School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study-II, Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment - SAs, SFA Directors, District Business Managers, School Nutrition Managers, and School Principals (SLT)

APPENDIX J

STATE CN AGENCY DIRECTOR RECRUITING TELEPHONE SCRIPT

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State CN Agency Director Recruiting Telephone Script

Note: The burden associated with gathering and submitting the requested documents is included in the disclosure statement on Appendix B.

OMB Control No.: 0584-0606

Expiration Date: 03/31/2019

Hello, my name is [Recruiter Name]. I’m calling from Insight Policy Research to follow up on an email I sent you about a new U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service study in which [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands] was selected to participate. The study is looking at the cost of producing reimbursable school meals in [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands]. May I please speak with [CN Agency Director Name]?

If asked for more details:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service has contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and its partner, Insight Policy Research, to conduct the Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment. The purpose of the reassessment is to determine the extent of information available about the costs of reimbursable meals for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and update information gathered in 2018. Reimbursement rates for school meals sold in the contiguous 48 States and the District of Columbia are assessed periodically using a rigorous cost study methodology applied to sample of public school food authorities, or SFAs, and schools. That cost study methodology has never been applied in outlying areas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This study is important because an accurate assessment of meal costs could help adjust per-meal reimbursement rates in [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands]. The study is not an audit.

If not speaking with the State CN agency director:

May I leave [Mr./Ms. Director Last Name] a voicemail now, and could you please tell me when it would be a good time to reach him/her? Also, may I have your name please? [COLLECT INFORMATION AND LEAVE MESSAGE.]

CALLBACK DATE AND TIME:

NAME:

VOICEMAIL MESSAGE: [Mr./Ms. Director Last Name], my name is [Recruiter Name]. I’m calling from Insight Policy Research to follow up on an email I sent you about a U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service study in which [Puerto Rico/the U.S. Virgin Islands] has been selected to participate. I’d like to speak with you to arrange an interview with you and colleagues, and answer any questions you may have. I can be reached at [Email] or [Telephone Number]. Thank you.

If speaking with the State CN agency director:

I’m calling to follow up on my recent email about the Outlying Areas Cost Study Feasibility Reassessment, which we’re conducting on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

• SCHEDULE INTERVIEW: In my email I offered some possible dates and times for a face-to-face interview with you [USVI: along with the Virgin Islands Division of Finance Director of Accounting and Financial Reporting and the Virgin Islands Department of Education Chief of Staff] during our visit. Do any of those work for you? [SCHEDULE DATE/TIME.] Great. I will send you a confirmation email after we have finished scheduling all of the interviews.

INTERVIEW DATE AND TIME:

• USVI ONLY: OBTAIN OR CONFIRM CONTACT INFORMATION: Next, I’d like to [get/confirm] the names, email addresses, and telephone numbers for the staff we would like to interview along with you. [RECORD THE INFORMATION.]

• CONFIRM STATE AGENCY ROLE: Now I’d like to confirm the relationship between your State Child Nutrition agency and the SFAs under your jurisdiction. This will help me ask the right set of questions of you and the SFA directors in the interviews.

Program regulations specify several administrative and oversight functions for State Child Nutrition agencies. Typically State Child Nutrition agencies are not directly involved with school food service operations, but I understand this might not be the case for your agency. [IF NEEDED: State Child Nutrition Agencies are responsible for agreements with SFAs; review of food service management company contracts; review of the claims payment process; implementation of the State agency's monitoring responsibilities; initiation and completion of corrective action; recovery of overpayments; disallowance of claims that are not properly payable; withholding of Program payments; oversight of SFA procurement activities; training and guidance activities; civil rights; and compliance with the State Administrative Expense Funds requirements as specified in 7 CFR part 235.] In addition to the administrative and oversight functions specified in program regulations, is your agency involved in any of the following food service operations in the SFAs?

☐ Administration and management	☐ Hiring and staffing
☐ Budgeting and fiscal control	☐ Meal production and planning
☐ Food procurement for, and distribution to, the SFA(s) or schools	☐ Food service employee union contracting

• REQUEST DOCUMENTS: The visit will be faster if we can gather some documents in advance. That way we can review everything and tailor some of the questions we will ask. I’d like to get these documents by [DATE] to be able to prepare. I’m going to read a list of documents. Can you please tell me which ones you will be able to share? [LIST ONLY ITEMS TO BE REQUESTED FROM EACH RESPONDENT. DO NOT REQUEST DUPLICATE DOCUMENTS (FOR EXAMPLE, FROM BOTH THE SFA DIRECTOR AND THE STATE CN DIRECTOR).]

• Audited and unaudited revenue and expenditure statements for [the/each] SFA from fiscal year 2017–2018, or if those are not available, audited and unaudited revenue and expenditure statements from fiscal year 2016–2017

• Completed daily production records that document the foods that are prepared for and served in reimbursable meals each day for a typical school week for the following schools: [FILL]

• Documentation that identifies the cost categories and support functions included in the district’s indirect cost rates or indirect cost allocation plan(s), such as documentation submitted to the State Department of Education for approval

• If applicable, [the/each] SFA’s cycle menu(s)

• If applicable, [the/each] SFA’s food service management company contract

• If applicable, [the/each] SFA’s food service employee union contract

• Examples of records of food purchases, such as invoices, delivery slips, or monthly vendor statements, that show the item, unit size, the price per unit, and the quantity obtained; please gather an example from each of [the/each] SFA’s suppliers, including all vendors, USDA Foods, and if applicable, DoD Fresh

• Examples of standardized recipes for foods prepared from scratch

• Examples of records for SFA personnel or personnel in the selected schools who work on food service activities and are paid out of the food service account. These records should show job title, salary, hours worked, amount of leave time, and amount of time spent on food service activities. Please redact any names, Social Security Numbers, or other personally identifiable information from these records.

• Examples of records for district personnel or personnel in the selected schools who work on food service activities but are paid out of the district account rather than the food service account. These records should show job title, salary, hours worked, amount of leave time, and amount of time spent on food service activities. Please redact any names, Social Security Numbers, or other personally identifiable information from these records.

• If applicable, examples of records of non-reimbursable foods sales (for example, adult meals or items that are sold a la carte in the cafeteria or elsewhere in school, such as in vending machines, school stores, food carts, or snack bars)

Great. You can post the documents to the secure website by [PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS]. I will include these instructions in the visit itinerary, too.

Thank you for your help today. I look forward to meeting with you.

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