The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act authorizes FNS to award $9,000,000 in FY 2006 to be used to assist states in implementing mandatory direct certification and other provisions related to certification and verification of students’ eligibility to receive free and reduced price meal benefits in the school nutrition programs.
This memo is in response to requests for us to clarify what takes place when a confirmation review finds an error in the eligibility determination after a household has been initially notified of its status.
In response to various requests for clarification on verification procedures as mandated in PL 108-265, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, we are including as attachments the five documents concerning verification that have been released since the summer of 2004.
We are continuing to receive questions regarding procurements in the child nutrition programs, particularly in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Attached are the most recently received questions and answers.
Recently, we received an inquiry on behalf of a food service management company (FSMC). The inquiry asked whether the OMB cost principles were relevant to the food acquisition costs borne by a FSMC charging a school food authority a fixed price per meal for the reimbursable meals and contractually agreed upon meal equivalents served under the contract.
We have recently received a series of questions regarding the procurement of automated meal accountability systems in conjunction with the procurement of a food service management company.
Periodically, we receive questions concerning the procurement requirements of 7 CFR Parts 3016 and 3019 and certain procurement procedures used by public and nonprofit school food authorities. Attached are a number of these recent questions and their corresponding answers.
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 amended sections of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act affecting the eligibility determination process for free and reduced price benefits under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and the Special Milk Program for Children.
Several data sources, including information on free and reduced price eligibility status changed as a result of verification, indicate that there is a significant problem with inaccurate certifications for free/reduced price meal benefits in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Therefore, it is imperative that both state agencies and FNS make every effort to validate the accuracy of eligibility determinations.
We have received several inquiries regarding the collection of eligibility information during a Provision 2 or Provision 3 cycle.