DCL-98-62, Federal Case Registry Loop Test

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER DCL-98-62
DATE July 2, 1998
To: All IV-D Directors
Re: Federal Case Registry Loop Test

Dear Colleague:

As part of the FCR implementation, we will be scheduling Loop Tests for the Federal Case Registry (FCR) for 8/31/98 - 9/25/98. The purpose of the Loop Tests is threefold: to ensure that 1) the States can send data to the FCR; 2) their data is in the requested format; and 3) they can receive an error/response file from the FCR.

The schedule for Loop Tests will be:

July 1998 - States will receive the Data Transfer Request form. This form is used to register the data set names for the States' FCR data. The form should be completed and returned by July 31, 1998.

August 1998 - The telecommunications connection and the CONNECT:Direct process will be established and tested. The States will send a 640 byte dummy file to the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA will send a 920 byte dummy file to the States.

September 1998 - States will submit their FCR test data, which will be processed with an error/response file returned to the States. For this Loop Test, we ask each State to:

Submit five hundred (500) transaction records (all types of transaction records will be accepted) in the format described in Appendix G of the FCR Interface Guidance Document (IGD) dated 5/29/98;

Use a Batch Number of 99999 in the header record, positions 18 - 23;

Send the data via CONNECT:Direct during the time-frame 8/31/98 - 9/25/98; and
Process the error/response file returned from the FCR.

Each State will be contacted as to when they should submit their data. The data will be monitored throughout the entire process and any problems will be handled by our Data Transmission Team.

Please note: Due to operational considerations, we CANNOT accept FCR test data after 9/25/98. Any data submitted after this date will need to be in the "initial load" format or ongoing production data format (refer to DCL-98-54 and Appendix G of the FCR IGD).

If you need clarification regarding any aspect of your State's Loop Test with the FCR, please contact Rose Hodel at (703) 352-3855 or via email at rhodel@bdm.com.

Thank you for your continuing efforts to implement the FCR. Your support and assistance is greatly appreciated as we work together to improve the lives of our nation's children.

Sincerely,

David Gray Ross
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

cc: Regional Program Manager
FCR Technical Contacts
FCR Program Contacts
CONNECT:Direct Contacts