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.
WINS will be available to input claims until 5:00 pm PT, Friday, July 15. At 5pm, WINS will log sponsors out of the system in order to run the monthly payment process.
Best Practice - Submit claims early in case an error comes up and you need assistance.
General Claiming Reminders
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FSMC & Vended Sponsors – Correct your Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Before Claiming
- Meals claimed in excess of the CAP count for a site will result in a claim error. 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.
- 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.
- Here is a quick equation to determine whether the ADA should be revised: Total Meals Served / Number of Operating Days = Average Number of Meals per day.
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Working with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) or Vendor? FSMCs and Vended Sponsors 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.
- Calendar revisions for changes in meal service operations, such as operating days, must be submitted prior to or on the same day of the meal service change.
- Monthly claim data must be in "OK to Pay" status by 5:00 pm PT on the 15th.
- Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! Submit your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Errors must be resolved for claims to be paid. WINS has multiple edit checks to help resolve issues before your claim is submitted.
- Pro-Tip: Always select “Preview Errors” at the bottom of each site claim once information is entered.
Claiming Resources
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor, or Trisha Santee, Fiscal Analyst.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently release several policy memos. The Keep Kids Fed Act extended key waivers to support meal access for summer 2022 and School Year (SY) 2022–23.
- Child Nutrition Nationwide Waiver Update for Summer 2022 and School Year 2022-2023 - This memo provides background on the waivers in effect.
- COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #107- Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers for Summer 2022 Operations – EXTENSION 5
- This waiver applies to the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
- This waiver allows current SFSP and SSO sponsors to operate open sites in non-area eligible locations when benefits are targeted to children in need.
- Please contact your program specialist if you are interested in this waiver.
- This waiver is in effect through September 30, 2022.
- COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #108- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites for Summer 2022 Operations – EXTENSION 4
- This waives the requirement for closed enrolled sites operating under the SFSP or SSO to collect income eligibility applications.
- This waiver was already in effect under a state requested waiver.
- This waiver is in effect through September 30, 2022.
- COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #109- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates for the Seamless Summer Option in Summer 2022
- This waiver allows meals and snacks served under the SSO to be reimbursed at the applicable Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates, rather than at the NSLP or SBP reimbursement rates.
- Reimbursement rates can be found on the Claims, Fiscal Information, and Resources webpage.
- This waiver is effective during summer 2022.
- COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #110- Waiver to Allow Fiscal Action Flexibility for Meal Pattern Violations Related to COVID-19 Supply Chain Disruptions Impacting School Meals in School Year 2022-2023 – EXTENSION
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and SSO.
- This waiver is available for any State where there is a supply chain disruption due to COVID–19.
OSPI CNS will post links to the waivers on the COVID-19 Nutrition & Meals Guidance webpage, when available.
Questions? Please email your program specialist or the CNS Team inbox.
Now that the application deadline has passed and some of you have started operating, there are some reminders we want to share!
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Claiming
Keep an eye on your participation to make sure you can adjust your ADA in WINS prior to submitting your claim. Remember, sponsors who use a FSMC/Vendor must adjust ADAs before the claim goes into error status.
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Meal Service
- Any changes to mealtimes and/or service days must be approved by OSPI. Maintaining continuous communication with site staff is essential to ensuring all changes are reported in a timely manner.
- Make sure each meal service takes place within the approved WINS mealtime.
- If any of your sites are going on a field trip, please be sure to submit a Field Trip Notification no later than the day before the field trip.
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Food Safety is Everyone's Responsibility!
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Staff Changes
- All site supervisors, staff and volunteers must be trained before they assist with SFSP operations. If you have a new staff supervisor or staff member who is not listed in WINS, please update your site application(s) as soon as possible!
- Staff must be trained on topics based on their role in the SFSP. OSPI CNS created several short, topic-based SFSP trainings available in Moodle that sponsors can incorporate into staff trainings. There are several different training topics such as Monitoring, Menu Planning, Offer Vs. Serve, Point of Service Meal Counting, and more!
Questions? Please email the Summer Meals team.
It's important to communicate with families as we transition back to normal SFSP operational requirements. We understand this may be challenging, as families have been able to grab meals and leave the past two summers. Two major changes from operations during the pandemic include:
- Requiring of all meals to be consumed on site.
- Parents or guardians no longer able to pick up meals for their children.
Best Practices
- If a child asks for additional meals for siblings/friends who are not present, remind them you must be able to see the child who is receiving the meal.
- Put up clear signage reminding participants meals must be eaten on site.
- Set up a visible perimeter, such as cones, and make a rule that meals cannot be taken past the established perimeter.
- Provide enrichment activities that entice participants to stay: bubble blowers, coloring sheets, books, other types of entertainment – get creative!
Resources
OSPI has the following resources to assist with this transition, which can be found on our SFSP Requirements and Materials page! We encourage sponsors to print up these resources and provide them to sites.
Questions? Please email the Summer Meals inbox.
This spring, OSPI CNS shared the updated state-wide promotional materials for the SFSP. As part of the kickoff, each sponsor was able to order a promotion kit for their sites at no cost!
How to use the Promotional Materials
Within the next couple weeks, materials will be delivered to the sponsoring organization so they may distribute materials to their sites.
Sites should post materials in locations that will attract attention to their sites, as well as high-traffic areas where potential participants may see the information.
Kit Contents:
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Survey Flyer: This year CNS is going to be collecting information on how parents heard about summer meal sites. Post this flyer in a visible location during the week of July 25–29, 2022! We will collect this information directly from parents during the week of July 25–29, 2022. Parents can scan the QR code with their phone or visit the URL listed on the flyer to answer a few questions and register for a chance to win a $50 gift card courtesy of United Way of King County. Each kit includes one (1) survey flyer.
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Banner: Use this banner to promote your site throughout the summer months. Each kit includes one (1) banner.
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Stickers: Stickers can encourage participants to come to your site and try new foods! Each kit included 1,000 stickers.
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Bookmarks: Learning does not stop during the summer months! Inspire participants to read and spread the word with these double-sided bookmarks. Each kit included 500 bookmarks.
Additional materials were provided based on availability.
Need More Materials?
We encourage you to use a printer of your choice to have additional items produced. You can use the images and graphics on the SFSP Resources webpage at no charge to you.
- Marketing Materials
- Social Media Content
Questions? Please email the Summer Meals Team.
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