Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 July 2009 00:13 Written by Administrator Tuesday, 28 July 2009 00:01
On 18 June 2009, JRW Service Corp was awarded the Isleta WIC Program’s Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) implementation project.
JRW Service Corp will plan the Programs systems upgrade strategy, help the program to navigate and plan for data migration, and will ensure overall success brining EBT functionally to the Pueblo and its WIC recipients.
JRW Service Corp is highly experienced in EBT Implementation and brings the knowledge from having managed EBT Systems Implementations and development in addition to having conducted and reviewed client satisfaction and Program performance reporting. JRW understands the details of WIC Program requirements described under 7 CFR Part 246 lending JRW fully able to assist WIC Programs in their analysis of Program implementation options.
JRW Service Corp’s project management services over the WIC Programs implementation will include regular status meetings covering upcoming project milestones, goals, action items, and assignments. Moreover, JRW will track the WIC Programs EBT Project, status of tasks, within the immediate scope of the project activities.
Further, JRW will create and manage the project plan including detailed schedule of events, tasks, and milestones. JRWs close management of the project schedule baseline will help to ensure the successful and smooth implementation of the WIC EBT and new food rule logic into the system, including the issuance and redemption of EBT WIC benefits now including Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (FFV/FFB).
JRW will assist in a hands on fashion with certification of vendors into the vendor’s new EBT WIC Redemption program. Vendors surrounding the Pueblo will participate in both the state of New Mexico and the Pueblo’s EBT offline WIC Smartcard Programs. JRW will work with the vendors to ensure that WIC dual operation functions properly, that BIN numbers and multiple APL files are understood and functional within each environment. In addition, JRW will work as an extension of the Programs IT team, creating system test environments, test planning, working to certify software versions, migrating databases between environments, and fully testing system functionally. JRW will assist the Program with User Acceptance Testing (UAT) through planning and conduct of testing activities.
Last Updated on Friday, 05 June 2009 18:01 Written by Administrator Friday, 05 June 2009 17:57
WIC Programs are taking the leap towards EBT. Currently, there are not many viable transferable systems, which fully accommodate EBT functionality. The New Mexico system written in PowerBuilder and created in the late 90’s will, by October 2009, be in full or part, transferred into Wyoming, Isleta Pueblo, and Cherokee Nation WIC Programs.
Programs such as Michigan, Kentucky, and Chickasaw are working with and developing systems for online EBT. Michigan, at the time of the writing of this blog, is in the last phase of statewide implementation while Kentucky’s OWE system is entering into it’s early pilot phases.
When other viable systems appear on the market providing EBT these capable systems WILL be transferred into state WIC Programs.
Where are the benefits:
EBT provides WIC benefits on an electronic Food Issuance device the two prevailing technologies are referred to as “online” or “offline”. The offline system provides WIC benefits on a smartcard, the client inserts the card into compatible card readers, enters a PIN and benefits are written to the card, enabling the card as the most up-to-date record of client benefits. Clients then use the smartcard to purchase allowable foods and the information stored on the card is used to approve food purchases.
In the online environment, benefits are stored within the client-benefit data system, (which is either hosted within the state environment or contracted externally) and accessed using a magnetic stripe card. When a client purchases allowable food items, the participating vendor verifies the transaction similar to a credit card transaction in that information is passed over the processor network. However, the difference is that the information being requested from the client-benefit database is not a verification that payment is available, it is a request for the client’s currently available food prescription in its entirety, or a request to know whether each scanned WIC-able item is available and unredeemed in the requested amount. For example, are there cereal benefits and how many ounces? The vendor location and specifically vendor systems remain the “Wild West” of the online WIC EBT environment. Few vendors have integrated register systems for online states. The term integrated suggests that the EBT sale occurs simultaneously with the ‘regular’ grocery transaction is which are processed through the vendors Point Of Sale (POS). Stand-beside means that there is a separate piece of equipment next to the store register, which is specific to WIC program clients. Often, stand-beside requires an additional scan, meaning, first the item is scanned through the WIC equipment, then again through the grocer register. Some companies are implementing integrated WIC payments for the online environment, this should bolster online’s credibility.
In an integrated state/program environment, clinic personnel certify the client; the system is aware of the qualifying factors of the client(s) and certify the client against a specific food package or prescription. This food package is then saved to:
1. The account database for online access to client accounts, alternatively,
2. Offline systems the food package is written to a smart card via payment terminal or other solution.
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