hear!

• [If needs to consider/ask permission] I understand, and thank you for considering it. I will reach out again in a week to follow up, but please get in touch if there are any questions we can answer to help you make your decision. [Provide study phone number and email.] Additionally, you can always find more information on the study website. [End call.]

• [If declines] I am sorry to hear that, but we respect the decision. If you reconsider, please do not hesitate to contact us at <STUDY TOLL-FREE NUMBER> or via email <STUDY EMAIL ADDRESS>.

• Ask if their SFA will be able to provide information on each of their schools, per the request in the School Data Verification Email.

  • [If has not begun] No problem. When do you think you would be able to provide the information? [Encourage completion by [DATE].]

  • [If has begun, but not completed] No problem. When do you think you would be able to finish entering the information? [Encourage completion by [DATE].]

• Ask if they have any questions about navigating the portal or providing the requested information. Answer questions.

• Remind them to visit the study web site or contact the study team as questions arise.

• Thank them for their participation and cooperation. [End call.]

When a Call Goes to Voicemail:

• Provide the following information:

  • Your name

  • Where you’re calling from (Westat, a research organization in Rockville, MD)

  • Reason for call (to confirm receipt of study notification letter sent via email and ask if willing to participate)

  • Call-back number

• When to leave voicemails

  • Call #1 and #5 (do not leave voicemail on calls 2-4).

  • If no response after five calls, inform supervisor and do not attempt to contact again.

If the Point of Contact No Longer Works at the SFA:

• Ask the secretary/administrative assistant whom you can talk to, and obtain their contact information.

• Send the notification letter via email to the suggested person, and follow up by phone one week later.

This information is being collected to provide the Food and Nutrition Service with key information on the annual error rates and improper payments for the school meal programs. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to examine school meal error rates and inform future APEC studies. This collection requests personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. 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 0584-0530. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.25 hours (15 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306 ATTN: PRA (0584-0530). Do not return the completed form to this address.

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