Request for Applications FY23 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching.pdf

WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid

Fiscal Year 2023 Request for Applications (RFA)

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.557

Release Date: April 27, 2023

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), June 28, 2023

Anticipated Award Date: July 2023

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are 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 0584-0512.

The estimated average time required to complete this information collection is 20 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Application Checklist

This Application Checklist provides applicants with a list of the required documents. However, FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application and comply with all requirements outlined in the solicitation. The Application Checklist is for applicant use only and should not be submitted as part of the Application Package.

Complete the following at least four weeks prior to submission:

Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI);

Register in the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Register in Grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section D “Application and Submission Information.” This includes page limits, priorities outlined in Section D, and all necessary attachments.

When preparing your budget, ensure the following information is included:

All key staff proposed to be paid by this grant.

The percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents

(FTEs).

Your organization’s fringe benefit rate and amount, as well as the basis for the computation.

The type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds.

Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justifications and basis for lodging estimates.

Types of equipment and supplies, justifications, and estimates, ensuring that the budget is in line with the project description.

Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts.

Justification, description and itemized list of all consultant services.

Indirect cost information (either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) or if no agreement exists and the applicant has never been approved for a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis). If applicant is requesting the de minimis rate or indirect costs are not requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

When submitting your application, ensure you have submitted the following:

SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities FNS-906 – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

(Appendix) Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html

Contents Application Checklist …………………………………………………………………………………… 2

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES …………………………………………………. 5

Program Description

Key Objectives

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION …………………………………………………………. 15

Allowable Costs

Purpose of Cooperative Agreement

Program Specific Requirements

Meetings

Reports and Products Review

Data and Materials Property

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION …………………………………………………………………. 26

Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

Other Eligibility Criteria

Pre-Award Screening Requirements

Acknowledgement of USDA Support

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION ……………………………………… 27

Content and Form of Application Submission

Submission Date

Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION ………………………………………………….. 34

Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

1. EVALUATION FACTORS AND CRITERIA

2. Review and Selection Process

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION ………………………………… 38

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

Administrative Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Financial Reports

Performance Progress Report (PPR)

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS ……………………………………………... 42

H. OTHER INFORMATION ………………………………………………………………………… 43

Debriefing Requests

APPENDIX …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 43

RFA Budget Narrative Checklist

FNS-908 Performance Progress Report (PPR) – For Reference Only

FNS-908 Performance Progress Report (PPR) – For Reference Only

FNS-908 Performance Progress Report (PPR) – For Reference Only

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

While more than 6 million women, infants, and children participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in the United States1, roughly 43 percent of eligible individuals do not2. Recent studies3 suggest that increasing WIC enrollment through state-level referral data matching and outreach efforts may be one avenue for increasing WIC participation. For purposes of this RFA, referral data matching means a WIC referral process with information sharing agreements in place between a WIC State agency and state agencies that administer with programs like such as SNAP and Medicaid to facilitate WIC referrals and enrollment, and conduct outreach for to SNAP participants and Medicaid beneficiaries who have provided consent to share their information with the WIC agency for this purpose, and to SNAP participants who are eligible but not yet enrolled in WIC. The goal of this request for applications (RFA) is to facilitate data sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation and retention. More information and guidance on data sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing WIC participation can be found in the recently released policy memorandum “Data Sharing to Improve Outreach and Streamline Certification in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

(WIC).” 4

This RFA will provide up to $20,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding (Section 1106 of Subtitle B, Title I of ARP), through a one-time cooperative agreement, to an external entity that will provide financial, technical, and evaluation support to WIC State agencies to implement referral data matching, with participant consent when required5, and outreach efforts. For the purpose of this RFA, the term cooperative agreement will be used interchangeably with the word grant/grantee. Eligible external entities include accredited institutions of higher education (colleges/universities), nonprofit research entities, and other nonprofit organizations. By the end of the five-year cooperative agreement, the successful recipient of this RFA will accomplish three main activities:

1 USDA Food and Nutrition Service. WIC Data Tables. Monthly Data – National Level. FY 2018 – December 2021.

Available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/wic-program. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

2 Gray K., Balch-Crystal E., Giannarelli, L., and Johnson, P. (2022). National- and State-Level Estimates of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Eligibility and WIC Program Reach in 2019. Prepared by Insight Policy Research, Contract No AG-3198-D-16-0095. Alexandria, VA: U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, Project Officer: COR Grant Lovellette. Available online at: www.fns.usda.gov/research-analysis.

