U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here's how you know
        Here's how you knowDot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**
              
              Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
        Https**The site is secure.**
              
              The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.  *You are now leaving the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website and entering a non-government or non-military external link or a third-party site.*

*FNS provides links to other websites with additional information that may be useful or interesting and is consistent with the intended purpose of the content you are viewing on our website. FNS is providing these links for your reference. FNS is not responsible for the content, copyright, and licensing restrictions of the new site.*
  
  
    *Site LogoFood and Nutrition Service
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture*
Menu


    close

        
        
                        
        
  
          Home
      
                        
              Programs
      
                
        
  
          **Programs**
          
                        
              SNAP
      
                        
              Nutrition Education & Food Safety
      
                        
              Meals for Schools and Childcare
      
                        
              Food Distribution & Emergency Assistance
      
                        
              WIC
      
                        
              Summer Nutrition Programs
      
                        
              Assistance for Seniors & Adult Care
      
                        
              Farmers Market Programs
      
                        
              NAP Block Grants for Territories
      
                        
              Data & Research
      
                
        
  
          **Data & Research**
          
                        
              Data Visualizations
      
                        
              Research & Analysis
      
                        
              Program Data
      
                        
              Funding
      
                
        
  
          **Funding**
          
                        
              Grant Opportunities
      
                        
              Grants Management
      
                        
              Doing Business with FNS
      
                        
              Newsroom
      
                
        
  
          **Newsroom**
          
                        
              Press Releases
      
                        
              Blogs
      
                        
              Notice to Stakeholders
      
                        
              Federal Register Notices
      
                        
              Success Stories
      
                        
              Newsletters
      
                        
              USDA Press Releases
      
                        
              USDA Blogs
      
                        
              Contact FNS Press Office
      
                        
              Resources
      
                
        
  
          **Resources**
          
                        
              Factsheets
      
                        
              Federal Register
      
                        
              Infographics
      
                        
              Guidance Documents
      
                        
              Policy Memos
      
                        
              Videos/Webinars
      
                        
              All Resources
      
                        
              Our Agency
      
                
        
  
          **Our Agency**
          
                        
              Acting Under Secretary
      
                        
              Deputy Under Secretary
      
                        
              Administrator
      
                        
              Assistant Administrator
      
                        
              FNS Careers
      
                        
              Contact us
      
                        
              Civil Rights
      
                        
              Equity Action Plan
      
                        
              Partnerships
      
                        
              Freedom of Information Act
      
                        
              State Systems OfficeSearch


          
                      Contact Us
                                
                          
        
                Report Fraud
                                
                          
        
                AskUSDA
                                
                          
        
                USDA.gov Puerto Rico: COVID-19 Waivers & Flexibilities
            Breadcrumb
    Home
              FNS Program Guidance on Human Pandemic ResponseResource type
          Waivers

          
          

          Resource Materials
    USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.



Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Pandemic EBT

**Pandemic EBT program during SY 2020-21**P-EBT School Programs Plan | Plan Approval 1/14/2021P-EBT Child Care Programs Plan | Plan Approval 5/7/2021P-EBT Summer Plan | Plan Approval 5/17/2021
	**Pandemic EBT program during SY 2021-22**P-EBT School Programs Plan | Plan Approval 3/9/2022P-EBT Summer Plan | Plan Approval 6/16/2022P-EBT Child Care Plan (revised) | Plan Approval 8/2/2022
	**Pandemic EBT program during SY 2022-23**P-EBT Summer Plan | Plan Approval 4/18/2023 | Amendment 7/28/2023

Child Nutrition Programs

Nationwide Waivers and Flexibilities

Please contact your state agency if you have questions about the waivers they have elected.

