Appendix G.7 Reminder email

Appendix G.7
Reminder email

OMB Control Number: 0584-0607

Expiration Date: xx/xx/20xx

TO: [IF SA: CN DIRECTOR EMAIL] [IF SFA: SFA DIRECTOR EMAIL]

FROM: [STUDY EMAIL]

SUBJECT: [IF SA: State] Reminder! Complete the required SMO IV survey on SY 2022-2023 operations and waiver use

[IF SFA: SFA] Reminder! Complete the required SMO IV survey to tell FNS about your SY 2022-2023 program operations and finances

Dear [IF SA: SA CN DIRECTOR NAME] [IF SFA: SFA DIRECTOR NAME],

[IF SA: Thank you for your participation in the first three years of data collection for the School Meals Operations (SMO) Study, which began in spring of 2021. Mathematica is conducting this study on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. As part of SMO’s fourth data collection (SMO IV), the study will collect information on CN Program operations in school year 2022-2023 and gather all of the information needed to meet States’ statutory reporting requirements for the nationwide Child Nutrition (CN) COVID-19 Waiver to Allow Fiscal Action Flexibility for Meal Pattern Violations Related to COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Impacting School Meals in School Year 2022-23. State agencies’ full participation in SMO will satisfy their statutory reporting requirements for this nationwide waiver.

[IF SFA: Your school food authority has been selected to participate in the School Meals Operations (SMO) Study, which is being conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Your participation in this study is vital to understanding Child Nutrition Program operations during SY 2022-2023. You have been selected to participate as part of a nationally representative sample, which means that your response will speak for many SFAs and is necessary to ensure the views of SFAs like yours are included. Participation in this important study is required for all selected SFAs.]

[IF SURVEY PARTIALLY COMPLETE: Thank you for starting the survey! Please click the following link to finish the remaining portion of your 30-minute survey.]

[IF SURVEY NOT WORKED: Please click the following link to complete your 30-minute survey.]

[IF SA: LINK TO SA SURVEY] [IF SFA: LINK TO SFA SURVEY]

If you have any questions, please feel free to call 1-833-440-9475 or email [email protected].

Thank you in advance for your participation in this important study.

Sincerely,

Veronica Severn

Survey Director

Mathematica

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is collecting this information to understand how State agencies and school food authorities operated CN Programs in SY 2022-2023 and to satisfy the State agencies’ congressionally mandated reporting requirements for the COVID-19 nationwide waivers pursuant to section 2202 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127). This is a mandatory collection for State agencies and SFAs. FNS will use the information to assess how the waivers improved services to children and to inform FNS’s planning, policy, and guidance related to state and local meal service operations. Because the personally identifiable information (PII) requested under this collection will not be used to retrieve survey records or data, requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974 do not apply. Responses will be kept private to the extent provided by law and FNS regulations. 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 0584-0607. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 3 minutes (0.05 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314, ATTN: PRA (0584-0607). Do not return the completed form to this address.