TEFAP Allocation Process
Agreement Amounts Based on the Availability of Funds and Allocation Formula:
Agreement awards are based on the amount of TEFAP funds available and the allocation formula.- Initial Allocation – The initial allocation is comprised of a base per county amount and a county’s percentage of poverty rate. The current base for non-rural counties is $15,000 and $20,000 for rural counties. The remaining pass-through funding is then calculated based on each county’s percentage of people living at or below the federal poverty level, based on the 5-year American Commodity Survey (ACS) estimates.
- Reallocation – If funding levels significantly increase during the year or there are remaining funds at the end of the federal fiscal year, the following will occur:
- If increased funding levels are received during the year, then they will be reallocated based on the same formula used for the initial allocation.
- Any remaining funds at year-end will be issued to Lead Agencies that have submitted documented claims in excess of their original allocation. These funds are allocated on the same 5-year ACS poverty data as the initial allocation and does not include a base.
Reimbursement Method:
The Lead Agency submits an invoice voucher on a monthly basis. The invoice voucher is supported by either an expanded general ledger with account detail or complete back-up for invoices. If the Lead Agency submits only the expanded general ledger, a more intensive financial review is conducted by WSDA FA staff during the regular program compliance review.- If there is a reduction or increase in the amount of program funds available, WSDA FA may reduce or increase the amount of a Lead Agency’s original award. However, there may be other causes prompting a change in funding.
- With any increase or reduction in funding, WSDA FA sends the Lead Agency an Agreement amendment specifying the amount of the reduction or increase.
- The Lead Agency must also send an amendment to all affected Sub Agencies indicating their budget changes, where applicable.
Food Distribution Allocation:
USDA Foods are allocated to Lead Agencies using the same per county formula as administrative funding with no base. USDA Foods are ordered only in amounts that can be expeditiously distributed without waste.USDA Foods shall be initially allocated to each Lead Agency as follows:
- 25% to Meal Programs
- The Lead Agency is not required to distribute the entire 25% to meal programs if the meal programs are unable to fully utilize their allocation.
- When a Lead Agency doesn’t have any meal programs, it doesn’t have to allocate any of the food for that purpose.
- The remaining food can be reallocated to the food pantry programs.
- 75 % to Food Pantry Programs
In addition, reallocation between programs may be necessary to meet the USDA regulations in 7 CFR 250.14(d) and applicable FNS policy memoranda regarding inventory management which states that inventories may not exceed a six-month supply nor extend past the recommended shelf life of any given product. However, WSDA FA requires that inventories do not exceed a three-month supply.
WSDA FA prepares a USDA Direct Shipments Workbook (shipments coming directly from USDA vendors) and Bills of Lading for shipments coming directly from Northwest Harvest (NWH) which is our state-level storage and distribution contractor. Typically, Lead Agencies receive quarterly projections and updates as applicable.
Also, Food Lifeline (FLL), a bonus redistribution center for frozen and cold bonus foods, will send an email to each Lead Agency, as applicable, to notify them of upcoming redistribution availability.
Priority System:
The priority system distributes USDA Foods received under this program to first meet the needs in Category One, then in Category Two, and finally in Category Three. This priority system will be used by the Lead Agency to distribute TEFAP food to Sub Agencies.Category One clients meet the direction provided to the State under the EFAP Act of 1983, to place highest priority on emergency and distress needs, including lower-income and unemployed individuals/households. Category One includes both meal programs and food pantry programs.
Examples of the three categories are:
Category One – Emergency and Distress:
| Households | Meal Programs | Shelters | Transitional Housing |
Category Two – Low-income
| Low Income Housing (Congregate Feeding) | Senior Programs |
Category Three – All Remaining Applicants:
| Drug & Alcohol | Summer Camps | Hospitals | Adult Day Care |
| Group Homes | Retirement Centers | Nursing Homes | Boys/Girls Club |
| Mental Health | Foster Care | Job Corps |
Allocation Adjustments due to Disasters and Situations of Distress:
In a presidentially declared disaster or a situation of distress determined by the State, all impacted Lead Agencies may be required to transfer USDA Foods to the area of crisis.- There will be no cost to the Lead Agency for the transfer.
- In certain circumstances, USDA will be able to replace the value of the USDA Foods provided for the crisis.