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Monthly claims are due by the 15th of each month following the claim period. All claims entered in WINS and in OK to Pay status will process for payment at the end of the month. Here are some important reminders about claiming in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS):
Claiming During Renewals
- Sponsor Application, Site Applications, and Site Calendars must be in APPROVED status before entering claims into WINS.
- Meals claimed in excess of the CAP count for a site will result in a claim error. Double check your Average Daily Attendance (ADA) prior to entering the claim.
- SFSP sponsors must make Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revisions prior to submitting monthly claims. Specialists must approve revisions before claims can process for payment.
- Revised ADA's will not be approved for claims that go into error status due to meals claimed over the approved CAP.
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Working with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC)? FSMCs cannot be reimbursed for any meals above the 120% of the ADA. Update the ADA prior to submitting the claim for the excess meals to be reimbursed.
- WINS edit checks the number of approved operating days for each site to the number of operating days entered in the site claim. If these numbers don’t match, the claim will go into error status.
General Claiming Reminders
- Monthly claim data must be in "OK to Pay" status by 5:00 pm PT on the 15th.
- WINS will automatically log all users out of the system on the 15th of each month at EXACTLY 5pm PT.
- Give yourself enough time to input all claiming data so the claim is in “OK to Pay” status.
- Once WINS closes down the claiming option users are not allowed to input claim data until after the monthly claim reconciliation process is complete. This can take up to two business days.
- Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! File your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Example: The November 60-day claim deadline is January 29, 2021.
- Claim reimbursements that are not entered into WINS or not in OK to pay status will NOT process for payment by the end of the month.
- The 20-21 Claim Processing Dates Information Sheet takes weekends and holidays into consideration for the 60-day deadlines. You may want to print or bookmark this information.
- Refer to the Claims Reference Sheet for details on what to do if you don't submit your claims by the 60-day claim deadline.
- Errors must be resolved for claims to be paid. WINS has multiple edit checks to help resolve issues before your claim is submitted.
Claiming Resources
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor, or Pam Fravel, Fiscal Analyst.
There are two grant opportunities available to sponsors of the school meal programs; USDA Equipment Assistance Grant and the Meals for Kids Meal Access Grant.
Both grants are currently open in the iGrants system. Program operators may apply for these grants even though currently operating the Summer Meal Programs.
USDA Equipment Assistance Grant- $433,416.00 Form Package 472
If you are a public school district, private school, tribal school, charter school or residential childcare institution, you are eligible to apply. You are eligible even if you are operating the SFSP in the 20-21 school year.
Focus Areas for This Grant
Replacing aging equipment or updating equipment, adopting lunchroom changes that provide more convenience and appeal to students, and making meaningful impacts on student nutrition and quality of meals.
Note: Equipment must meet USDA definition of equipment with a per unit cost of $1,000 or more.
Interested in Applying?
Complete your application in iGrants (form package 472) before 4 pm PT on Thursday, January 28, 2021.
Review the NSLP Equipment Assistance Grant Interest Webinar for an overview of the application, important changes from previous year's applications, tips and tricks, and grant timelines.
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Meal for Kids Meal Access Grant - $500,000 Form Package 383
Formerly known as the Meals for Kids Breakfast Grant, this grant is available to public school districts, tribal compact schools and charter schools.
Focus Areas for This Grant
This grant focuses on starting a new meal program, increasing participation in an existing program, improving program meal quality, and improving the equipment and facilities used in an existing program.
Interested in Applying?
Complete your application in iGrants (form package 383) before 4 pm PT on Thursday, January 28, 2021.
Review the Meal Access Grant Interest Webinar for an overview of the application, important changes from previous year's applications, tips and tricks, and grant timelines.
Questions? Please email Wendy Barkley, CNS Assistant Director.
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All SFSP sites must take a point of service (POS) meal count. The POS is defined as the point in the meal service where an accurate determination can be made that a reimbursable meals has been served to an eligible child.
Examples of unacceptable meal count methods include: classroom counts, attendance counts, tray/sack/box meal counts, pre-ordered meals, counts taken at the beginning of the line without checking to see that meals are reimbursable, and counts claimed by “backing out” numbers.
