2400 Household Certification Process

In order for households to receive USDA commodity foods for home consumption through TEFAP, they must apply and be determined eligible to participate. The certification process may vary from organization to organization. This variation allows for flexibility to meet the needs and desires of the participating volunteer organizations and the Regional Directors. Some certification systems will involve centralized coordination of applications and information through the use of computers. Other systems may be as simple as using a Declaratory Statement signed each time an applicant/recipient comes in to pick up commodity foods. Regardless of the complexity or the simplicity of the certification process, it must be approved by the Regional Director and the following minimum requirements must be met.

2401 Declaratory Statement - Applicants/recipients must sign a declaration of eligibility (see Exhibit E for an example) prior to receiving USDA commodities each time applicants/recipients are at a participating organization to pickup commodities. Any Declaratory Statement form must be read and understood by all applicants/recipients prior to being signed. For situations in which applicants/recipients may be unable to read, participating organization staff members may need to read and explain the Declaratory Statement to them. Participating organization staff members may also need to assist applicants/recipients in the computing of monthly household income and shall use the guidelines set forth in Section 2300.

NOTE: Regional Directors may wish to expand or allow participating organizations to expand the application, certification, and re-certification procedures in order to better serve the needs and desires of the distribution area. All systems must be approved by the Regional Director, reflect reasonable expectations, and not cause undue hardships upon applicants/recipients. The sample Declaratory Statement, Exhibit E, can be used or Regional Directors may allow other forms to be developed. At a minimum the statement and household information included on Exhibit E must be incorporated on any local Declaratory Statement forms developed.

2402 Authorized Representative - The head of the household, spouse, or any other responsible member of the household may apply for TEFAP participation on behalf of the household or may designate a non-household member as an "authorized representative" who may act on behalf of the household. Authorized representatives can be used to sign the Declaratory Statement and receive the commodities on behalf of the applicant household in the event the head of the household, spouse, or other responsible household member is unable to apply.

NOTE: Regional Directors may impose further restrictions in regard to who may or may not act as an authorized representative, frequency of usage of an authorized representative, or other restrictions to insure that program abuse does not occur.

2403 Non-Discrimination - Application, certification and distribution activities implemented in the administration of TEFAP shall be completed in such a manner as to insure that there is no discrimination against any individual(s). (See Section 1204.3)

2404 Distribution Guidelines - Participating organizations shall distribute USDA commodities through TEFAP according to the SRS established guidelines. See Exhibit F for current distribution guidelines. In the event that participating organizations have more eligible households than products available to meet the distribution guidelines, the distribution amounts may be reduced in a uniform manner in order to serve as many households as possible. Under no circumstances shall any food packages be opened and repackaged for home consumption (see Section 3100). Nor shall the distribution amounts be increased above those designated in the distribution guide. If participating organizations have more products on hand than can be distributed and/or stored in an appropriate manner, the Regional Director shall be informed so that products may be re-donated to another participating TEFAP organization without waste or loss. With the approval of the Regional Director, participating organizations may be allowed to distribute more than one month's allotment to needy households at a single distribution. If this is done, Declaratory Statements and all other distribution records must clearly reflect multi-month distributions, and recipients should be informed of the time period the commodities are intended to cover.

NOTE: The distribution section on the Declaratory Statement form must be completed as to the type and quantity of products distributed and initialed by both the recipient and the organization staff representative who gives the products to the recipient. (See Exhibit E) If the Exhibit E Declaratory Statement form is not used, some other system of monitoring/verifying product distribution must be used.

2405 Verification - Verification is the use of documental evidence in order to establish the accuracy of information given on the Declaratory Statement or other applicable forms. Participating organizations have the option to request verification of eligibility factors (residence, income, and/or household size) if they are questionable and affect the household's eligibility or benefit amount. To be considered questionable, the information on the Declaratory Statement or other form(s) must be inconsistent with other available information on previous forms or inconsistent with information received by the organization. When determining if information is questionable, the decision shall be based on each household's individual circumstances. (See 2302.3 for verification of cash assistance or food stamp assistance. ) It should not be assumed that every household's Declaratory Statement is questionable.

In the event it is determined that verification is needed, the following steps shall be taken:

1. Commodity distribution to the applicant/recipient household may be withheld for up to ten (10) days or until requested verification is received, whichever is shorter.
   
   
2. The distribution section of the Declaratory Statement form for the household in which verification is needed shall be left blank until the products are given to the recipient or until the distribution is denied.
   
   
3. If after 10 days the verification has not been received, the participating organization shall notify the household in writing that the distribution has been denied due to lack of requested verification and list in the letter the verification items that were not provided.
   
   
4. When written notice of denial has been sent, the distribution section of the Declaratory Statement form for the denied household shall be marked "denied" and a copy of the denial letter shall be attached to the Declaratory Statement form.
   

NOTE: A Regional Director may choose to change or expand these verification procedures to enable the verification process to fit the needs and desires of the distribution area.