3 Maneely, J. and Neuberger, Z. (2021). Matching Data Across Benefits Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment.

Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Benefits Data Trust. Available at:

https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/4-27-21fa.pdf. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

4 WIC Policy Memorandum #2023-5: Data Sharing to Improve Outreach and Streamline Certification in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 5 More information about Medicaid-specific participant consent and referral can be found in the Social Security Act at section 1902(a)(7) and its implementing regulations at 42 C.F.R. part 431, subpart F and at section 1902(a)(53)(B) and for SNAP in The Food and Nutrition Act at section 11(e)(8).

https://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/wic-program http://www.fns.usda.gov/research-analysis https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/4-27-21fa.pdf

(1) Conduct a minimum of two competitive subgrant award programs (in phases), making funding available to multiple WIC State agencies to implement referral data matching and outreach efforts;

(2) Provide pre-application technical assistance for WIC State agencies wishing to apply for subgrants and post-award technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees for the duration of all subgrant projects, and collaborate with the FNS team working on WIC modernization and innovation efforts for additional support; and

(3) Develop and apply an implementation and evaluation framework to assess the process, short-term, and intermediate-term outcomes of the overall project, including quantifying changes in WIC enrollment and participation rates among individuals enrolled in Medicaid and SNAP.

Program Description The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) works to end hunger and promote nutrition security6 through the administration of 15 federal nutrition assistance programs, including WIC. WIC is a federal nutrition assistance program that serves low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women; infants; and children up to five years old who are at nutrition risk. WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and social services to participants in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, roughly 6.2 million women, infants, and children across the United States received WIC benefits.7 In order to receive these benefits, applicants must meet four eligibility requirements: (1) a categorical requirement (i.e., must be a pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding woman; must be an infant; or must be a child up to age 5 years); (2) a residential requirement (i.e., must live in the state where applying for benefits); (3) an income requirement;

and (4) a nutrition risk requirement8.

To successfully meet the third requirement (income eligibility), applicants must either have income at or below an income standard set by the WIC State agency (and no greater than 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) or be determined adjunct or automatically income-eligible based on participation in certain programs, such as Medicaid and SNAP. The latter income eligibility process was created to ease the application burden for individuals from the lowest income households, and to streamline access to important benefits programs.

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, Congress directed the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to estimate the percent of pregnant women, infants, and children participating in Medicaid but not

6 USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2022). USDA Actions on Nutrition Security. Available at: https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

7 USDA Food and Nutrition Service. WIC Program: Total Participation. Data as of January 7, 2022. Available at:

https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/resource-files/26wifypart-1.pdf. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

8 For more information on the nutrition risk requirement, please see: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/nutrition-risk-criteria.

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/resource-files/26wifypart-1.pdf https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/nutrition-risk-criteria https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/nutrition-risk-criteria in WIC9 in order to better understand gaps in enrollment between programs. In the same directive, Congress also required FNS to estimate the percent of pregnant women, infants, and children participating in SNAP but not in WIC. While FNS is currently estimating WIC participation gaps among Medicaid and SNAP participants and has not published these estimates yet, other data sources suggest that some gaps do exist.10, 11 While about half of WIC State agencies report having a referral process with written agreements in place with programs like Medicaid,12 a USDA study13 found that only 17 percent of State agencies reported that their WIC information system was connected to other programs, allowing the facilitation of referrals and outreach for participants who have provided consent to share their information.

To address the enrollment gaps between WIC, Medicaid, and SNAP, and ultimately increase enrollment in WIC by identifying WIC-eligible individuals in Medicaid and SNAP (cross-program enrollment), several states have initiated projects to improve referrals and increase WIC enrollment that include referral data matching, with appropriate consent, and outreach to WIC-eligible individuals. Between 2018 and 2019, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) partnered with Benefits Data Trust (BDT), to launch pilot projects in four states – Colorado, Massachusetts, Montana, and Virginia - which shared and matched data from WIC and other programs and identified enrollment gaps ranging from 44 percent of WIC-eligible families on SNAP (Colorado) to 77 percent of WIC-eligible families with Medicaid coverage (Massachusetts).14 These projects demonstrated that referral data matching is advantageous because it allows states to quantify enrollment gaps, identify specific populations for targeted outreach, and simplify the WIC enrollment process.15 In 2021, CBPP also initiated an information collection from a subset of WIC State agencies to learn more about existing collaboration between WIC and Medicaid and between WIC and SNAP.16 Results of that assessment confirmed earlier findings that collaboration exists in some but not all State agencies, the level of coordination within states varied and there are opportunities to support state efforts to expand referral data matching and outreach. At the time of this assessment in 2021, at least 39 WIC state agencies already had or were developing written agreements on coordination or data sharing with Medicaid or SNAP.

