DCL-08-32, "Fiscal Year 2009 User Fees for FPLS and CSENet"

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-08-32

DATE: September 15, 2008

TO: ALL STATE IV-D DIRECTORS

RE: Fiscal Year 2009 User Fees for FPLS and CSENet

Dear Colleague:

This letter is to inform you of the annual user fees that each State will be assessed for use of the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) and the Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. Enclosed are summaries of your State’s fees.

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 FPLS information at rates determined by the Secretary to be reasonable. These fees recover only a portion of OCSE’s costs for operating, maintaining, and upgrading the FPLS and for the implementation of new capabilities to support the National Child Support Enforcement strategic plan.

In FY2008, FPLS user fees to both State and Federal agency users increased due to rising operational costs of the FPLS as well as the costs to implement new capabilities and bring new efficiencies to States. System enhancements implemented in FY2008 included improving the FCR matching processes by filtering redundant proactive and locate response data, and accessing SSA’s file of pending benefits claims.

In FY2009, States will experience a decrease in FPLS and CSENet fees, even as OCSE continues to maintain the high level of service. Included in the FY2009 fees will also be the costs to implement a nationwide match against Federal and State workers’ compensation and insurance claim data and provide access to new locate data, including the National Change of Address database. Also, OCSE will continue to promote electronic data exchange and foster effective State and OCSE partnerships through continued support of and enhancements to the Query Interstate Cases for Kids (QUICK) application.

The FPLS and CSENet fees are allocated based on each State’s IV-D caseload average for the most recent six-year period for which final data are available as reported on the OCSE-157 report. Since all States have the opportunity to participate in all FPLS services, CSENet and other telecommunications systems, benefits should be realized in direct proportion to caseloads, and the fees are allocated accordingly.

The FY2009 FPLS and CSENet user fees will be assessed beginning October 1, 2008. These user fees are to be paid on a quarterly basis in equal installments. Each State is to report its FPLS fee charge-back on line 10 and its CSENet fee charge-back on line 11 of Form OCSE-396A. You will continue to receive all fees in a consolidated bill. Fees will automatically be deducted from your State’s quarterly grant.

If you have any questions regarding fees, please contact Dennis Putze at (202) 401-4030 or dennis.putze@acf.hhs.gov. Thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of our nation’s children.

Sincerely,

Margot Bean
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

Enclosures

cc: Regional Program Managers (w/o Attachment)