IM-00-14, Tribal Child Support Enforcement Program - Standard Operating Procedures for the Review of Applications Received under the Interim Final Rule

Information Memorandum IM-00-14

DATE: February 28, 2001

TO: OFFICE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT, ACF HUB DIRECTORS, ACF REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS, ACF/CSE REGIONAL PROGRAM MANAGERS

SUBJECT: TRIBAL CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM 150STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR THE REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED UNDER THE INTERIM FINAL RULE

Applications are submitted to the Office of Child Support Enforcement’s (OCSE) Office of Mandatory Grants (OMG) and logged within 1 week of receipt.

The OMG notifies applicant (s) in writing of application receipt and log date. The 90-day program review period begins with the log date.

OMG provides copies of the applications to:

	Number
Division of Special Staffs Director’s Office (DOSS)	2
Tribal Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program	7
Division of Policy (DP)	2
Division of State and Tribal Systems (DSTS)	2
Regional Office (RO)	1

The Tribal Program Review Committee (Review Committee) reviews all logged applications. The Review Committee consists of staff from the DOSS Director’s Office, Tribal CSE Program, DP, DSTS, OMG, and RO, chaired by the Tribal CSE Lead Program Manager, or designee.

Roles and responsibilities of the Review Committee:

DOSS/Tribal CSE Program staff shall review the total application with emphasis on the Tribal CSE plan; receive comments and recommendations from DP, DSTS, OMG, and RO; prepare if necessary official correspondence to notify applicant (s) of additional information needed; within 45 days of receipt of all additional information will make a recommendation for funding or non-funding to the OCSE Acting Commissioner.
DP shall review the application (s) to determine if the policy definitions published in the Interim Final Rule are clearly understood and stated correctly in relationship to the submitted application (s), and shall make recommendations and comments to clarify policy ambiguities to the Tribal CSE Lead Program Manager.
DSTS shall review the application (s) to determine if systems requirements are operable and associated costs of stated system (s) are reasonable and necessary, and shall make recommendations and comments on requirements and costs to the Tribal CSE Lead Program Manager.
OMG shall do a cost analysis of the application (s) to determine if costs are reasonable, necessary, and allocable, and shall make recommendations and comments on the budget/budget justification to the Tribal CSE Lead Program Manager.
RO shall review the total application (s) and shall provide comments and recommendations to the Tribal CSE Lead Program Manager.

The Divisions of State, Tribal and Local Assistance, Consumer Services, Planning, Research and Evaluation, and the Office of Audit will be notified of their procedural participation at a later date.

Attached are examples of the review instruments used by the Review Committee.

Attachment A - DOSS/Tribal CSE Program Staff
Attachment B - DP (not available online)
Attachment C - DSTS
Attachment D - OMG (not available online)
Attachment E - RO (not available online)