Appendix F4 Sponsor Intro Letter

OMB Control No.:0584-NEW

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average xx minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx*). Do not return the completed form to this address

Appendix F4, [SPONSOR INTRO LETTER]

<Date>

Optimal Solutions Group, LLC
5825 University Research Ct., Suite 2800
College Park, MD 20740

RE: Information and survey request - <Sponsor Organization> - Participant Characteristics Study (AG-3198-C-13-0016)

Dear <Sponsor Organization Director’s Name>,

Your organization has been selected to participate in the nationwide Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Participant Characteristics Study, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ascertain how the summer foods program operates at the state level, the sponsor level, and the site level as well as describing participant characteristics and examining the differences and factors that affect participation by sponsors and children nationwide. The findings from this study will help the USDA better determine which summer foods policies are successful and which need improvement in increasing participation among eligible children. This will ultimately help the USDA better serve summer foods sponsors such as yours in their role administering this valuable program to our nation’s youth. Enclosed with this letter is a brochure describing the study and its value to you and our nation’s youth in need of nutrition assistance during the summer.

The USDA has hired Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal), to conduct surveys of summer foods sponsors as well as a survey with state agencies and sites and interviews with parents/caregivers of SFSP-eligible participants and non-participants. The goal of the sponsor-level survey is to better understand basic summer foods sponsor characteristics and to gather sponsor feedback regarding their activities and the support they receive from their state agencies.

In <time of month>, you will receive an invitation via e-mail with details about an upcoming webcast hosted by Optimal for selected SFSP sponsors to attend. This webcast will explain in more detail the purpose of the study, key dates to consider, how the data are being collected, and any action items for sponsors to take. This interactive webcast will provide sponsors an opportunity to ask questions, provide suggestions, and gain clarity about their role in this study. Participation in this study is voluntary. There will be no penalties if you decide not to respond, either to the information collection as a whole or to any particular questions. The information you provide will be private and will not be maintained or disclosed in identifiable form to anyone, except otherwise as required by law.

During the webcast, Optimal will request a list of the 2015 summer foods sites that you operate along with specific administrative data. Please cooperate with this request in a timely manner. Once Optimal has selected sites, you will be asked to distribute survey information to them.

In the late summer, you will receive an e-mail inviting you to complete the sponsor survey.

No action is needed on your part at this time. If you have any questions or concerns about your participation in this study, please contact Optimal at 877-776-8501 or SFSP@optimalsolutionsgroup.com.

For inquiries about the authorization of this study, please contact Dr. Chan Chanhatasilpa at FNS Headquarters at 703-305-2115 or chanchalat.chanhatasilpa@fns.usda.gov.

Thank you for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mark Turner
Project Director

Enclosure