9 https://www.congress.gov/117/crpt/hrpt82/CRPT-117hrpt82.pdf 10 King, M.D. and Giefer, K.G. (2021). Nearly a Third of Children Who Receive SNAP Participate in Two or More Additional Programs. Available at: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/06/most-children-receiving-snap-get-at-least-one-other-social-safety-net-benefit.html.

11 Lanese, B. G., Fischbein, R., & Furda, C. (2018). Public program enrollment following US state Medicaid expansion and outreach. American journal of public health, 108(10), 1349-1351.

12 WIC State Plan information internal to FNS 13 Magness, A., et al. (2021). Third National Survey of WIC Participants (NSWP-III): Brief Reports 1-10. Prepared by Capital Consulting Corporation and 2M Research Services. Contract No. AG-3198-K-15-0077. Alexandria, VA:

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, Project Officer: Karen Castellanos-Brown. Available online at: www.fns.usda.gov/research-and-analysis.

14 Maneely, J. and Neuberger, Z. (2021). Using Data Matching and Targeted Outreach to Enroll Families With Young Children in WIC. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Benefits Data Trust.

Available at: https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/1-5-21fa.pdf. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

15 Maneely, J. and Neuberger, Z. (2021). Matching Data Across Benefits Programs Can Increase WIC Enrollment.

Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Benefits Data Trust. Available at:

https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/4-27-21fa.pdf. Accessed on April 1, 2022.

16 Neuberger, Z., and Hall, L. (2022). WIC Coordination with Medicaid and SNAP. Washington, DC: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Available at: https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/wic-coordination-with-medicaid-and-snap-0#_ftn12. Accessed January 16, 2023.

https://www.congress.gov/117/crpt/hrpt82/CRPT-117hrpt82.pdf https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/06/most-children-receiving-snap-get-at-least-one-other-social-safety-net-benefit.html https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/06/most-children-receiving-snap-get-at-least-one-other-social-safety-net-benefit.html http://www.fns.usda.gov/research-and-analysis https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/1-5-21fa.pdf https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/4-27-21fa.pdf https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/wic-coordination-with-medicaid-and-snap-0#_ftn12 https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/wic-coordination-with-medicaid-and-snap-0#_ftn12

The process of conducting State-level referral data matching across WIC, Medicaid, and SNAP, and using these findings to inform outreach efforts, directly aligns with the goals of the WIC outreach, innovation, and modernization efforts described in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2, ARP). ARP provided FNS with $390 million to carry out WIC outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and benefit redemption.

FNS incorporated input from more than 30 listening sessions with Program stakeholders and research from the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) to establish a goal-driven investment framework for these funds to increase WIC participation and retention and reduce disparities in program delivery. In addition, an Executive Order issued on December 13, 2021, directs USDA to undertake efforts to streamline and simplify WIC certification/recertification processes.17

This is an announcement of funding, provided by ARP, for a one-time cooperative agreement with an accredited institution of higher education (college/university), nonprofit research entity, or other nonprofit organization with proven experience in State-level administrative data matching and interoperability. The recipient of this cooperative agreement, referred to in this document as the Grantee, must successfully complete the key objectives of this RFA outlined in the Key Objectives section below.

The successful Grantee funded through this announcement will accomplish three primary activities during the five-year project:

(1) Conduct a minimum of two competitive rounds of subgrant awards, making funding available to multiple WIC State agencies (“Conduct subgrant program(s) for WIC State agencies”) to implement referral data matching and outreach efforts;

(2) Provide pre-application technical assistance for WIC State agencies wishing to apply for subgrants and post-award technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees for the duration of all subgrant projects and collaborate with the FNS team working on WIC modernization and innovation efforts for additional support (“Provide technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees”); and

(3) Develop and apply an implementation and evaluation framework to assess the process, short-term, and intermediate-term outcomes of the overall project, including quantifying changes in WIC enrollment and participation rates among individuals enrolled in Medicaid and SNAP (“Evaluate overall project outcomes”).