Reminders
- Staff responsible for taking POS meal counts must be trained counting & claiming prior to beginning their role.
- Sponsors must have an integrity plan with appropriate measures in place to ensure that program accountability is maintained.
- School sponsors must have a process in place to ensure duplicate meals are not being served when a site is operating both on and off campus instructional models. In some instances, this may include taking a by name meal count.
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Open Sites- Meals can be provided to all children in the community without taking a by name meal count. The Summer Food Service Daily Meal Count form may be used.
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Closed Enrolled Sites- Meals may only be provided to enrolled students, a system must be in place to ensure this requirement is met.
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Hybrid Models- In scenarios where students are served on-site and meals are available for the community or parents to pick up for students off-site, a system must be in place to ensure duplicate meals are not served. A by-name meal count may be necessary to ensure program integrity.
- Source documents must be retained according to record retention requirements. POS meal counts are considered to be the source document. Whether you are using meal tally sheets OR "by name" rosters for meal counting, these meal count documents must be retained as the source document to support your claim for reimbursement.
Submitting Meal Count Information
The submission of the meal counts to the sponsor is confirmation that the meal counts are accurate and therefore eligible for federal reimbursement.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS program specialist.
Prior to operation of the SFSP, an estimate of your Average Daily Attendance (ADA) was submitted and approved with your site calendar(s). WINS edit checks the number of meals claimed to the Capacity (CAP), which is auto-calculated to 120% of your approved ADA.
If the meals claimed exceed the CAP count in your site calendar, the claim will go into error status and you will not be reimbursed for the meals above the ADA.
Fluctuations in participation are common, so it is important to monitor attendance at your site(s) and make revisions to your ADA as needed as needed prior to claiming.
Food Service Management Company (FSMC) & Vended Sponsors
Due to USDA regulation, it is especially important to monitor and update your ADA prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement. FSMC/Vended sponsors are unable to claim meals served in excess of their approved CAP. The site calendar’s ADA cannot be revised once the claim has been submitted.
Unsure if a revision is needed?
Here’s a quick equation to determine whether the ADA should be revised:
Total Meals Served / Number of Operating Days = Average Number of Meals per Day
- Compare the Average Number of Meals to the approved CAP. If the Average exceeds the CAP, increase the ADA in your site calendar and email your Program Specialist.
Reminders
- Average Daily Attendance (ADA) entered in the WINS site calendar should be compared to actual attendance at SFSP sites:
- During site monitoring visits
- When consolidating monthly meal counts
- Prior to entering monthly claim
- ADA(s) must be revised when site attendance is higher than the approved ADA in WINS.
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Revisions to your ADA must be submitted and approved prior to submitting monthly claims.
- Email your program specialist once changes are made.
- Revised ADAs will not be approved for claims that go into error status due to meals claimed over the approved CAP.
Questions? Please contact your Program Specialist.
Is Your Organization Planning to Operate SFSP/SSO through June?
If your SFSP/SSO site calendars were submitted prior to the release of CNR waiver #59 which allows SFSP/SSO operation through the end of the school year, you may need to revise your site calendar(s).
If your meal service is currently approved through December 31, you must complete the following by December 31, 2020:
- Make a calendar revision to extend operations through the end of the school year. You must revise your SY 20-21 WINS calendar(s) to reflect June 30, 2021 as your last calendar day.
- Notify your program specialist.
NOTE: Calendar extensions submitted after December 31, 2020, may not be approved. Meals are required to be served during the state agency approved dates and times per 7 CFR 225.16.
Providing Meals for the Holiday Breaks?
Ensure non-operating days in your SY 20-21 WINS Calendar(s) are updated prior to meal service.
Changed your Meal Service Operation?
Submit a new Meal Distribution Plan to reflect your updated meal service models.
Adding or Removing Meal Service Sites?
A site application and calendar should be submitted for new meal service sites. The end date in the site calendar should be revised for sites that will cease operations.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist.
USDA Q&A #3 Updates
The USDA released SP 04, CACFP 03, SFSP 03-2021 - Questions and Answers Relating to the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through School Year 2020-21 - Extension - Q&As #3.
