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OSPI Child Nutrition submitted a Monitoring Waiver request to USDA to allow flexibilities for sponsoring organizations participating in CACFP in the state of Washington.
The following monitoring requirements have been waived:
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7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii) Sponsoring Organizations must review each CACFP facility three times a year.
- Waiver allows for 2 reviews to be conducted instead of 3
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7 CFR 226.16 (d)(4)(iii)(A) Two of the three reviews must be unannounced.
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Waiver allows for all visits to be announced
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7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii)(B) that at least one unannounced review must include observation of a meal service.
- Waiver allows for meal observation to be conducted at one of the announced visits
Action Required
The Meal Distribution Plan (MDP) provides the state agency information about which waivers you intend to use and how you will be distributing meals.
Submit Meal Distribution Plan if you did not complete an MDP with renewal this year and at least one of the following statements now applies:
- Intend to use the Monitoring Waiver
- Intend to use any of the Nationwide Waivers
- Organization has been closed but is now reopening. Meal distribution at one or more sites will be conducted differently than it is normally and/or Nationwide Waiver(s) will be utilized.
Submit Meal Distribution Plan Update Survey if you have already submitted an MDP AND at least one of the following statements now applies:
- Intend to use the Monitoring Waiver
- Changes have been made to the current meal distribution model
- Intend to use one of the Nationwide Waivers not previously selected on the MDP or MDP Update Survey
The Monitoring Waiver approved for CACFP in Washington state is in addition to Nationwide waivers granted from USDA. For a current list of Waivers for Washington State, please check the COVID-19 Nutrition and Meals webpage.
Monthly claims are due by the 15th of each month following the claim period. This month, the 15th lands on the President's Day holiday and OSPI staff will not be in the office.
WINS will be available to input claims until 5:00 pm PT, Monday, February 15. At 5:00pm, WINS will log sponsors out in order to prepare to run the monthly payment process. There will not be an additional business day given to make up for the holiday.
Best Practice - Submit claims early in case an error comes up and you need assistance. We will have staff available until Friday, February 12 at 5:00 pm PT.
Here are some important reminders about claiming in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS):
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.
- Ensure to 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.
- All claims entered in WINS and in OK to Pay status will process for payment at the end of the month.
- Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! File your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Example: The January 60-day claim deadline is April 1, 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.
- Review the Claiming Error Messages in WINS Information Sheet for more details on possible errors.
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Common Errors
- Total Attendance is entered with the claim and is the sum of children in attendance each day during the month. Meals claimed in excess of Total Attendance will result in a claim error.
- 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.
- Pro-Tip: Always select “Preview Errors” at the bottom of each site claim once information is entered.
Please review last month's claims reminder for additional claiming resources.
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor, or Pam Fravel, Fiscal Analyst.
The Consolidated Appropriations and COVID Stimulus and Relief Bill passed Section 722 on December 28, 2020. This section includes funding for CNP program operators for the purpose of covering emergency operating costs incurred during the public health emergency.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released SP 06-2021, CACFP 05-2021:Child Nutrition Program Emergency Operating Costs During COVID-19: Implementation Guidance for State Agencies. This memo includes the formula for calculating benefits.
Funds are available for sponsors who experienced a significant drop in claim reimbursement in March, April, May, and June 2020 due to the pandemic.
Calculation of Funds
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For April through June = 2019 Claim – 2020 Claim x .55%
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For March= 2019 Claim – 2020 Claim x .55%, divided by 2
Next Steps
OSPI Child Nutrition Services must submit an implementation plan to USDA for approval before funds may be issued. Calculations will be done by Child Nutrition Services and automatically issued to sponsors. No action is required by sponsors.
Please keep an eye out for future CNS Updates for more details as they become available.
Have Questions? Please email communitynutrition@k12.wa.us.
In November, OSPI requested a gap year for Administrative Reviews scheduled for FY 2020-21 to provide further technical assistance and support to Child Nutrition Program sponsors in response to Program operation changes as a result of the public health crisis.
The gap year extends the review cycle, allowing FY 2020-21 Administrative Reviews to be rescheduled for FY 2021-22. This waiver has been approved by the USDA. OSPI must continue to conduct oversight and provide technical assistance to ensure program integrity upon approval of this waiver.
Our focus will be on customer service, technical assistance, and program integrity through conducting:
- Risk-Based Approach to Technical Assistance Visits
- Group Facilitation
- Formal and Informal Trainings
- Zoom Office Hours
- Webinars
The USDA did not offer a waiver for Procurement Reviews, therefore this review will continue as planned for 20-21.
Program Specialists will contact sponsors in the coming weeks to schedule Technical Assistance Visits, Trainings, as well as Office Hours. We appreciate the dedication of each sponsor as they continue to provide the children of Washington State with nutritious meals during this unprecedented time.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the CACFP Updates Webinar.
During this webinar we discussed the COVID Stimulus Relief Bill, ounce equivalents requirements for the upcoming year, and program updates.
Unable to Join?
If you missed our last webinar, you can watch the recording here.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
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The USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative is excited to announce new meal pattern training slide presentations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). These ready-to-go presentation slides may be used by State agencies, sponsoring organizations, child care centers, and others to train providers, operators, and menu planners.
The three new slide presentations include:
- Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP
- Serving Vegetables in the CACFP
- Using the WIC Food Lists to Identify Grains for the CACFP
Download the slides other resources from the Team Nutrition webpage.
Please contact TeamNutrition@USDA.gov with any questions about these new resources.
Grains in the form of bread/bread-like items, crackers, iron-fortified infant cereal, or ready-to-eat cereals are an important part of meals and snacks in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Starting October 1, 2021, all program operators will be required to use ounce equivalents (oz. eq.) when menu planning. Now is a great time to start learning about what they are and how to use them!
New Resource!
As a reminder, iron-fortified infant cereal is the only grain that may count toward a reimbursable breakfast, lunch, or supper in the CACFP infant meal pattern.
Team Nutrition's Feeding Infants Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP handout details:
- Using Grains Measuring Charts,
- Using Nutrition Facts Labels, and;
- Additional Measuring Tools!
This new resource is available in English and Spanish.
Pro Tip: Have this printed and handy in your centers to help everyone stay compliant with the new oz. eq. rules.
More About Grains and Oz. Eq.
To make sure children and adults get enough grains at CACFP meals and snacks, minimum required amounts for grains are listed in the meal pattern as ounce equivalents (oz. eq.). Ounce equivalents tell you the amount of grain in a portion of food.
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February 15
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January Claims Due in WINS
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March 1
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December Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your December Claims!
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