**Afterschool Activity**Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020
	**CACFP State Agency Monitoring (Annual Review)**Offered to All States 4/24/2020
	**Extended Unanticipated School Closures**Offered to All States 4/27/2020
	**Food Service Management Company Contract**Offered to All States 4/24/2020 | Extended through June 2021
	**Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment**Offered to All States 4/23/2020
	**Meal Times**Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Approved for SY 2020-21 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021
	**Nationwide At-risk Afterschool Area Eligibility Waiver**Nationwide Waiver issued 9/18/2020 | Extended through June 2021
	**Nationwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Data Waiver**Offered to All States 3/25/2020
	**Nationwide Meal Pattern Waiver**Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through May 31 | Extended through June 30 | Extended through July 31 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended through December 31
	- Approved for School, After-school and Day Care Programs for SY 2020-21 6/25/2020 | Extended in School After-School and Day Care Programs through June 2021
	**Nationwide Parent/Guardian Meal Pickup Waiver**Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for SY 2020-21 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021
	**Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Program Reporting Requirements**Offered to All States 1/7/2021
	**Nationwide Waiver of Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs**Offered to All States 3/26/2021
	**Nationwide Waiver to Allow Sponsors that Successfully Participated in the Summer Food Service Program in FY 2019 to Operate as Experienced Sponsors in FY 2021**Offered to All States 4/1/2021
	**Nationwide Waiver to Provide Flexibility for School Meal Programs Administrative Reviews of SFAs Operating Only the SSO in SY 2021-22**Offered to All States 5/21/2021
	**Non-congregate Feeding**Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 |Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for SY 2020-21 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021
	**Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools for the SY 2020-21**Nationwide Waiver Issued 6/25/2020
	**Pre-approval Flexibility**Offered to All States 9/11/2020 | Extended through June 2021
	**SFSP/SSO extension**Offered to All States 8/31/2020 | Extended through June 2021
	**SFSP/SSO Meal Service Times (Regular Summer)**Offered to All States 4/21/2020
	**SFSP/SSO Closed Enrolled Sites (Regular Summer)**Offered to All States 4/27/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021
	**SFSP Offer Versus Serve (Regular Summer)**Offered to All States 5/1/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021
	**SFSP First Week Site Visits (Regular Summer)**Offered to All States 6/1/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021
	**60 Day Reporting Requirement Waiver**Offered to All States 4/1/2020Additional Waivers and Flexibilities

**Pandemic EBT***See above under SNAP*
	**Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Programs: Implementation Plans Approved**
	Puerto Rico Department of Education (School Programs) 7/30/21
	Puerto Rico Department of Education (CACFP) 7/30/21
	**Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pickup SY 20-21**Approved 9/14/2020
	**Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Alternate Sites SY 20-21**Approved 9/30/2020
	**Oversight Plan Waiver**Waiver Response 1/26/2021
	**Provision 2 Base Year**Approved 8/28/2020

USDA Foods Programs

**Entitlement Waiver for SY 2020-21**Approved 9/11/2020

WIC Program

**Extension of Approved Waivers**Extended through June 30 | Extension 2 | Extension 3
	**Compliance Investigations**Approved 9/13/2021
	**Extended Certification**FNS Response 4/20/2020
	**Medical Documentation**Approved4/17/2020
	**Physical Presence (includes lab work)**Approved3/30/2020
	**Remote Benefit Issuance**Approved3/23/2020
	**Routine Monitoring**Approved 8/262021
	**Separation of Duties**Approved4/6/2020
	**Vendor Preauthorization**Approved 6/24/2020Page updated: July 28, 2023 Return to top

      Home
                              
              Programs
                              
              Data & Research
                              
              Funding
                              
              Newsroom
                              
              Resources
                              
              Our AgencyUSDA
                              WhiteHouse.gov
                              FNS PartnerWeb.gov
                              No Fear Act
                              Privacy Policy
                              Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
                              Non-Discrimination Statement
                              Civil Rights
                              Accessibility
                              FOIA
                              Information Quality
                              Peer Review
  Sign up for Updates
      Your Email Address:
  
      *Site LogoFood and Nutrition Service
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture*
Menu
Twitter Facebook Gov Delivery Instagram Flickr YouTube RSS Feeds