Community Nutrition - CACFP Updates for the Week of 11/1

• CACFP Hot Topic: The Importance of Accurate Site Calendars in WINS
• Update: USDA Memo Released—Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions
• Update: Is Your Business Anticipating an Ownership Change?
• Update: New Grant Opportunity to Use Washington-Grown Foods in Your Program!
• Reminder: Administrative Reviews Resuming
• Important Dates to Remember

CACFP Hot Topic: The Importance of Accurate Site Calendars in WINS

Why is it Important to Keep Accurate Site Calendars?

The information entered in your Site calendar serves multiple purposes, including giving you the ability to claim meals. CNS staff and WINS use the site calendar information to ensure program integrity is maintained in the following ways:

• WINS has edit check systems in place to ensure only eligible meals are claimed on approved operating days. Incorrect information entered in the site calendar may result in a claim error.
• To ensure only eligible meals, meal service times, and meal service dates are entered correctly based on the type of program (At-Risk afterschool, emergency shelters, traditional childcare centers, etc.).
• CACFP specialists use the meal service times in WINS to plan site visits and meal observations. If we show up for a meal service that had incorrect information in WINS, it will result in a finding during an administrative review.
• CACFP sponsors who indicate they will claim more than 3 meals on the site calendar must take By-Name Meal Counts. Claiming meals in excess of the Program allowance is a finding during administrative reviews or audits. This will result in the disallowance of meals.
• The type of meal preparation listed in the calendar (self-prep or FSMC/Vendor) notifies CNS staff of how the meals will be prepared and what additional documentation will be required. All meals purchased through a FSMC or Vendor must have an approved signed contract in place prior to the beginning of Program operations under the subject contract.

Steps to ensure all Site calendars are correct:

1. Compare the Non-Operating Days to your institution’s schedule of planned closures and enter in WINS accordingly.
2. Make sure meal service Start and End times are the actual times the meal services take place at each site.
3. Revise your calendar if anything changes! You can revise your calendar throughout the year to reflect the most up-to-date information. If you end up having an unplanned closure or end up operating on a day you originally planned to close, update the Non-Operating Days section of your calendar as soon as possible. And be sure to revise the start and end dates/times if those end up changing during the year.
4. Make sure the meal preparation type is accurate.
5. As always, communicate changes with your specialist. Calendars must be approved prior to claiming.

Update: USDA Memo Released—Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released CACFP 02-2022: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Flexibilities During COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions.

This memo outlines existing flexibilities available to all CACFP operators experiencing supply chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The memo also encourages State Agency and sponsoring organization discretion when monitoring for compliance with meal pattern requirements. To the extent practicable, discretion should be used to provide technical assistance in lieu of fiscal action when noncompliance related to meal pattern requirements is observed due to COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions in fiscal year 2021–22.

Please review the full policy memo for additional details.

Resources

• OSPI’s CACFP Contingency Planning Webinar
• OSPI Nutrition & Meals Guidance During COVID
• CACFP Nationwide Waiver Reference Sheets
• Procuring Local Foods During COVID-19 Shortages Recorded Webinar

Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist. 

Update: Is Your Business Anticipating an Ownership Change?

What You Need to Know About Ownership Changes

Operation of the Child and Adult Care Program (CACFP) is not transferable between businesses when ownership changes occur. Reimbursement to the previous owner will not be granted after the date of the ownership change.

The new owners must start the CACFP application process to become a CACFP Sponsor with the new:

• Business name
• Tax ID number
• Statewide Payee Number

The application process may take up to three months and in some cases longer.  During this time claims may not be submitted for reimbursement by the new or previous program sponsor. New CACFP sponsors may begin claiming meals for reimbursement once the Child Nutrition Programs Unified Permanent Agreement has been signed by both OSPI and the CACFP Sponsor.

Funds Must be Returned to OSPI CNS if:

• Claims are submitted for reimbursement by the previous owner after an ownership transition occurs
• Emergency Operating Cost (EOC) funds were granted but not spent prior to the business transfer must be returned.

If your business is anticipating an ownership change please notify your specialist as soon as possible. Your CACFP specialist will assist you and the new business owner through this transition.

Update: New Grant Opportunity to Use Washington-Grown Foods in Your Program!

OSPI Child Nutrition Services is partnering with the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) on a new grant opportunity! The Farm to School Purchasing Grant is available to schools, child care centers, and summer meal program operators for the purchase and use of Washington-grown foods in child nutrition programs.   Application Details Applications will be available soon and funding will be for January 2022 – August 2022. Funding levels will be based on annual meal participation rates.    Join Us for a Webinar! Join CNS and WSDA for information on how to apply for the grant! Register for the How to Apply for the Farm to School Grant Webinar Date: Wednesday, November 3 - CORRECTED Time: 1:30 – 2:30 pm PT   Questions? Visit the WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grants website for more information.

Reminder: Administrative Reviews Resuming

Child Nutrition Program Administrative Reviews (ARs) are scheduled to resume in fiscal year (FY) 21–22. We understand the challenges CACFP Sponsors face as they continue to operate programs or reopen institutions. 

Under nationwide waiver #95 the State agency may conduct the administrative review offsite. A hybrid model of review may be utilized where the records review is conducted offsite while the expectation is that we will conduct meal observations onsite.

OSPI Child Nutrition Services (CNS) has considered many factors as we prepare to conduct AR’s. To ensure we are providing the best customer service we are requesting additional information prior to our on-site reviews.

Important: The vaccination status of all CNS staff is verified per the state vaccine mandate.

To help us plan for upcoming reviews, please email the following to your program specialist by Tuesday, November 30:

• Organization requirements for on-site visitors
• On-site COVID-19 safety protocols
• Additional preferences related to the public health emergency

Thank you for your patience as the details unfold over the next several months. We will update you as we hear more from OSPI and the USDA.

Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist. 

Important Dates to Remember