Attachment F.3_Instruments and Procedures_Site Visit Introductory Email_10.25.23

OMB CONTROL#: 0584- XXXx

Expiration Date xx/xx/202X

^{Attachment F.3} Site Visit Introduction Email

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in better identifying and understanding how States define and measure customer service for SNAP applicants and participants. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to better understand current efforts to strengthen customer service practices in SNAP. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 0.25 hours 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. 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 Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Dear STATE CONTACT,

I am writing with some good news—on [date] we received approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to begin data collection for the Understanding States’ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Customer Service Strategies study (the approval notice is attached to this email). As you know, [State] has been selected to participate in this important research that will identify how States define and measure good and/or bad customer service for SNAP applicants and participants and how customer service approaches are implemented and refined. A key component of this research are the site visits, which we would like to begin planning.

I’d like to set up a call to begin planning our study team’s visit. If possible, we would like the 2-day visit to take place before the end of [month 2024], but we would like to schedule it at a time that is convenient for you and your staff. Please let me know which of the following times would work for you to talk, or feel free to propose other times: PROVIDE POTENTIAL TIME SLOTS (include the Time Zone)

During the call, we will:

• Review the site visit activities

• Discuss potential counties/local offices to visit

• Discuss who might participate in interviews

• Discuss a tentative date for the visit

Following the planning call, I will send you a memo that outlines the proposed site visit dates, activities, and participants, as well as next steps for arranging the visit and other study components. As further background, the two-day visits will include:

1. Semi-structured interviews with SNAP administrators and staff at the State SNAP office and in one nearby [county/local] SNAP office. These interviews will each last approximately 60-minutes and will cover the design, implementation, and operation of your SNAP customer service strategies. Proposed State respondents include the State SNAP Director, the agency’s Human Resources Director, Training Director, Information Technology Director and other relevant administrative staff members. Proposed local level respondents include SNAP administrators, a SNAP eligibility worker supervisor, and SNAP eligibility workers.

2. An observation of the [county/local] SNAP office as well as three to four desk side observations with SNAP eligibility workers (note that “observations” can be conducted virtually as needed). The plan is for these observations to be focused on staff experiences rather than the participant perspective, so SNAP customers will not need to be included.

3. One interview with an advocate, SNAP ombudsperson, or CBO staff person who can discuss the SNAP applicant and participant perspective without needing to burden such individuals themselves.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to our initial planning call.

Thank you,

NAME