CACFP Solutions performs all final monthly claim services on a regular schedule at the beginning of each month for the prior month’s claim by using 1 of 2 claim check-in methods:
*Must qualify for early check-in and request by the stated cut-off deadline.
Early claim check-in is available upon request when a Client releases an eligible claim early between the 1st – 4th of every month, regardless of weekends or holidays.
The following criteria must be met for a claim to be eligible for early check-in.
All claims that were not previously accepted for Early Check-In will be automatically checked-in for claim service as-is on the 5th of every month, as early as 12:01 AM, regardless of weekends or holidays.
This means any claim records to be included must be ready no later than the 4th at 11:59 PM.
Expense records are defined as receipts or labor expense details that meet the criteria to be counted as a valid expense for the CACFP.
Clients will receive access to a solution that permits the capture + upload of digital receipt copies. Receipts will be processed from those digital copies.
Individual receipt expense records will be created so that the 1) receipt image and 2) expense details produced during processing are available to the Client for review.
The expense record will include any details as to the status of the receipt so the Client will be able to determine if a submitted receipt was accepted or not.
CACFP Solutions highly recommends that each client separate their CACFP purchases from Non-CACFP purchases.
The processing method applied during standard monthly claim processing (Level 1) assumes the client is submitting valid receipts that contain only allowable items.
Regular monthly claim expense processing of receipts or labor expense documentation includes (Level 1) processing, which is outlined in this document. Claims that are scheduled for an administrative review will be re-evaluated and updated if necessary using (Level 2) processing techniques.
(Level 1) processing is the standard method used during regularly monthly claim service. The primary function of (Level 1) receipt processing is to:
(Level 1) processing is not for the purpose of identifying, lining out, or otherwise, deducting unallowable items from expense record calculations.
DISCLAIMER: CACFP Solutions is not responsible for any corrective action measures required by TDA, including the requirement to repay CACFP funds, that may be caused by the inclusion of unallowable items on receipts, or the inclusion of receipts that are not procured from a legitimate purchase.
(Level 1) processing is the standard method used during regularly monthly claim service. The primary function of (Level 1) Labor-Expense processing are the same for labor-expense records as they are for receipt processing, as described in 2.5.1.
(Level 1) processing is not for the purpose of specifically collecting payroll records for each month and creating a precise labor-expense record for each employee.
To protect the confidential information for each client and their staff, (Level 1) processing should provide a sufficient estimation of valid labor-expense totals for a claim month – if the Client has maintained updated budget and payroll data with CACFP Solutions.
This may be completed by CACFP Solutions staff or directly by the SaaS system depending on when this is reviewed in relation to deployment of the upgraded SaaS system.
A labor-expense record for an applicable claim will automatically be created for the Client’s claim when these criteria are met for the claim:
To be considered a valid TDR, the report must meet these criteria:
CACFP Solutions relies heavily on the assumption that each CE’s budget is accurate when preparing expense methods using Level-1 processing. It is the Client’s responsibility to work with CACFP Solutions to ensure all budget categories are reviewed regularly and updated as needed.
The percent of CACFP hours reported on the TDR will be applied in the creation of the expense report if the percentage is lower than the percentage assigned to the employee on the approved budget. If the percentage on the TDR is higher than the percentage assigned on the approved budget, the lower percentage from the TDR will be used.
DISCLAIMER: CACFP SOLUTIONS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION OR CACFP REPAYMENTS THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE INCLUSION OF LABOR-EXPENSE RECORDS THAT CANNOT BE LATER PROVEN BY A COMPARISON OF ACTUAL PAYROLL DOCUMENTATION DURING AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OR ANY SIMILAR AUDIT PROCESS.
All of the recommendations and guidelines provided in 2.6.1 still apply. (Level 2) processing is an enhanced claim processing method that is applied to claims specifically selected for evaluation during an administrative review. It is expected that the Client has been following all recommendations prior to any (Level 2) processing taking place.
Assuming the Client has been following recommendations reported to the Client by CACFP solutions during monthly services, Level-2 processing is intended to help eliminate any avoidable findings during an administrative review by adjusting the claim expense records to eliminate the unallowable items from being included in the calculations.
