DCL-03-33, Annual Certification Letter

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-03-33

DATE: September 3, 2003

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Annual Certification Letter

Dear Colleague:

Annually, each state is required to send a signed certification letter to the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) pertaining to the Federal Offset Program. This letter certifies to OCSE that the information submitted by your state meets the legal requirements for Offset and Passport Denial, and also provides information as to your state's preferences regarding mailing of pre-offset notices, holding periods, and contact information. This letter requires a signature from the IV-D Director or his/her designee.

When completing your state’s Annual Certification Letter, you may want to consider the recent change in the Federal Register eliminating the requirement that a TANF case be three months delinquent before referring it to the Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Services. (For more information you may access the OCSE Policy web page at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/hypernews/topics23.htm.)

Enclosed is a copy of the Annual Certification Letter. This document can also be found in the Federal Offset Program (FOP) User Guide, Version 6.1, Appendix I-1, and can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/library/fop/fop.htm.

Please complete and submit your Annual Certification Letter to OCSE no later than September 26, 2003. Your letter may be faxed to (202) 401-5553, or mailed to the Special Collections Unit at the address indicated at the top of the Annual Certification Letter. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Richards at (202) 690-5372 or scollections@acf.hhs.gov. Thank you for your continued commitment to serving the needs of our nation's children.

Sincerely,

Sherri Z. Heller, Ed.D.

Commissioner

Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosure

cc: Regional Program Managers

ACF Regional Administrators