TABLE OF CONTENTS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Scope 1.2 Overview 2.0 EXCHANGE AGREEMENT PROCESSES 2.1 Current Process 2.2 Enhanced Process 2.3 Test Environment Process 2.4 Viewing Exchange Agreement Data on a Web site 3.0 STATE TESTING APPROACH 4.0 IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH 4.1 Release Schedule 4.2 State Responsibilities 4.3 Initial OCSE Server Exchange Settings

THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT

An agreement between two States to exchange CSENet 2000 transactions over the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Network is referred to as an Exchange Agreement. The purpose of this document is to provide States the specifications to manage their Exchange Agreements to comply with the Exchange Agreement Upgrade (OCSE Reference #20) for implementation on November 19, 2001 as part of the FPLS Release 01-01 Manifest Minor. The Release Manifest is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/relmgnt/relmgnt.htm.

Section 1.0: Introduction provides a scope and overview of the enhanced Exchange Agreement process.

Section 2.0: State Specifications outlines the State actions necessary to implement the enhanced functionality.

Section 3.0: State Testing Approach provides information regarding opportunities and options for pilot testing.

Section 4.0: Implementation Approach provides information regarding the verification of data to be used in the enhanced Exchange Agreement process and the time frames for implementation.

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1.0 INTRODUCTION

In response to legislative mandates, each State is striving to implement a fully functional automated Child Support Enforcement (CSE) system. Included in these efforts is the capability to exchange all types of CSENet 2000 transactions over the OCSE Network. Some State systems are capable of sending and receiving all types of CSENet transactions; others, however, can exchange only certain types at the current time. At present the CSENet Exchange Agreement process is set up to enable communications to exchange either all Function codes (LO1, CSI, ENF, MSC, PAT, EST, and COL) or none.

At the request of States and in support of the Consensus Plan for the CSENet 2000 Phase II Implementation, the CSENet Exchange Agreement process is being enhanced to allow States to choose the types of transactions they want to exchange with other States. This upgrade encourages opening electronic communications among States for Function codes that their systems can handle, while they are completing development of functionality to accommodate additional Function codes.

1.1 Scope

The scope of this document is to provide States with a description of the enhanced functionality of the Exchange Agreement process. It also specifies the process for verifying current Exchange Agreements, State testing, and implementation.

1.2 Overview

The enhanced Exchange Agreement process provides the following capabilities:

• Ability to enter into an Exchange Agreement for one to seven Function codes for each State.
• Ability to view Exchange Agreement data by Function code for each State. The CSENet 2000 team will provide the data to the Interstate Roster and Referral Guide (IRG) for posting to the IRG Website.

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2.0 EXCHANGE AGREEMENT PROCESSES

This section describes the current and enhanced Exchange Agreement processes and provides information concerning the OCSE server test environment configuration. Also, it identifies the Web site for viewing Exchange Agreement information.

2.1 Current Process

The following steps outline the current process for enabling communications:

1. The CSENet point-of-contact (POC) from State A contacts the POC from State B to agree upon the exchange of CSENet transactions between their States.
2. Each POC contacts their CSENet technical representative or the Service Desk to enable communications between their respective States. States specify whether the request is for production, test, or both.
3. The OCSE server's database is updated to allow the exchange of all transaction Function codes between the two States.
4. Each POC is notified of the newly enabled Exchange Agreement by their CSENet technical representative.

An Exchange Agreement can be disabled by either POC by contacting their CSENet technical representative.

2.2 Enhanced Process

The steps outlined in Section 2.1 remain the same for the enhanced process with the exception that State POCs will need to specify the Function codes that are to be exchanged. The OCSE server will then only allow the exchange of those Function codes between the two States.

2.3 Test Environment Process

The OCSE server test environment will be initially configured to allow all States to exchange all Function codes. If States desire to customize or restrict exchanges during testing, they should contact their CSENet technical representative.