The following paragraphs expand upon the three aforementioned activities and link these three activities to the Key Objectives (or Program Objectives) outlined in the section below.

Activity 1: Conduct subgrant program(s) for WIC State agencies.

17 The White House. (2021). Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Service and Service Delivery.

Available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/. Accessed on May 9, 2022.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/12/13/executive-order-on-transforming-federal-customer-experience-and-service-delivery-to-rebuild-trust-in-government/

During the five-year cooperative agreement, the Grantee shall administer a minimum of two competitive rounds of subgrant award programs for multiple WIC State agencies. By May 15, 2024, the Grantee shall award the first subgrant funding to successful State agency applicants. If applicants for this RFA would like to propose two rounds of subgrant award programs, they shall clearly state the timeline for these subgrant award programs in their application, along with the rationale for conducting two programs including an estimate of how many WIC State agencies could be funded under each round of subgrant awards. All subgrant activities and programs shall not exceed five years; however, all innovations, practices, and processes resulting from program activities (e.g., referral systems, data matching) are expected to be practically and financially sustainable and continue after the subgrant award period.

When determining the amount of funding to be made available for the subgrant award program(s), applicants for this RFA are encouraged to maximize the amount of the funding that will be made available through subgrants to State agencies. In doing so, the Grantee, shall award the majority of the funding to State agencies through a minimum of two subgrant program(s) administered by the Grantee. In their applications, applicants for this RFA should explicitly state:

(1) The number of subgrant programs they plan to run and the rationale for conducting that number, such as addressing differing timelines, accommodating pre-application technical assistance for State agencies that wish to apply for subgrant funding, differing State agency referral data matching capabilities, and how this approach is rooted in the applicant’s understanding of the current landscape of WIC referral data matching efforts with SNAP and with Medicaid;

(2) The total amount of funding they will make available for subgrantees (i.e., WIC State agencies) through each of the subgrant award program(s);

(3) The range amount of funding they will make available for each subgrantee (i.e., how much money each WIC State agency can apply for);

(4) The period of performance for the subgrant award(s); and

(5) A detailed description of how the applicant will administer the subgrant award program(s), including a description of the WIC State agency’s subgrant application process, suggested reviewers for subgrant applications, and subgrant application evaluation criteria.

Special considerations for the subgrant program(s) RFA:

(1) When describing how they will administer subgrant program(s), applicants should consider that FNS intends for the State agency subgrant application and implementation processes to be as simple as possible. As such, applicants shall describe how they will provide pre-application technical assistance to WIC State agencies that wish to apply for subgrant funding and, to a limited extent, cooperating state agency partners (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP). This will include pre-application technical assistance on questions WIC state agency applicants may have regarding collaboration with Medicaid and SNAP state agencies. Applicants shall also describe how they will provide ongoing technical assistance and guidance for subgrantees for the duration of all subgrant projects.

(2) Applicants shall also describe how they will publicize and inform all WIC State agencies about the opportunity to use referral data matching and outreach to simplify and increase program enrollment through this subgrant opportunity. Ensuring all State agencies have equitable access to subgrant funds through this cooperative agreement is an FNS priority;

therefore, applicants shall directly address this equity priority in their applications and demonstrate how they intend to operationalize this equity priority in the subgrant award program(s). Specifically, applicants shall include in their description how they will ensure awareness equity across all State agencies and how they will provide guidance and support to those State agencies with limited resources.

(3) Applicants shall also describe how they will ensure that all WIC State agencies receive equitable consideration based on need and regardless of their existing capacity for referral data matching. Applicants shall use subgrant proposal evaluation criteria that do not penalize State agencies for not already having referral data matching infrastructure in place. Applicants shall also use subgrant proposal evaluation criteria that give special consideration to those State agencies with the lowest WIC coverage rates as detailed in the most recent USDA/FNS report on National and State Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and Program Reach.18

(4) Before the subgrant RFA is published, FNS must approve of all RFA content. Applicants for this RFA should build a timeline that includes FNS review of 2 drafts and a final subgrant RFA. FNS requires 2 weeks to review the first draft, 4 weeks to review the second draft, and 1 week to approve the final draft.

(5) The subgrant RFA for WIC State agencies shall consist of two primary activities: (1) developing, refining, and/or finalizing data sharing and referral data matching processes and procedures, including but not limited to conducting interested party engagement to establish cross-program written agreements, acquiring or enhancing technology needed to conduct data matching, and acquiring software and/or upgrading the MIS to facilitate data sharing and referral data matching processes19, and (2) conducting an enrollment and outreach effort that will connect those individuals identified through data matching referral to WIC. Subgrant RFAs should be written in a way that does not penalize State agencies without existing written agreements in place.

