Please direct all questions to NWA at 202.232.5492
JUNE 2020
WIC / EWIC
PICKUP AND DELIVERY
REQUIREMENTS
JUNE 2020
AUTHORS
A COALITION CONVENED BY THE NATIONAL WIC ASSOCIATION, INCLUDING:
Debbie Gustafson, Joshua Miller, Kerstin Gutknecht, and Beth Phelps, Giant Eagle; Tammy Seitel, General Mills; Tina Ewing, Gerber;
Jim Chilcoat, and Joseph Gilland, CDP; Amy Duncan, CDP and eGPC; Mary Rogness, Minnesota WIC; Lucy Costa, and Mary
Blocksidge, Massachusetts WIC; Melanie Roberts, Colorado WIC; Elyse Kovalsky, Share Our Strength; Beverly Cole, Walmart; Clay
Nickels, NTT Data; Cary Jeffers and Katie Mcsparron, FIS Global
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURPOSE 3
CURRENT STATE 3
COMPARISON OF SNAP AND WIC RELATED TO ONLINE AND CURBSIDE
TRANSACTIONS 3
REQUIREMENTS 5
PHASE I: NON-INTELLIGENT REMOTE ORDER 5
ITEM SETUP (ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEM) 5
ORDERING 5
PAYMENT 6
RESOURCES 6
APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY 7
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The National WIC Association (NWA) provides its members with tools and leadership
to expand and sustain effective nutrition services for mothers and young children.
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CURRENT STATE
The transition to WIC EBT is required by 2020 although the current COVD-19
concerns may push that deadline. As of 5/20/2020, the WIC EBT status is as
follows and can be found at https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-ebt-activities
:
» PLANNING – 8
» IMPLEMENTING – 24
» STATEWIDE ACCEPTANCE – 57 (49 ONLINE AND 8 OFFLINE)
The 3 WIC EBT processors are Conduent, Solutran, and FIS/CDP.
WIC payments currently include the following:
» ONLINE: the basket is submitted to WIC’s chosen processor and they return
what is covered / approved for the customer
» OFFLINE SMARTCARDS: WIC balances are loaded on a chip on the card
» WIC VOUCHER: paper voucher brought to the store by the customer
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PURPOSE
The goal is to allow
WIC customers to
fully participate in
the online shopping
experience.
T
he purpose of this
document is to
outline potential
processes and
requirements for a
phased approach that
ends with intelligent
ordering with online
purchasing.
COMPARISON OF SNAP AND WIC RELATED TO ONLINE AND
CURBSIDE TRANSACTIONS
SNAP WIC
RELEVANT
REGULATIONS
Regulations (7 CFR
278) require that the
customer enters the
PIN, and that the
transaction takes place
at the same time the
foods are received by
the customer.
FNS has waived the
requirement that the
transaction take place
at the same time the
foods are received
in order to allow
online ordering, when
authorized.
Regulations require that the customer enters the
PIN, and that the transaction takes place at the
same time the foods are received by the customer.
7 CFR 246.12 (h) (3) (vi) Signature on food
instruments and cash-value vouchers. For printed
food instruments and cash-value vouchers, the
vendor must ensure the participant, parent or
caretaker of an infant or child participant, or proxy
signs the food instrument or cash-value voucher
in the presence of the cashier. In EBT systems, a
Personal Identification Number (PIN) may be used
in lieu of a signature.
RETAILER ISSUES
SNAP transactions are
fairly straightforward
financial transactions.
WIC transactions are much more complex than any
other transaction types, since it involves not only
a financial debit, but a calculation and debit of
food products themselves (transacting quantities of
items), along with a determination of what foods
fall into food categories listed on a particular card.
Significant time and costs are required to enable a
system to accept WIC transactions.
Retailers’ online ordering systems are generally
different than their in-store systems, so even if
a retailer is enabled for eWIC within their store
sites, their online system would require separate
programming.
WIC generally represents a tiny fraction of stores’
overall purchases, so it may not be financially
feasible for them to devote the necessary time and
energy to making these programming changes.
Retailers operating in multiple states means
exponential development. Will need to develop to
multiple APL\HCL files.
ONLINE ORDERING
WITH IN-STORE
OR CURBSIDE
CHECKOUT
Allowed.
The regulations allow for this, as long as the WIC
customer enters the PIN at the time the foods are
obtained.
Note that since the foods would be selected
without first referencing the card balance, some
of the foods selected might not be paid for
with a participant’s card. This could make for a
complicated and problematic checkout.
Curbside device needs to transact at item level, not
just dollar. Larger
chain retailers are not likely to
implement a stand-alone solution.
ONLINE ORDERING
AND CHECKOUT
Allowed.
Successfully piloted,
and pilots are now
expanding to many
states.
Not allowed by the federal regulations, since the
transaction does not take place when the foods are
received.
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SNAP WIC
PHASE I: NON-INTELLIGENT REMOTE ORDER
# REQUIREMENT DETAILS
ITEM SETUP (ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEM)
1. UNIT OF MEASURE
Items offered for sale should include the unit of measure (each, weight) of the
item being purchased.
2. WIC FLAG
Ability to add a WIC flag on items based on the state’s APL.
Optional: offer if online ordering system supports this functionality
ORDERING
3. BALANCE INQUIRY
Balance inquiry will not be available during the online order process. Assumption
is that the customer knows balances and is ordering against that balance, the
retailer is not retrieving balances.
