GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM PROCEDURES MANUAL VM Vendor Training Policy No. VM-110.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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Policy Vendor training is conducted to ensure that all vendors are familiar with the Georgia WIC Program’s policies, procedures and prohibited incentive items.

Purpose The State Agency shall provide vendor training designed to assure the most effective, efficient and courteous delivery of service to WIC participants. The policy and procedure describe the vendor training process and all necessary documentation the Georgia WIC Program utilizes to ensure that vendors are prepared to comply with the requirements outlined in the vendor agreements.

Procedures I. The Georgia WIC program has the sole discretion to designate the date, time, and location of all interactive training, except that the Program will provide the vendor with at least one alternative date on which to attend such training. The vendor must inform and train cashiers and other staff on program requirements.

II. Annual vendor training may be provided in a variety of formats, including newsletters, videos, videoconferences, and interactive training sessions.

A. Retail food delivery systems: Vendor training—General requirements. The State agency must provide training annually to at least one representative of each vendor. Prior to or at the time of a vendor’s initial authorization, and at least once every three years thereafter, the training must be in an interactive format that includes a contemporaneous opportunity for questions and answers. The State agency must designate the date, time, and location of the interactive training and the audience (e.g., managers, cashiers, etc.) to which the training is directed. The State agency must provide vendors with at least one alternative date on which to attend interactive training. Examples of acceptable vendor training include on-site cashier training, offsite classroom-style train-the-trainer or manager training, a training video, and a training newsletter. All vendor training must be designed to prevent program errors and noncompliance and improve program service. B. Content. The annual training must include instruction on the purpose of the Program, the supplemental foods authorized by the State agency, the minimum varieties and quantities of authorized supplemental foods that must be stocked by vendors, the requirement that vendors obtain infant formula only from sources included on a list provided by the State agency, the procedures for transacting and redeeming food instruments and cash-value vouchers, the vendor sanction system, the vendor complaint

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM PROCEDURES MANUAL VM Vendor Training Policy No. VM-110.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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process, the claims procedures, the State agency’s policies and procedures regarding the use of incentive items, and any changes to program requirements since the last training. III. The State agency must document the content of and vendor participation in vendor training. Every authorized vendor must participate in at least one type of training annually, regardless of the date of their initial authorization. The Georgia WIC program has the sole discretion to designate the date, time, and location of all interactive training, except that the Program will provide the vendor with at least one alternative date on which to attend such training. The vendor must inform and train cashiers and other staff on program requirements. Annual vendor training may be provided in a variety of formats, including newsletters, videos, videoconferences, and interactive training sessions.

IV. Pre-Authorization and Re-Authorization Training

Vendors must register to attend training and must attend on the date they have selected. If the vendor is unable to attend training on the date selected, they must alert Georgia WIC with an alternate date. For authorization training, vendors are required to show a government issued picture ID prior to admission. See Vendor Authorization Training Checklist.

Vendor applicants cannot attend the initial authorization training session until an application for authorization has been submitted and the vendor has registered to attend. A representative of a corporate vendor with multiple store locations must initially complete the authorized training session and receive a passing score of eighty (80) points or higher. After completing and passing the training session, the corporate vendor is allowed to conduct authorization training for: 1) existing authorized stores at the time of re-application and, 2) new unauthorized stores that will be added to an existing Vendor Agreement. The corporate vendor must conduct authorization training for existing and new locations. The representative must ensure that all training topics are provided to a management representative in each authorized store. Attendance at a training session, prior to becoming an authorized vendor, does not grant the right to begin accepting WIC food instruments. Only a fully executed vendor agreement that is signed by both parties and the receipt of a vendor stamp constitutes authorization.

GEORGIA WIC PROGRAM PROCEDURES MANUAL VM Vendor Training Policy No. VM-110.01 Effective Date: October 1, 2016

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V. Annual Training

Authorized vendors must provide documentation of participation in annual training by the deadline specified. In addition, corporate vendors must ensure that each store listed in the current Vendor Agreement receives annual training by the deadline specified. Failure to do so will result in termination of the Vendor Agreement. Failure to provide documentation that each store participated in annual training will result in termination of the store(s).

VI. Customized Training

The Office of Vendor Management will request that a vendor specify the desired training topic(s), type of training and number of employees who will attend the training session. Georgia WIC and the WIC vendor will mutually agree upon location and dates for the customized training.

Authority 7 CFR §246.4(a)(14)(xi) 7 CFR §246.12(ii)

Definitions/Supporting Information (None)

Contact Information Georgia Department of Public Health Georgia WIC Program Office of Vendor Management – Vendor Relations and Adm. Unit 2 Peachtree Street, NW, 10th Floor Atlanta, Georgia 30303