Subgrant recipients (i.e., WIC State agencies) shall implement an automated referral data matching process and procedure to identify those individuals enrolled in Medicaid and/or SNAP, but not WIC, so they can be referred directly into WIC. All data sharing and matching processes must ensure appropriate consent has been provided by the Medicaid

18 The coverage rate is defined as the percentage of women, infants, and children eligible for WIC who were enrolled in WIC and claimed their benefits in an average month. Information about the most recent WIC coverage rates is available https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/national-state-level-estimates-eligibility-program-reach-2019 19 WIC Policy Memorandum #2023-5: Data Sharing to Improve Outreach and Streamline Certification in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) enrollee prior to sharing of their information for referral. Subgrantees shall also implement comprehensive outreach efforts that will ensure those individuals identified through the automated matching process will be connected to WIC in a defined timeframe. Outreach efforts implemented by subgrantees will go beyond existing referral systems and will include a variety of innovative and culturally competent outreach strategies (for instance, a state may include a number of practices, including language translation in the most commonly used language) to maximize the likelihood that these individuals enroll in WIC, including community engagement efforts to better understand the specific barriers that different populations may face in accessing WIC.

In response to this RFA, applicants shall articulate a variety of innovative and efficient enrollment and outreach strategies (e.g., text messages, phone calls, WIC certification assistance, etc.) that they intend to recommend to subgrantees, with particular emphasis on strategies with demonstrated evidence of effectiveness for increasing WIC enrollment and decreasing disparities in enrollment. Furthermore, applicants shall describe how they will provide support for subgrantee implementation of these strategies and adjust, as needed, to incorporate findings from ongoing research, including that conducted by

FNS20.

To establish data sharing and matching processes, subgrant recipients must establish referral partnerships with their State SNAP and Medicaid programs. The data use agreements will need to ensure there is appropriate consent from participants to share their data. In order to ensure timely implementation of these projects, subgrant applications will be expected to establish relationships with State SNAP and/or Medicaid partners prior to the beginning of the grant period. Applicants will be expected to provide Letters of Support from SNAP and/or Medicaid State agencies as part of their subgrant RFA application; an existing data use agreement is not required.

Activity 2: Provide technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees.

The second major activity directly relates to Program Objectives 2 (i.e., administer a minimum of two competitive subgrant programs for WIC State agencies), 3 (i.e., provide robust technical assistance to WIC State agencies wishing to apply for subgrants and technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees for the duration of the project) and 4 (i.e., coordinate with the FNS’s WIC modernization and innovation effort as seen in the Key Objectives section below). To accomplish this activity and achieve the associated Program Objectives, the applicant must demonstrate it possesses the ability to draft and establish comprehensive data sharing agreements between WIC State agencies and SNAP and Medicaid programs. These data sharing agreements must ensure Medicaid participants provide appropriate consent prior to their data being shared with WIC. Applicants must be able to assist State agencies in resolving legal, compliance, and technical barriers that may arise when developing agreements between agencies. Applicants must

20 FNS, through a partnership with Porter Novelli Public Services, Inc. has initiated a National Outreach Campaign.

This effort will result in development and implementation of a modern and strategic national outreach campaign to increase enrollment and retention in WIC, while reducing disparities in program access and delivery. The campaign is currently expected to be formally launched during FY 2024. More information about the campaign is available from FNS: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/prioritizing-outreach be capable of assisting with establishment of data sharing agreements between State agencies and other programs. Applicants must also possess a deep expertise in data matching algorithms and data matching techniques, including addressing algorithmic bias and complex matching challenges among diverse populations. Applicants must also possess experience conducting program outreach using innovative communication and community engagement and involvement from underserved communities. As such, applicants for this RFA shall include detailed examples of previous work demonstrating these skills in this application, including references to reports, manuscripts, and other related artifacts available in the public domain.