If a Client has not followed CACFP recommendations for expense submissions, (Level 2) processing may result in an expense shortage for that claim that had not previously been identified after unallowable items are deducted from the
receipt(s) during (Level 2) analysis.
Inclusion of unallowable items during (Level 1) processing will result in inaccurate claim reporting of “Reimbursement vs. Expenses” analysis results.
This analysis is important to confirm whether sufficient valid expenses have been documented for a claim to prove the operation of a non-profit food service.
(Level 2) processing may reveal that the claim documents do not support the Client’s requirement to operate a non-profit food service. This is why CACFP Solutions strongly recommends that each Client separate their CACFP purchases from nonCACFP purchases.
DISCLAIMER: CACFP SOLUTIONS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION MEASURES REQUIRED BY TDA, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT TO REPAY CACFP FUNDS, THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY THE INCLUSION OF UNALLOWABLE ITEMS ON RECEIPTS, OR THE INCLUSION OF RECEIPTS THAT ARE NOT PROCURED FROM A LEGITIMATE PURCHASE.
All of the recommendations and guidelines provided in 2.6.1- 2.7.1 still apply. (Level 2) processing is an enhanced claim processing method that is applied to claims specifically selected for evaluation during an administrative review. It is expected that the Client has been following all recommendations prior to any (Level 2) processing taking place.
Since the Client will submit actual payroll documentation as step in the administrative review preparation procedures, claim processors will use the actual payroll records, the TDR details, and the CE Budget Details to update the existing laborexpense records to replace the previous estimations with precise labor expenses.
Assuming the Client has been following recommendations reported to the Client by CACFP solutions during monthly services, (Level 2) processing is intended to help eliminate any avoidable findings during an administrative review
by adjusting the claim’s labor-expense records to precisely report labor-expense details for the claim based on:
The adjustments to expense records will be relatively small if the Client has followed all recommendations reported during monthly services.
This analysis is important to confirm whether sufficient valid expenses have been documented for a claim to prove the operation of a non-profit food service.
(Level 2) processing may reveal that the claim documents do not support the Client’s requirement to operate a non-profit food service. This is why CACFP Solutions strongly recommends that each Client separate their CACFP purchases from nonCACFP purchases and maintain organized business and payroll records.
DISCLAIMER: CACFP SOLUTIONS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION MEASURES REQUIRED BY TDA, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT TO REPAY CACFP FUNDS, THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY ANY LABOREXPENSE SHORTAGE WHEN COMPARED TO REIMBURSEMENT AMOUNT.
Since expense records do not play a role in the direct calculation of the claim reimbursement, CACFP Solutions will continue to accept and process expense records at no additional charge for a limited period after Claim Services are performed on that claim per the Expense Submission Deadline Schedule.
Receipts are accepted for additional processing without exception, though receipt records submitted after the Expense Submission Deadline for the applicable claim will incur additional fees for late processing.
******Time Distribution Reports will only be accepted through the Expense Submission Deadline – no exceptions.****
The standard deadline for submitting receipts or valid TDRs is the last day of the month following the actual claim month. Depending on the record type and date, this allows approximately 30-60 days to submit them.
Claim Month | Receipt Processing Deadline |
---|---|
January | 02/28 |
February | 03/31 |
March | 04/30 |
April | 05/31 |
May | 06/30 |
June | 07/31 |
July | 08/31 |
August | 09/30 |
September | 10/31 |
October | 11/30 |
November | 12/31 |
December | 01/31 |
CACFP Solutions offers ongoing program support as part of each Client’s Account Plan:
CACFP Solutions will provide report and alerts via email, text, and via customer dashboards and other system reports to provide transparency to the Client regarding program results or potential issues. The Client is expected to utilize the tools to help them self-manage areas of the Program which may require review (at a minimum) or additional actions.
CACFP Solutions will monitor the Client’s program outcomes and offer a personal check-in / “Program Evaluation” three (3) times annually. The purpose is to perform a detailed program analysis, identify any non-compliance areas, offer suggestions to improve program benefits or resolve other issues or concerns raised by CACFP Staff or by the Client. These reports will only be shared with the client.