2.4 Viewing Exchange Agreement Data on a Web site

The CSENet 2000 State Exchange Agreement by Function Code for each State and the State Transaction Type Overview matrices will be displayed on the IRG website for viewing only. The IRG Website is http://ocse3.acf.hhs.gov/ext/irg/sps/selectastate.cfm. Chart 2-1: Viewable Data Elements provides a list of elements that the OCSE server will update and provide daily for the IRG website.

CHART 2-1: VIEWABLE DATA ELEMENTS

Name	Description
States	Exchanging Partners
LO1	Quick Locate Function code
CSI	Case Information Function code
MSC	Miscellaneous (Managing State Cases) Function code
ENF	Enforcement Function code
EST	Order Establishment Function code
PAT	Paternity Establishment Function code
COL	Collection Function code
Last_update	Date of last agreement change
Comments	Optional comments concerning the status of a State (e.g., Communications Disabled, Receives Only)

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3.0 STATE TESTING APPROACH

Before Production system release of the enhanced software, some States may desire to verify the accuracy of their Exchange Agreement data prior to the scheduled implementation date. States may do this by participating in pilot testing. Pilot testing provides each State an opportunity to exchange transactions with:

• the OCSE server using FIPS code 9100000,
• other States participating in pilot testing, or
• their own system through loopback testing.

CSENet technical representatives will be available to provide analysis and feedback concerning test transactions. Pilot testing will be available the week of November 5, 2001. Please contact your technical representative if you wish to participate.

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4.0 IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH

4.1 Release Schedule

Chart 4-1 outlines the key dates in the Exchange Agreement Upgrade scheduled for implementation on November 19, 2001 as part of the FPLS Release 01-01 Manifest Minor.

CHART 4-1: IMPLEMENTATION DATES

Date	Action	Who Performs the Action
September 17, 2001	A State-to-State Enabled Communications Report will be sent to each State POC identifying each Function code sent or received by their State to or from each other State between January 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001, unless the two States have currently disabled communications.	CSENet team
November 5, 2001	State pilot testing available.	States
November 15, 2001	All Exchange Agreement requests to be implemented on November 19, 2001 must be submitted to CSENet technical representatives.	State POCs

4.2 State Responsibilities

Each POC will be given an opportunity to review the information on the State-to-State Enabled Communications Report provided on September 17, 2001. These reports will provide the following information:

• Exchange partners for each State,
• Specific Function codes exchanged from January 1, 2000 through August 31, 2001, and
• Whether or not a specific Function code was sent by the State: Y if yes; N if no.

Note: Discrepancies (e.g., State A communicated an LO1 Function code with State B, but State B did not communicate an LO1 Function code to State A) will be reflected on the report.

States will be responsible for:

• Resolving any discrepancies,
• Verifying the information, and
• Providing updates.

States will need to provide the requested information to their CSENet 2000 technical representative by November 15, 2001. If a State does not provide updates or verification of this information by November 15, 2001, its Exchange Agreements will be initialized on November 19, 2001, as described in Section 4.3.

4.3 Initial OCSE Server Exchange Settings

The following process describes how Exchange Agreements will be initialized in the OCSE server's database on November 19, 2001:

1. In the OCSE server's database, an Exchange Agreement will be enabled between two States for each Function code sent by either State to the other between January 1, 2000 and November 15, 2001, unless the two States have currently disabled communications.
2. Any request by a POC to disable an Exchange Agreement submitted to their CSENet technical representative by November 15, 2001, will be applied in the server's database.
3. Any request by two States' POCs to enable an Exchange Agreement submitted to their CSENet technical representatives by November 15, 2001 will be applied in the OCSE server's database.

Note that in situations where a State has sent one or more transactions with a specific Function code to another State, but has never received a transaction with that code from the other State, the OCSE server will default to allow transactions containing that Function code to be exchanged between the two States. States wishing to change their Exchange Agreement for a particular Function code must contact their CSENet technical representative prior to November 15, 2001.