In their application, applicants shall explicitly state the agile implementation strategies they will use to provide pre-application technical assistance for WIC State agencies wishing to apply for subgrants and post-award technical assistance and guidance to subgrantees. The description shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) How the applicant will conduct outreach and technical assistance to WIC State agencies wishing to apply for subgrants;

(2) How the applicant will regularly communicate with subgrantees and the frequency of this communication;

(3) How the applicant will resolve issues subgrantees encounter when setting up the data sharing/data matching/outreach projects, what tools/expertise/resources it will leverage to resolve these issues; and how it will use an agile approach to respond to change and iteratively improve outcomes to support successful implementation;

(4) How the applicant will coordinate opportunities for subgrantees to hear and learn from each other through a structured learning collaborative21;

(5) How the applicant will support subgrantees in conducting user research and designing experiments to refine the effectiveness of culturally-competent outreach activities to maximize enrollment, including by working with trusted intermediaries like community-based organizations;

(6) What resources the applicant will develop to provide technical assistance (during the pre-application phase, for subgrantees wishing to apply, and for the implementation and evaluation phases of awarded subgrants) to subgrantees and a timeline for publishing these resources. Technical assistance resources must be reviewed and approved by FNS.

The applicant should plan for 2 drafts and a final of each resource. FNS requires two weeks for review of each draft and 2 weeks to approve the final resource; and

(7) How the applicant will support subgrantees with ensuring sustainment of data sharing/data matching/outreach projects beyond the period of the subgrant and prepare subgrantees for ongoing operations and maintenance.

21 For purposes of this program, a learning collaborative is an educational approach whereby learners (i.e., the subgrantees) obtain knowledge and troubleshoot problems through dialogue and other interactions with a facilitator (i.e., the USDA Grantee), peers (i.e., other subgrantees), and other relevant subject matter experts.

As noted in Key Objective 8 (i.e., submit all software deliverables and implementation practices or tools gleaned from this project), the Grantee shall bear responsibility for collecting and submitting to FNS all software deliverables which are developed by the Grantee or by subgrantees through this project. FNS reserves the right to utilize, disseminate, and/or share these and any other deliverables produced with funding under this grant project in accordance with 2 CFR part 200 (including, but not limited to, tools developed by sub-grantees using grant funds).

Activity 3: Evaluate overall project outcomes.

To successfully accomplish project-related activities and achieve the Key Objectives outlined in the section below, applicants must possess a wide variety of skills and expertise in data exchange and interoperability, and referral data matching and outreach. Specifically, to achieve Program Objectives 1 (i.e., finalizing an implementation and evaluation framework) and 6 (i.e., submitting software deliverables and implementation practices or tools), an applicant must demonstrate it possesses the ability to conduct a robust evaluation of the overall project.

Both formative and summative evaluation must be accomplished during the overall project timeline, and key performance indicators (KPIs) must be measured throughout the project life cycle and reported to FNS via regular reporting (i.e., progress reports and final report).

In their proposals, applicants must propose an appropriate, theory-driven implementation and evaluation framework that will serve as a guide for the overall project. This framework must also include a logic model that can be attached as an appendix to applicants’ proposal. When describing the implementation and evaluation framework, applicants to this RFA should propose an evaluation design that will assess the effectiveness of referral data matching and outreach interventions across WIC State agencies that uses an appropriate comparison group; data disaggregation, whenever possible, to assess the impact of intervention equity; and ensure all KPIs are adequately assessed. The evaluation methods should align with the standards and use definitions consistent with those expressed in OMB Memorandum M-20-12 (whitehouse.gov), including meaningful engagement with key interested parties such as WIC participants and local communities to ensure relevant and useful evaluation activities.

KPIs for process and outcome evaluation must be clearly articulated in applicants’ proposals. In addition to other relevant KPIs the applicant may propose, FNS requires that the applicant and/or WIC State agency subgrantee directly measure the following KPIs:

(1) the number of WIC-eligible individuals identified through SNAP and/or Medicaid referral data matching processes;

(2) the number and proportion of WIC-eligible individuals identified through SNAP and/or Medicaid data matching referral processes who are already enrolled in WIC (i.e., the WIC coverage rate among those participating in SNAP and/or Medicaid);

(3) the number of WIC-eligible individuals not enrolled in WIC who receive outreach and the number and proportion successfully contacted via outreach efforts (i.e., received and confirmed outreach);

(4) the number and proportion of those successfully contacted who ultimately enrolled in WIC; and

(5) the number and proportion of those successfully contacted who ultimately enrolled and participated in WIC.