CACFP Solutions will establish a schedule for the purpose of reminding the Client when they are due to conduct a monitor review at their facility. CACFP Solutions staff support the client by providing the information that is necessary to be reviewed during the process, as well as documenting the results per details provided by the client.
CACFP Solutions will monitor the status of annual required training and training of new staff throughout the year. Reminders will be provided to help the Client identify what outstanding training requirements are not met. Results can be tracked by CACFP Solutions staff by Program Year.
CACFP Solutions will provide project support as it relates to various recurring events:
Any other projects that may occur are not within the scope of the related Order for Services and would be ordered separately and subject to separate invoicing.
Assisting the client with projects is contingent on the Client’s cooperation with preparation, document collection, and responses to staff who are responsible for assisting with the projects within the specified deadlines.
Time is of the essence and certain deadlines must be met by the Client to proceed with project duties.
CACFP Solutions is under no obligation to continue project services, or to rush the typical allotted time to complete certain activities, if the client is not producing requested information by the stated deadlines, or if the client is not responding to CACFP Solutions’ staff in a timely manner. Cooperation includes, but is not limited to:
All claims must be processed per CACFP guidelines – no exceptions.
Claims will not be placed on hold to allow additional time for record updates or completion.
Customer will make available all prepared accounts and claim documents necessary for CACFP Solutions to perform all Professional Services.
Childcare sites who also participate in the at-risk program will be treated as 1 claim for the purpose of calculating Average Reimbursement / billing details.
Customer is responsible for monitoring all CN label or Product Analysis usage and expiration dates for their sites. CACFP Solutions will process Daily Meal Production Records per the CN or PA data that is linked to the menu in the system.
Use of any alternate forms that will require processing must be authorized by CACFP Solutions at least 60 days in advance.
CACFP Solutions will not be responsible for any incorrect or inconsistent data present in any SaaS application records that results from edits made by the Customer’s staff.
CACFP Solutions makes every reasonable effort to remain informed of all Program changes. As a precautionary measure, Customer will promptly inform CACFP Solutions of any upcoming policy or guideline changes that impact the Professional Services being
performed.
CACFP Solutions is not a sponsoring organization and therefore does not strictly enforce CACFP guidelines for Clients. However, adherence to CACFP guidelines and recommendations by CACFP Solutions staff is critical to the CE’s success. CACFP Solutions is not required to continue providing service under any circumstances if it becomes clear that the Client is blatantly disregarding CACFP guidelines or otherwise committing fraudulent acts, including but not limited to: falsifying reported claim menus, meal counts, attendance, enrollment record details, providing illegitimate receipts, or otherwise reporting false or inaccurate information with respect to the CACFP and services that CACFP Solutions is to perform on the Client’s behalf in support of their program operation.
The Client retains full and final responsibility for preparation of all records, including menus, meal counts, enrollments, expense records, CE application materials, or any other similar records required to participate in the CACFP. While CACFP Solutions will do everything reasonably appropriate to support the client in their CACFP operation, CACFP Solutions is not responsible for any decisions or findings made by TDA representatives and offers no guarantee of results due to the number of variables outside the company’s control.
Clients are responsible for consulting with a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) to receive guidance in deciding on the best approach for categorizing CACFP reimbursements in the Client’s business and accounting software. The way CACFP reimbursements are treated in part determines the recommended approach for organizing and reporting business expenses outside of the CACFP claiming process. CACFP Solutions can offer suggested best practices based on experience; however, this is not a replacement for independently consulting with a CPA.
It is understood and agreed between CACFP Solutions and Client that CACFP Solutions may act as Client’s agent with the authority to perform certain acts incidental to the Scope of Services, including the following:
IT IS UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED THAT CLIENT HAS THE FULL AND FINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ABOVE ACTIONS AND HAS THE RIGHT TO CONTROL THE MEANS AND DETAILS OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE ABOVE TASKS ARE PERFORMED.
Phone: 512-657-8036
Phone: 512-657-8036
10900 Research Blvd Ste 160C
Austin, Texas, 78759
© 2022 CACFP Solutions