DCL-00-73, Federal Parent Locator Service Fees for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001

DCL-00-73 June 28, 2000

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Federal Parent Locator Service Fees for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001

Dear Colleague:

This letter is to inform you that beginning the first quarter of FY 2001 (October 1, 2000) user fees assessed for access and usage of the expanded Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) will increase due to rising developmental and operational costs.

Under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) is authorized to recover costs incurred in furnishing information, at rates determined by the Secretary to be reasonable. These fees recapture a portion of OCSE’s costs for operating and maintaining the FPLS systems. In the past few years, OCSE has funded several new major initiatives that have dramatically increased the effectiveness of the FPLS mission, such as Passport Denial and the Multistate Financial Institution Data Match (MSFIDM). The day-to-day operational costs of the FPLS program have correspondingly risen. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the FY 2001 quarterly fee amount to assist in offsetting the rise in program costs.

For FY 2001, we will continue to charge a flat access fee, and a variable fee based on each State’s IV-D caseload average. This fee structure will continue to allow for unlimited use of all FPLS services. User fees are to be paid on a quarterly basis in four equal amounts. Each State is to report their FPLS fee charge-back on line 11 of Form OCSE-396A. Fees that are not paid in a timely manner will be deducted from your quarterly grant.

If you have any questions, please contact Tony Hardy at (202) 401-9231.

We appreciate your continued efforts in assuring that the children of our nation receive the support they so desperately need.

Sincerely,

David Gray Ross
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosure

cc: ACF Regional Administrators
Regional Program Managers