Child Care Bureau: Laws, Policies, Program Instructions, and Allocations

Data Reporting for Indian Tribes; ACF-700 Form

Note: This Program Instruction and its attachments apply to the FY 2004 ACF-700 data collection. View current data reporting guidance.

Index: ACYF-PI-CC-05-01 | ACF-700 Form | Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (updated 12/2004)

Related Items: ACF Regional Administrators | ACF-700 Help

Program Instruction (ACYF-PI-CC-05-01) (also available in Word and PDF)

ACF Administration for Children and Families	U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration on Children, Youth and Families
	1. Log No: ACYF-PI-CC-05-01	2. Issuance Date: January 12, 2005
	3. Originating Office: Child Care Bureau
	4. Key Words: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); Reporting Requirements and Instructions for Indian Tribes; ACF-700 Form

CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND PROGRAM INSTRUCTION
TO	CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies and Other Interested Parties
SUBJECT	Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Annual Report (Form ACF-700 and Supplemental Narrative) 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 CCDF Annual Report.
BACKGROUND	Tribal aggregate information on services provided through the Child Care and Development Fund must be submitted annually, as required by the CCDF regulations at 45 CFR 98.70(c).
	The CCDF Annual Report consists of 2 parts: 1) the Form ACF-700; and 2) the Supplemental Narrative
	The ACF-700 collects data on all children and families receiving direct CCDF-funded child care services during the period 10/1/03 through 9/30/04 (i.e., Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2004). Data reflect services provided during FFY 2004 regardless of whether the services were paid for with FFY 2004 funds or prior year CCDF funds. For example, all services provided during FFY 2004 that are paid for with FFY 2002, 2003, or 2004 CCDF funds (i.e., Tribal Mandatory and Discretionary funds -- including funds for resource and referral and school-age care) are to be reported.

NARRATIVE 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 FY 2004. The Supplemental Narrative Report has been revised to eliminate several questions that are based on outdated CCDBG regulations, and are no longer required for States or Indian Tribes in the required data sections at 45 CFR 98.70-71. One question has been revised to include "early learning and literacy activities which support school readiness" as an example of efforts to improve the quality of child care, in accordance with the President's Good Start Grow Smart Early Learning Initiative. A new question asks about efforts to improve the quality of data collected, including the use of the Tribal Data Tracker, if applicable.

WHO MUST REPORT	All Tribal Lead Agencies (i.e., Tribes, tribal organizations and tribal consortia) that received FY 2004 (or prior year) CCDF funds - - and expended these funds during FY 2004 - - must submit a complete ACF-700 form by the due date listed below. 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.
PENALTIES FOR NON- REPORTING	The statute provides that the Secretary may impose sanctions on a Lead Agency for non-compliance with any requirement of the CCDF program. (Child Care Development Block Grant Act, Section 658I(b)(2)(B)) The regulations provide that the Secretary may impose a penalty of not more than four percent of the Discretionary Funds for a Fiscal Year, if it is determined that a Lead Agency has failed to implement a provision of the Act, the regulations, or the Lead Agency's Biennial Plan. (§ 98.92(b)(2)) Tribes failing to provide reports may be subject to this penalty. (63 FR 39980). Penalties will not be imposed if ACF-700 reports are received by January 31, 2005.
GUIDANCE FOR REPORTING	The attached Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies contains guidance for completing and submitting the ACF-700 and Supplemental Narrative. The Guide is also available at the Child Care Bureau's website under the Grantee Reporting tab, ACF-700 section. The Guide was developed by the Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC), under contract to the Child Care Bureau.
DUE DATE	The CCDF Tribal Annual Report is due by December 31, 2004. Since this is an annual reporting requirement, Tribal Lead Agencies should already be aware of this due date. However, because unforeseen circumstances have delayed the issuance of this Program Instruction, penalties will not be imposed if ACF-700 reports are received by January 31, 2005.
ACF-700 SUBMISSION OPTIONS	The Child Care Bureau encourages Tribal Lead Agencies to submit both the ACF-700 and Supplemental Narrative by electronic means.
	Internet Submission of the ACF-700 Form: ACF-700 reports can be submitted through the ACF-700 Data Submission Center on the Child Care Bureau web-site (/cgi-bin/acf700/acf700.cgi). 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 edit-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 Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies") by mail or fax to:
	Child Care Automation Resource Center 2600 Tower Oaks Blvd., Suite 600 Rockville, MD 20852
	Fax: 301-692-0700
	CCARC will contact the staff identified on the form to provide further instructions and guidance. If you have forgotten your login or password, you may contact CCARC at their toll-free number: 1-877-249-9117, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, (Eastern Time), or by email at: ccarc@childcaredata.org.
	Alternate Electronic Submission of the ACF-700 Form: Tribal Lead Agencies may submit an electronic copy of the ACF-700 form and supplemental narrative using compatible electronic media, such as email or disk. The ACF-700 form is in Excel 5.0 format and can easily be transmitted attached to an email message. ACF Regional Offices can email the form, if requested. Diskettes are also available from the ACF Regional Offices.
	Electronic Submission of the Supplemental Narrative Report: Tribes can submit the Supplemental Narrative report by attaching an electronic Word, WordPerfect or text file to an email to the Child Care Automation Resource Center at ccarc@childcaredata.org. CCARC will forward copies of the report to the ACF Regional Office and the Child Care Bureau.
	Mailed Submissions: A Tribal Lead Agency without access to the Internet or email may submit its Annual Report (both the ACF-700 form 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 the Child Care Bureau at the following address: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children, Youth and Families Child Care Bureau, Attn: Ginny Gorman Switzer Building, Room 2046 330 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20447 Fax: 202-690-5600
	Faxes are acceptable only if followed by a paper copy sent through the mail.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE	The Child Care Automation Resource Center was established by the Child Care Bureau to provide information systems technical assistance. Assistance related to the submission of the ACF-700 is available on the Internet at: /programs/ccb/report/formhelp/acf700/helpdocs/context.htm. CCARC also has staff with information systems background who can answer questions and provide technical assistance in completing 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 the ACF Regional Office. Tribes should also contact the Regional Office for policy questions. Contact information for ACF Regional Offices is included in the Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (ACF-700 Help Guide).
REPORTING BURDEN	The public reporting burden for collecting the information in this Annual Report is estimated to average 35 hours per response. This estimate includes the time for reviewing the instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the reporting form. Comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, should be sent to: the Child Care Bureau, Switzer Building, Room 2046, 330 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20447; and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC.
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 December 31, 2007.
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. This data help to document the work that you do and are essential for demonstrating the accomplishments of tribal child care programs.
	/s/ Joan E. Ohl Commissioner Administration on Children, Youth and Families

ATTACHMENTS

Form ACF-700
Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies
ACF Regional Administrators List

Index: ACYF-PI-CC-05-01 | ACF-700 Form | Tribal Annual Report: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (updated 12/2004)

Related Items: ACF Regional Administrators | ACF-700 Help