Related Activities:

Beyond the evaluation activities of this grant and its subgrants and throughout the course of the project, FNS will be conducting evaluation of all ARP-funded projects on WIC outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts.22 As such, the Grantee may be asked to participate in FNS-sponsored surveys, interviews, and focus groups that are part of this larger evaluation. In its application, the Grantee shall affirm their willingness to participate in any data collection and sharing activities related to the overarching evaluation. Additionally, in the subgrant RFA the Grantee creates, the Grantee will incorporate a requirement that all subgrantees must also express a willingness to participate in any WIC modernization evaluation activities sponsored by FNS.

Key Objectives Below is a list of the Program Objectives. As noted in the section below, within “Activities/Indicators Tracker”, proposed activities should be clearly aligned to these Objectives and their associated Activities and Indicators.

22 Additional information about WIC Modernization and Innovation efforts and projects is available online:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/modernization-and-innovation 23 Any release of information from the State Medicaid agency to the WIC State agency must comply with all Medicaid confidentiality requirements at 42 CFR § 431.306. For more information and guidance on data sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing WIC participation, see the policy memorandum “Data Sharing to Improve Outreach and Streamline Certification in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)”

# Objectives

1 Create a theory-driven implementation and evaluation framework, inclusive of a logic model and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the overall project and for the outreach portion.

2 Develop, promote, and administer a minimum of two competitive subgrant competitions for WIC State agencies to build, integrate, and sustain (practically and financially) referral data matching capabilities into their outreach efforts and certification/recertification processes.

3 Provide management and robust technical assistance to potential subgrant applicants throughout the application and award process, and to subgrantees throughout the life of the project.

4 Develop and identify evidence-based, culturally competent outreach strategies and metrics around leveraging match results to reach eligible nonparticipants. Identify promising and sustainable outreach methods and verify their effectiveness among subgrantees, as applicable.

5 Develop strategies on leveraging data and documentation from Medicaid23 and SNAP to streamline enrollment processes for eligible nonparticipants who provide appropriate consent.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/modernization-and-innovation

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

The following information is intended to provide applicants with information to help applicants make informed decisions about proposal submissions.

a. Total amount of funding expected to award: Up to $20,000,000

b. Anticipated number of awards: 1

c. Anticipated award announcement date: July 2023

d. Expected amounts of individual Federal awards: Up to $20,000,000

e. Anticipated start dates and period of performance: August 2023; not to exceed

5 years.

f. Anticipated amounts and/or numbers of individual awards: 1

g. Estimated funding per award: Up to $20,000,000

h. Application due date: June 28, 2023

Please note:

a. Grant awards are subject to the availability of funding and/or appropriations of funds.

b. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants this year or the subsequent fiscal year, should additional funds become available.

Funding and Award Period

This cooperative agreement is issued under Section 1106 of Subtitle B, Title I of ARP. This section authorizes funding to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts, including appropriate waivers and flexibility in order to increase participation and redemption of benefits in WIC.

6 Coordinate with FNS to provide hands-on technical assistance to WIC State agencies wishing to apply during the pre-application phase and to subgrantees as they implement, evaluate their respective projects.

7 Comprehensively evaluate the subgrant projects, compose an evaluation summary report and draft scientific manuscript(s) for peer-reviewed journals, and submit all documents to FNS for review.

8 Prepare and submit to FNS all software deliverables (e.g., tools for facilitating referral data matching, extract-transforms-load operations, algorithms, custom code), implementation practices or tools (e.g., documented business processes, sample agreements), KPIs and evaluation tools, content and communication plans, and any other deliverables that will help State agencies replicate projects.

To accomplish the goals and deliverables described in this RFA, USDA anticipates awarding up to $20,000,000 to a single Grantee to assist State agencies in: (1) establishing and/or expanding the technological infrastructure needed to support data matching and interoperability across programs (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP) which confer automatic income eligibility with WIC, and (2) conducting an outreach and enrollment program to connect and enroll eligible individuals and families to WIC. FNS seeks bidders that have an identified strategy for continuing the projects beyond the grant period. Applicants for this RFA are encouraged to maximize the amount of the funding that will be made available through subgrants to State agencies. Of the total amount awarded to the Grantee, the majority of the funding will be awarded to State agencies through a minimum of two subgrant program(s) administered by the Grantee.

USDA expects to award up to a $20,000,000 cooperative agreement to a single eligible entity in Fiscal Year 2023. FNS plans to announce the selected Grantee by July 2023 and enter into a cooperative agreement with the Grantee in Fiscal Year 2023. The Grantee will be allowed to use the funds consistent with its application.