This memo provided clarification on verification requirements for SY 20-21. All LEAs that collected school meal applications during SY 2020-2021 are required to conduct verification based on the number of approved applications on as of October 1. Paused carryover applications are not included in this count. Although schools may have transitioned to SFSP/SSO operations, verification is still necessary and required.
The Verification Process
Verification is the process of confirming free and reduced-price meal eligibility based on the meal application. Usually, the verification process begins each year on October 1 and concludes on November 15. For SY 20-21, the verification process begins on October 1 and concludes on February 28, 2021.
The Verification Summary Report (VSR) due date and instructions for completing the report will be provided before the report opens in WINS.
Please review our Verification update for more resources and details about completing this process.
Updated Materials Now Available!
Updated materials are located under the 'Verification of Applications' dropdown on the NSLP Meal Applications and Verification webpage. Materials include:
- Entering the VSR in WINS Training
- Reference Sheets
- Timeline and Instruction Sheets
- Tools to help you complete Verification
- Letters for households in English and Spanish on the OSPI webpages. Additional languages are available on USDA's website.
Questions about the verification process? Please contact your program specialist.
See You Wednesday, 12/16!
Districts offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) this fall are encouraged to join us for these webinars.
Register Here
Date: December 16
Time: 2 - 3 pm PT
Reminders
- Save us on Your Calendar! When you register, there is an option to add us to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is sent 1 hour before the session starts.
- Weekly follow up emails with a copy of the slides are sent to everyone registered for the session, even if they did not attend.
- We do not post recordings to the CNS webpages.
- Please keep an eye out in your inbox for these emails, if you do not see them in your inbox please check your SPAM box.
Miss last week? You can review the recording from our 12/2 meeting here..
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Designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools, these grants can help new farm to school programs get started or expand existing efforts.
Submit your application by 8:59 PM PT, January 8, 2021
These one-time grants can help grantees accomplish long-term farm to school objectives.
Ideas for your grant proposal:
- Start a program that grows tribal foods and medicines
- Feature locally grown produce in your menus on a regular basis. Ask the farmers about opportunities for field trips to their farm or their availability to come talk about food with kids!
- Build a garden and incorporate fresh fruit and vegetables into CACFP, SFSP, and/or NSLP meals. Go one step farther and use the garden as a basis for educational activities! This increases kids' access to fresh fruit and vegetables, with proven positive impact on their eating habits over time and willingness to try new foods.
Who is Eligible?
These competitive grants will be awarded to eligible NSLP sponsors, CACFP sponsors, and community applicants for projects that meet the purpose of the grant program.
A 25% cash or in-kind funding match is required to receive a Farm to School Grant award and cannot be waived.
For more information, visit the National Farm to School Grants webpage.
January orders open Tuesday, December 1, and will close Tuesday, December 8, at 4pm.
Surplus orders will open Wednesday, December 9, at 1pm for groups 1 - 3, and 2pm for all other groups. Surplus closes Friday, December 11, at 4pm.
For more information on your group number, please review the Order and Delivery Schedule.
Ordering
- To place an order - log-in to CNP Web.
- Your Food Distribution Application must be completed (including certified and submitted) before you can place an order.
- Ordering Instructions
- Reminder:
The Ordering and Receiving webpage has multiple resources to assist you in placing your ordering including; instructions, order and distribution schedule.
Important Reminders
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Confirmation of USDA Foods If you’re scheduled to receive a USDA Foods Delivery, you should receive an appointment confirmation from the carrier. Please remember to reply to the carrier confirming receipt of appointment.
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To update or change your delivery contact person, please complete the Delivery Updates Form.
Questions? Please email the Food Distribution Office or call 360-725-6204.
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December 8
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January FDP Ordering Closes
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December 9-11
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January FDP Surplus Ordering Open
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December 15
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November Claims Due in WINS
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December 16
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SY20-21 Food Service Operations for NSLP and SFSP Sponsors Webinar - Register Here
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December 30
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October Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your October Claims!
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December 31
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October Building Data Due in WINS
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