246.25—Records and reports.
(a) Recordkeeping requirements.
Each State and local agency shall maintain full and complete records concerning Program operations. Such records shall comply with 7 CFR part 3016 and the following requirements:
(1)
Records shall include, but not be limited to, information pertaining to financial operations, food delivery systems, food instrument issuance and redemption, equipment purchases and inventory, certification, nutrition education, civil rights and fair hearing procedures.
(2)
All records shall be retained for a minimum of three years following the date of submission of the final expenditure report for the period to which the report pertains. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the records has been started before the end of the three-year period, the records shall be kept until all issues are resolved, or until the end of the regular three-year period, whichever is later. If FNS deems any of the Program records to be of historical interest, it may require the State or local agency to forward such records to FNS whenever either agency is disposing of them.
(3)
Records for nonexpendable property acquired in whole or in part with Program funds shall be retained for three years after its final disposition.
(4)
All records shall be available during normal business hours for representatives of the Department and the Comptroller General of the United States to inspect, audit, and copy. Any reports or other documents resulting from the examination of such records that are publicly released may not include confidential applicant or participant information.
(b) Financial and participation reports—
(1) Monthly reports.
State agencies must submit financial and program performance data on a monthly basis, as specified by FNS, to support program management and funding decisions. Such information must include, but may not be limited to:
(ii)
State agencies must require local agencies to report such financial and participation information as is necessary for the efficient management of food and NSA funds expenditures.
(2) Annual reports.
(i)
Every year, State agencies must report to FNS the average number of migrant farmworker household members participating in the Program during a 12-month period of time specified by FNS.
(ii)
State agencies must submit itemized NSA expenditure reports annually as an addendum to their WIC Program closeout reports, as required by § 246.17(b)(2).
(3) Biennial reports.
(i) Participant characteristics report.
State and local agencies must provide such information as may be required by FNS to provide a biennial participant characteristics report. This includes, at a minimum, information on income and nutritional risk characteristics of participants, information on breastfeeding incidence and duration, and participation in the Program by category (i.e., pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children) within each priority level (as established in § 246.7(e)(4)) and by migrant farmworker households.
(ii) Civil rights report.
Racial and ethnic participation data contained in the biennial participant characteristics report will also be used to fulfill civil rights reporting requirements.
(c) Other reports.
State agencies must submit reports to reflect additions and deletions of local agencies administering the WIC Program and local agency address changes as these events occur.
(d) Source documentation.
To be acceptable for audit purposes, all financial and Program performance reports shall be traceable to source documentation.
(e) Certification of reports.
Financial and Program reports shall be certified as to their completeness and accuracy by the person given that responsibility by the State agency.
(f) Use of reports.
FNS will use State agency reports to measure progress in achieving objectives set forth in the State Plan, and this part, or other State agency performance plans. If it is determined, through review of State agency reports, Program or financial analysis, or an audit, that a State agency is not meeting the objectives set forth in its State Plan, FNS may request additional information including, but not limited to, reasons for failure to achieve its objectives.
(g) Extension of reporting deadline.
FNS may extend the due date for any Financial and Participation Report upon receiving a justified request from the State agency. The State agency should not wait until the due date if an extension is to be requested, but should submit the request as soon as the need is known. Failure by a State agency to submit a report by its due date may result in appropriate enforcement actions by FNS in accordance with § 246.19(a)(2), including withholding of further grant payments, suspension or termination of the grant.