The entity receiving this cooperative agreement (i.e., the Grantee) will then award subgrants to WIC State agencies via the first competitive subgrant competition by May 15, 2024. If multiple subaward programs are utilized, the Grantee will determine the exact duration of subgrant awards; however, subgrant awards may not be for less than 2 years (24 months) from the subgrant award date.

For this RFA, FNS will accept one application package per applicant. Among the required activities, the Grantee will be responsible for utilizing their total awarded amount (i.e., up to $20,000,000) to carry out at least two rounds of competitive subgrants to WIC State agencies.

While the Grantee must reserve a portion of the total funding to administer this project and achieve all objectives outlined above, the majority of the total funding must be made available for subgrants to WIC State agencies.

SAMPLE Estimated Award and Performance Timeline Date Activity April 27, 2023 Cooperative Agreement RFA release May 31, 2023 Optional Letter of Intent due June 28 2023 Cooperative Agreement RFA applications due July 2023 Cooperative Agreement award No later than December 1, Finalize, with FNS review and approval, pre-application technical assistance materials; Provide assistance and guidance to help potential subgrantees apply for the subgrants

No later than January 31, Subgrant Round 1 RFA release; Provide assistance and guidance to help potential subgrantees apply for the subgrants

No later than March 31, 2024 Subgrant Round 1 RFA applications due No later than May 15, 2024 Subgrant Round 1 grants awarded May 16, 2024, through March 30, 2028

Subgrant Round 1 period of performance; Grantee provides technical assistance and guidance

No later than October 1, Subgrant Round 2 RFA release; Provide assistance and guidance to help potential subgrantees apply for the subgrants

No later than November 15, 2024 Subgrant Round 2 RFA applications due No later than January 15, 2025 Subgrant Round 2 grants awarded January 16, 2025, through March 30, 2028

Subgrant Round 2 period of performance; Grantee provides technical assistance and guidance

April 1, 2028, through June 30, 2028

Grantee finalizes projects; submits reports, software deliverables and implementation practices/tools for final FNS approval

June 2028 End of Cooperative Agreement

Allowable Costs

Among other costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, and, whether in-person or virtual, FNS-approved meeting, conference, and training travel expenses.

Equipment and Supplies: Expenditures for both equipment (i.e., items of personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $5,000 or more) and supplies are allowable expenses.

Incentives: The term “incentive” means any financial inducements that would increase the likelihood of an individual responding to a request to participate in some project-related activity.

For purposes of this RFA, small incentives may be used to encourage participants to respond to evaluation-related activities (e.g., interviews, surveys, focus groups). Examples of allowable financial incentives include coupons or gift cards redeemable for food or general household items. Examples of unallowable incentives include, but are not limited to, giveaways of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and lottery tickets. Unallowable incentives may not be paid for with either Federal or matching funds.

Software and Licensing: Software and licensing costs shall be specified for all years of the project.

Travel: To the extent possible, applicants should limit travel-related expenses and, instead, rely on virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams). When necessary, however, travel expenses are permissible.

Purpose of Cooperative Agreement This grant will be awarded in the form of a cooperative agreement. This agreement is a legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the Federal government and the Grantee.

Cooperative agreements allow more FNS involvement and collaboration in the project compared to a typical grant and provide less direction of project activities than a contract. The roles and responsibilities of both the Grantee and FNS will be stated in the Terms and Conditions of the cooperative agreement.

FNS’s involvement in this cooperative agreement will largely entail serving as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to provide key input and information to the Grantee, reviewing and providing feedback on deliverables, and providing input on the subgrantee selection and performance processes. FNS will approve subgrant RFAs, subgrantee selection criteria, and final subgrantee award decisions as well as all public-facing communications and resource materials.

To the extent practicable, FNS, in collaboration with other federal partners and in particular CMS, is available to provide policy and technical consultation to the Grantee through a series of pre-planned feedback sessions and/or standing meetings. FNS will comment on major project aspects and issues in advance of their implementation in a manner and timeframe agreed upon between the Grantee and FNS. At FNS’s discretion, FNS involvement with the Grantee may include:

1. Providing comments on and having ongoing conversations with the Grantee regarding plans to meet this RFA’s requirements;

2. Reviewing plans specified in Application and Submission Information section of this RFA and plans associated with projects funded by this cooperative agreement;

3. Reviewing and/or co-authoring documents; and

4. Receiving files for all Grantee-produced documents and data collected during this cooperative agreement.

Program Specific Requirements

Crosswalk: Applicants…