All issuance is accounted for through a reconciliation process. The manner in which this is done corresponds to the type of issuance system used. The Department has adopted the following options and waivers.
As SNAP benefits are authorized by eligibility systems (SCI-II and FACETS), reports are generated that provide the details of the benefits being authorized. The benefits for the two authorization systems are passed through the Alabama EBT Interface System to ensure that an EBT account exists for the client. The Alabama EBT Interface System transmits the benefit files to the EBT Contractor. The State uses the Benefit Batch Posting Reports produced by the current EBT Contractor to ensure that all benefits passed to the EBT System have been posted or otherwise accounted for. The State tracks the availability of future date benefits by using the warehouse totals on Account Management Agent (AMA) to reconcile the monthly postings.
The State receives a Settlement Clearing Statement from the Contractor to determine the amount of funds to settle on a daily basis. State law requires that all Federal funds that the State is disbursing go through the State Treasury. Consequently, as funds are required for settlement, the State performs the draw down for Food Assistance benefits using the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP). The current process used by the State allows funds to be moved to the Contractor's clearing account on the same day as the Settlement Clearing Statement is received.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 660-4-3-.04
Author: Julia Thomas
Statutory Authority: Food Stamp Act of 1977 7 U.S.C. 2011et seq; Code of Ala. 1975, § 38-2-6(17); 7 C.F.R. Subtitle B, Chapter II Subchapter C Section 274.4(a).