U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

1. Log No: CCDF-ACF-PI-2008-04

2. Issuance Date: May 27, 2008

3. Originating Office: Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance

4. Key Words: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); Data Reporting Requirements and Instructions for Indian Tribes; Revised ACF-700 Report; FFY 2008 Tribal Data Reporting

PROGRAM INSTRUCTION

TO:      

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Tribal Lead Agencies and Other Interested Parties

SUBJECT: 

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Annual Report (ACF-700 Report and Supplemental Narrative Report) for Tribal Lead Agencies

REFERENCES: 

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 1990, as amended (45 CFR 98.70(c)).

PURPOSE: 

This Program Instruction provides the Tribal Lead Agency with the instructions for completing the recently revised ACF-700 Report.

BACKGROUND: 

Tribal aggregate information on services provided through CCDF must be submitted annually, as required by the CCDF regulations at 45 CFR 98.70(c).

The CCDF Annual Report consists of two parts:

1) Form ACF-700; and
2) Supplemental Narrative.

The Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF) ACF-700 Report collects data on all children and families receiving direct CCDF-funded child care services during the period October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008 (i.e., Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2008). The data reflect services provided during FFY 2008 regardless of whether the services were paid for with FFY 2008 funds or prior years’ CCDF funds. For example, all services provided during FFY 2008 that are paid for with FFY 2006, 2007 or 2008 CCDF funds (i.e., Tribal Mandatory and Discretionary Funds—including funds for resource and referral and school-age care) are to be reported.

In addition, if a program uses other funds to further support direct child care services for the children being reported on the ACF-700, Tribes should indicate the use of those funds and identify the funding source in the "Comments" field of the ACF-700 report.

The Supplemental Narrative Report requests descriptions of the results of specific CCDF-funded activities available on the Tribal Lead Agency’s reservation or Tribal service area during FFY 2008.

REVISED REPORT AND INSTRUCTIONS:

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has extended approval for the ACF-700 Report through February 28, 2011 (OMB Approval Number 0980-0241).

The newly-approved report includes two key changes:

• Additional selection options for Data Element # 4 – Reason for Receiving Care – to address circumstances where Tribal Lead Agencies may be providing care in response to, or associated with, Federally Declared Emergencies.
• A new element, Data Element # 8 – Number of Children Served by Payment Type, which includes grant/contract with provider, certificate or voucher, cash payments to parents, and tribally-operated centers.

There are also some minor wording revisions to provide greater clarity.

Attached is an updated Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (ACF-700 Help Guide) that contains detailed guidance for completing and submitting the ACF-700 and Supplemental Narrative Report. The Guide is available at the Child Care Bureau’s website (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/report/formhelp/acf700/index.htm) under the heading “Additional Information and Help Available.” The Guide was developed by the Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC), under contract to the Child Care Bureau.

All Tribal Lead Agencies (i.e., Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia) that received FFY 2008 (or prior year) CCDF funds— and expended these funds during FFY 2008—must submit a complete ACF-700 Report by the December 31, 2008 due date. It is each Tribal Lead Agency’s responsibility to ensure that child care program data are collected and reported to the Child Care Bureau in a timely manner each year.

ACF-700 SUBMISSION OPTIONS: 

The Child Care Bureau encourages Tribal Lead Agencies to submit both the ACF-700 Report and Supplemental Narrative by electronic means.

Internet Submission of the ACF-700 Report:

ACF-700 Reports can be submitted through the ACF-700 Data Submission Center on the Child Care Bureau website (https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/acf700/login/login700.jsp). This page contains a password-protected web-based form that checks the data for compliance with data standards at the time of submission. These built-in error-checking features make it easier for Tribes to identify and correct errors. Use of the paperless Internet data entry site streamlines submission processing and improves data quality.

The submission web page requires a login and password. Some Tribes have already designated individuals to access the ACF-700 Data Submission Center. The login and password carry over to each new reporting period, so there is no need to register each year to use the submission site.

To register new staff or otherwise modify registration information, submit the ACF-700 Internet Registration form (found in the back of the attached ACF-700 Help Guide) by mail or fax to:

Child Care Automation Resource Center
2600 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Suite 600
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Fax: 301-692-0700

CCARC will contact the staff identified on the registration form to provide further instructions and guidance. For assistance with the login or password, the Tribal Lead Agency may contact CCARC at their toll-free number: 1-877-249-9117, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 PM, (Eastern Time), or by email at ccarc@childcaredata.org.

Alternate Electronic Submission of the ACF-700 Report and Supplemental Narrative:

Tribal Lead Agencies may submit an electronic copy of the ACF-700 Report and the Supplemental Narrative Report using compatible electronic media, such as email or a disk. The ACF-700 Report is in Excel® 2003 and can easily be transmitted as an attachment to an email message. (An electronic version of ACF-700 Report is available on the Child Care Bureau’s website at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/. ACF Regional Offices can also provide a blank version of the ACF-700 Report, if requested. The Supplemental Narrative Report can be transmitted by attaching an electronic Word® or text file to an e-mail.

Both the ACF-700 Report and the Supplemental Narrative Report should be sent to the ACF Regional Office with a copy to CCARC at ccarc@childcaredata.org.

Mailed Submissions:

A Tribal Lead Agency without access to the Internet or email may submit its ACF-700 Report and the Supplemental Narrative on paper through the mail. The original should be mailed to the ACF Regional Office (see contact information in attached Guide) and a copy should be sent to CCARC at the following address:

Child Care Automation Resource Center
2600 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Suite 600
Rockville , Maryland 20852
Fax: 301-692-0700

Faxes are acceptable only if followed by a paper copy sent through the mail.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: 

CCARC was established by the Child Care Bureau to provide technical assistance related to the grantee reporting requirements.  Assistance related to the submission of the ACF-700 Report also is available on the Internet at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/report/formhelp/acf700/helpdocs/context.htm. CCARC Technical Assistance Specialists can answer questions and provide guidance in preparation of the program information and submission of the ACF-700 Report. CCARC can be reached toll-free at 1-877-249-9117 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

REPORTING PROBLEMS OR POLICY QUESTIONS: 

Tribal Lead Agencies anticipating problems in complying with the reporting requirements should contact Child Care staff in the ACF Regional Office. Tribes should also contact the Regional Office for policy questions. Contact information for Child Care Program Managers in the ACF Regional Offices is attached to this Program Instruction and also included in the Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (ACF-700).

PAPERWORK
REDUCTION ACT: 

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The information collection required under this Program Instruction is approved under OMB Number 0980-0241, which expires February 28, 2011.

Your help in providing timely and accurate data about the valuable child care services you provide children and families in your Tribe or Tribal organization through the CCDF is important. These data help to document the work that you do and are essential for demonstrating the accomplishments of Tribal child care programs.