4. ONLINE ORDERING
Initial phase will include the ability for customers to place an order online that
will be picked up at the store.
Assumption is the orders will be mix WIC and non-WIC items.
REQUIREMENTS
TELEPHONIC
ORDERING WITH IN-
STORE OR CURBSIDE
CHECKOUT
Allowed.
The regulations allow for this, as long as the WIC
customer enters the PIN at the time the foods
are obtained. Note that since the foods would be
selected without first referencing the card balance,
some of the foods selected might not be paid for
with a participant’s card. This could make for a
complicated and problematic checkout.
Curbside devic
e needs to transact at item
level, not just dollar. Larger chain retailers are
not likely to implement a stand-alone solution.
TELEPHONIC
ORDERING WITH
TELEPHONIC
CHECKOUT
Not allowed by SNAP
federal regulations.
Not allowed by the federal regulations. Waivers on
this are pending.
At least two states have stores in remote areas
that are only accepting telephonic orders with
telephonic checkout for all customers, including
WIC customers. Both states have requested
waivers to allow for this. Neither has yet received a
decision from FNS.
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SNAP WIC
5.
TELEPHONE
ORDERING
Initial phase will include the ability for customers to place an order over the
phone that will be picked up and paid for at the store.
Note: WIC card information will not be accepted over the phone.
6. NON-INTELLIGENT
Items to be selected for the order will not be compared against the customer’s
benefit balance.
7. ITEM NOTES
Include ability for customer to add notes to online order specific to the item
being selected.
Optional: offer if online ordering system supports this functionality
8. SUBSTITUTIONS
Allow the customer to allow or decline substitutions for the item.
Optional: offer if online ordering system supports this functionality
Items to be selected for the order will not be compared against the customer’s
benefit balance.
PAYMENT
9. FEES
Pickup fees: charged for the service (pickup fee) must be funded by the
customer outside of the WIC tender.
Charges for additional service/items (ex. plastic bags for transport) will follow
the in-store current state process.
10.
WIC PAYMENT
INDICATOR
The ability for the customer to indicate they will be paying for at least a portion
of the transaction with WIC.
11. WIC PAYMENT
If a WIC payment is indicated – the online order system will not require a credit
card to be on file to process the order.
Tender will be completed at time of pickup.
12.
APPROVED PRODUCT
LIST (APL)
The items in the transaction will be verified based on the APL file for that state.
13. TAX
Tax relief on items paid for by WIC benefits will occur as they do in current state.
14.
TENDERS
IN-STORE
CURBSIDE
DELIVERY:
WIC CERTIFIED
ONLINE PAYMENT
OFFLINE / SMARTCARD ONLINE VOUCHER
Accepted Accepted Accepted
Accepted
Using WIC-certified
device: chip
,
response, pin enabled
Accepted
Using WIC-certified
device: chip, response,
pin enabled
--
-- -- --
-- -- --
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15. SPLIT TENDERS
CVV benefits: allow split tenders.
16. MIXED BASKET
The ability to pay with multiple tenders within the same transaction will follow
the existing in-store policies.
17. RECEIPTS
Same receipt process as exists today:
• EWIC Balance Receipt prints with original balance and eligible items from
transaction when PIN entered
• Updated WIC Balance Receipt prints with; original balance, items paid
for in transaction and ending benefits balance when customer approves, and
transaction completes.
18. HOT CARD LIST
Use existing process to identify and block smart cards that are included on the
HCL list.
19.
INVALID ITEM
SELECTION
Invalid item selection will be handled at pickup using the same procedures as are
in place today at checkout.
Note: payment would need to be processed before bags are brought to car for
loading.
RESOURCES
20. STORE TENDERING
Included: locations where the store handles the shopping and tendering when
the customer arrives in person.
21.
THIRD PARTY
DELIVERY
Not included: Third party delivery where the WIC-certified store is accepting
payment before a 3rd party delivers the items, will require the ability to pay on-
line and will not be included in this phase.
22.
THIRD PARTY
TENDER + DELIVERY
Not included: Third party vendors where the 3rd party shops, accepts tender and
delivers the order will not be included in phase I.
Note: these vendors are not WIC-certified and would not be approved to accept
payment.
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STAY TUNED FOR PHASES II-IV
This document includes requirements for Phase i: Non-Intelligent Remote Order. As they are ready, the authors will
publish Phases II-IV, which include: Intelligent Online Ordering, Intelligent Order with Online Payment, and Smartcard,
respectively.
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HCL
Hot Card List: WIC EBT cards that have been flagged and should not be accepted
for payment.
IN-STORE
Customer walks into the store to pick-up and pay for their remote order.
INTELLIGENT ORDERING
Ability to order based on the current customer’s WIC household benefit balance
and against the current APL file for that state agency.
OFFLINE SMART CARDS
WIC EBT cards with the account balance loaded on a chip on the card.
ONLINE
WIC EBT cards where the store sends the basket to the state’s chosen
processor and they return approval.
VOUCHERS
WIC paper ‘checks’ that list the approved items for purchase for the customer.
TERM
APL
DEFINITION
Approved Product List: items that have been approved by each state agency for
payment by WIC tenders.
CURBSIDE
Customer arrives at store and calls for the order be brought out to the car.
CVV/CVB
Cash Value Vouchers/Cash Value Benefits (fruits / vegetables).
APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY
