The Lead Agency (which may be an appropriate collaborative agency), or a joint interagency office, as designated or established by the Governor of the State (or by the appropriate Tribal leader or applicant), shall:

(a) Administer the CCDF program, directly or through other governmental or non-governmental agencies, in accordance with § 98.11;

(b) Apply for funding under this part, pursuant to § 98.13;

(c) Consult with appropriate representatives of local government in developing a Plan to be submitted to the Secretary pursuant to § 98.14(b);

(d) Hold at least one public hearing in accordance with § 98.14(c);

(e) Coordinate CCDF services pursuant to § 98.12; and

(f) Consult, collaborate, and coordinate in the development of the State Plan in a timely manner with Indian Tribes or tribal organizations in the State (at the option of the Tribe or tribal organization).

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67574, Sept. 30, 2016]

(a) The Lead Agency has broad authority to administer the program through other governmental or non-governmental agencies. In addition, the Lead Agency can use other public or private local agencies to implement the program; however:

(1) The Lead Agency shall retain overall responsibility for the administration of the program, as defined in paragraph (b) of this section;

(2) The Lead Agency shall serve as the single point of contact for issues involving the administration of the grantee's CCDF program; and

(3) Administrative and implementation responsibilities undertaken by agencies other than the Lead Agency shall be governed by written agreements that specify the mutual roles and responsibilities of the Lead Agency and the other agencies in meeting the requirements of this part. The contents of the written agreement may vary based on the role the agency is asked to assume or the type of project undertaken, but must include, at a minimum, tasks to be performed, a schedule for completing tasks, a budget which itemizes categorical expenditures consistent with CCDF requirements at § 98.65(h), and indicators or measures to assess performance.

(b) In retaining overall responsibility for the administration of the program, the Lead Agency shall:

(1) Determine the basic usage and priorities for the expenditure of CCDF funds;

(2) Promulgate all rules and regulations governing overall administration of the Plan;

(3) Submit all reports required by the Secretary;

(4) Ensure that the program complies with the approved Plan and all Federal requirements;

(5) Oversee the expenditure of funds by subrecipients and contractors, in accordance with 75 CFR parts 351 to 353;

(6) Monitor programs and services;

(7) Fulfill the responsibilities of any subgrantee in any: disallowance under subpart G; complaint or compliance action under subpart J; or hearing or appeal action under part 99 of this chapter; and

(8) Ensure that all State and local or non-governmental agencies through which the State administers the program, including agencies and contractors that determine individual eligibility, operate according to the rules established for the program.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67574, Sept. 30, 2016]

The Lead Agency shall:

(a) Coordinate the provision of services for which assistance is provided under this part with the agencies listed in § 98.14(a).

(b) Consult, in accordance with § 98.14(b), with representatives of general purpose local government during the development of the Plan; and

(c) Coordinate, to the maximum extent feasible, per § 98.10(f) with any Indian Tribes in the State receiving CCDF funds in accordance with subpart I of this part.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67574, Sept. 30, 2016]

The Lead Agency of a State or Territory shall apply for Child Care and Development funds by providing the following:

(a) The amount of funds requested at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the Secretary.

(b) The following assurances or certifications:

(1) An assurance that the Lead Agency will comply with the requirements of the Act and this part;

(2) A lobbying certification that assures that the funds will not be used for the purpose of influencing pursuant to 45 CFR part 93, and, if necessary, a Standard Form LLL (SF-LLL) that discloses lobbying payments;

(3) An assurance that the Lead Agency provides a drug-free workplace pursuant to 45 CFR 76.600, or a statement that such an assurance has already been submitted for all HHS grants;

(4) A certification that no principals have been debarred pursuant to 2 CFR 180.300;

(5) Assurances that the Lead Agency will comply with the applicable provisions regarding nondiscrimination at 45 CFR part 80 (implementing title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended), 45 CFR part 84 (implementing section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended), 45 CFR part 86 (implementing title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended) and 45 CFR part 91 (implementing the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended), and;

(6) Assurances that the Lead Agency will comply with the applicable provisions of Public Law 103-277, Part C—Environmental Tobacco Smoke, also known as the Pro-Children Act of 1994, regarding prohibitions on smoking.

(c) The Child Care and Development Fund Plan, at times and in such manner as required in § 98.17; and

(d) Such other information as specified by the Secretary.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 89 FR 15412, Mar. 1, 2024]

In the development of each Plan, as required pursuant to § 98.17, the Lead Agency shall:

(a)(1) Coordinate the provision of child care services funded under this part with other Federal, State, and local child care and early childhood development programs (including such programs for the benefit of Indian children, infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, children experiencing homelessness, and children in foster care) to expand accessibility and continuity of care as well as full-day services. The Lead Agency shall also coordinate the provision of services with the State, and if applicable, tribal agencies responsible for:

(i) Public health, including the agency responsible for immunizations;

(ii) Employment services/workforce development;

(iii) Public education (including agencies responsible for prekindergarten services, if applicable, and early intervention and preschool services provided under Part B and C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400));

(iv) Providing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families;

(v) Child care licensing;

(vi) Head Start collaboration, as authorized by the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.);

(vii) State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.)) or similar coordinating body;

(viii) Statewide after-school network or other coordinating entity for out-of-school time care (if applicable);

(ix) Emergency management and response;

(x) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) authorized by the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766) and other relevant nutrition programs;

(xi) Services for children experiencing homelessness, including State Coordinators of Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY State Coordinators) and, to the extent practicable, local liaisons designated by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in the State as required by the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11432) and Continuum of Care grantees;

(xii) Medicaid and the State children's health insurance programs (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.);

(xiii) Mental health services; and

(xiv) Child care resources and referral agencies, child care consumer education organizations, and providers of early childhood education training and professional development.

(2) Provide a description of the results of the coordination with each of these agencies in the CCDF Plan.

(3) If the Lead Agency elects to combine funding for CCDF services with any other early childhood program, provide a description in the CCDF Plan of how the Lead Agency will combine and use the funding.

(4) Demonstrate in the CCDF Plan how the State, Territory, or Tribe encourages partnerships among its agencies, other public agencies, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, and private entities, including faith-based and community-based organizations, to leverage existing service delivery systems for child care and development services and to increase the supply and quality of child care and development services and to increase the supply and quality of child care services for children who are less than 13 years of age, such as by implementing voluntary shared service alliance models.

(b) Consult with appropriate representatives of local governments;

(c)(1) Hold at least one hearing in the State, after at least 20 days of statewide public notice, to provide to the public an opportunity to comment on the provision of child care services under the Plan.

(2) The hearing required by paragraph (c)(1) shall be held before the Plan is submitted to ACF, but no earlier than nine months before the Plan becomes effective.

(3) In advance of the hearing required by this section, the Lead Agency shall make available to the public the content of the Plan as described in § 98.16 that it proposes to submit to the Secretary, which shall include posting the Plan content on a Web site.

(d) Make the submitted and final Plan, any Plan amendments, and any approved requests for temporary relief (in accordance with § 98.19) publicly available on a Web site.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67574, Sept. 30, 2016]

(a) The Lead Agency shall include the following assurances in its CCDF Plan:

(1) Upon approval, it will have in effect a program that complies with the provisions of the CCDF Plan, and that is administered in accordance with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, as amended, section 418 of the Social Security Act, and all other applicable Federal laws and regulations;

(2) The parent(s) of each eligible child within the area served by the Lead Agency who receives or is offered child care services for which financial assistance is provided is given the option either:

(i) To enroll such child with a child care provider that has a grant or contract for the provision of the service; or

(ii) To receive a child care certificate as defined in § 98.2;

(3) In cases in which the parent(s), pursuant to § 98.30, elects to enroll their child with a provider that has a grant or contract with the Lead Agency, the child will be enrolled with the eligible provider selected by the parent to the maximum extent practicable;

(4) In accordance with § 98.30, the child care certificate offered to parents shall be of a value commensurate with the subsidy value of child care services provided under a grant or contract;

(5) With respect to State and local regulatory requirements (or tribal regulatory requirements), health and safety requirements, payment rates, and registration requirements, State or local (or tribal) rules, procedures or other requirements promulgated for the purpose of the CCDF will not significantly restrict parental choice from among categories of care or types of providers, pursuant to § 98.30(f).

(6) That if expenditures for pre-Kindergarten services are used to meet the maintenance-of-effort requirement, the State has not reduced its level of effort in full-day/full-year child care services, pursuant to § 98.55(h)(1).

(7) Training and professional development requirements comply with § 98.44 and are applicable to caregivers, teaching staff, and directors working for child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF.

(8) To the extent practicable, enrollment and eligibility policies support the fixed costs of providing child care services by delinking provider payment rates from an eligible child's occasional absences in accordance with § 98.45(m);

(9) The State will maintain or implement early learning and developmental guidelines that are developmentally appropriate for all children from birth to kindergarten entry, describing what such children should know and be able to do, and covering the essential domains of early childhood development (cognition, including language arts and mathematics; social, emotional and physical development; and approaches toward learning) for use statewide by child care providers and caregivers. Such guidelines shall—

(i) Be research-based and developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate, building in a forward progression, and aligned with entry to kindergarten;

(ii) Be implemented in consultation with the State educational agency and the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to section 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i)) or similar coordinating body, and in consultation with child development and content experts; and

(iii) Be updated as determined by the State.

(10) Funds received by the State to carry out this subchapter will not be used to develop or implement an assessment for children that—

(i) Will be the primary or sole basis for a child care provider being determined to be ineligible to participate in the program carried out under this subchapter;

(ii) Will be used as the primary or sole basis to provide a reward or sanction for an individual provider;

(iii) Will be used as the primary or sole method for assessing program effectiveness; or

(iv) Will be used to deny children eligibility to participate in the program carried out under this subchapter.

(11) To the extent practicable and appropriate, any code or software for child care information systems or information technology that a Lead Agency or other agency expends CCDF funds to develop must be made available upon request to other public agencies, including public agencies in other States, for their use in administering child care or related programs.

(b) The Lead Agency shall include the following certifications in its CCDF Plan:

(1) The State has developed the CCDF Plan in consultation with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to section 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i))) or similar coordinating body, pursuant to § 98.14(a)(1)(vii);

(2) In accordance with § 98.31, the Lead Agency has procedures in place to ensure that providers of child care services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF, afford parents unlimited access to their children and to the providers caring for their children, during the normal hours of operations and whenever such children are in the care of such providers;

(3) As required by § 98.32, the State maintains a record of substantiated parental complaints and makes information regarding such complaints available to the public on request;

(4) It will collect and disseminate to parents of eligible children, the general public and, where applicable, child care providers, consumer education information that will promote informed child care choices, information on access to other programs for which families may be eligible, and information on developmental screenings, as required by § 98.33;

(5) In accordance with § 98.33(a), that the State makes public, through a consumer-friendly and easily accessible Web site, the results of monitoring and inspection reports, as well as the number of deaths, serious injuries, and instances of substantiated child abuse that occurred in child care settings;

(6) There are in effect licensing requirements applicable to child care services provided within the State, pursuant to § 98.40;

(7) There are in effect within the State (or other area served by the Lead Agency), under State or local (or tribal) law, requirements designed to protect the health and safety of children that are applicable to child care providers that provide services for which assistance is made available under the CCDF, pursuant to § 98.41;

(8) In accordance with § 98.42(a), procedures are in effect to ensure that child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF comply with all applicable State or local (or tribal) health and safety requirements;

(9) Caregivers, teachers, and directors of child care providers comply with the State's, Territory's, or Tribe's procedures for reporting child abuse and neglect as required by section 106(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(b)(2)(B)(i)), if applicable, or other child abuse reporting procedures and laws in the service area, as required by § 98.41(e);

(10) There are in effect monitoring policies and practices pursuant to § 98.42;

(11) Payment rates for the provision of child care services, in accordance with § 98.45, are sufficient to ensure equal access for eligible children to comparable child care services in the State or sub-State area that are provided to children whose parents are not eligible to receive assistance under this program or under any other Federal or State child care assistance programs;

(12) Payment practices of child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF reflect generally accepted payment practices of child care providers that serve children who do not receive CCDF assistance, pursuant to § 98.45(m); and

(13) There are in effect policies to govern the use and disclosure of confidential and personally identifiable information about children and families receiving CCDF assistance and child care providers receiving CCDF funds.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67575, Sept. 30, 2016; 89 FR 15412, Mar. 1, 2024]

A CCDF Plan shall contain the following:

(a) Specification of the Lead Agency whose duties and responsibilities are delineated in § 98.10;

(b) A description of processes the Lead Agency will use to monitor administrative and implementation responsibilities undertaken by agencies other than the Lead Agency including descriptions of written agreements, monitoring and auditing procedures, and indicators or measures to assess performance pursuant to § 98.11(a)(3);

(c) The assurances and certifications listed under § 98.15;

(d)(1) A description of how the CCDF program will be administered and implemented, if the Lead Agency does not directly administer and implement the program;

(2) Identification of the public or private entities designated to receive private donated funds and the purposes for which such funds will be expended, pursuant to § 98.55(f);

(e) A description of the coordination and consultation processes involved in the development of the Plan and the provision of services, including a description of public-private partnership activities that promote business involvement in meeting child care needs pursuant to § 98.14;

(f) A description of the public hearing process, pursuant to § 98.14(c);

(g) Definitions of the following terms for purposes of determining eligibility, pursuant to §§ 98.20(a) and 98.46:

(1) Special needs child;

(2) Physical or mental incapacity (if applicable);

(3) Attending (a job training or educational program);

(4) Job training and educational program;

(5) Residing with;

(6) Working;

(7) Protective services (if applicable), including whether children in foster care are considered in protective services for purposes of child care eligibility; and whether respite care is provided to custodial parents of children in protective services.

(8) Very low income; and

(9) In loco parentis;

(h) A description and demonstration of eligibility determination and redetermination processes to promote continuity of care for children and stability for families receiving CCDF services, including:

(1) An eligibility redetermination period of no less than 12 months in accordance with § 98.21(a);

(2) A graduated phase-out for families whose income exceeds the Lead Agency's threshold to initially qualify for CCDF assistance, but does not exceed 85 percent of State median income, pursuant to § 98.21(b);

(3) Processes that take into account irregular fluctuation in earnings, pursuant to § 98.21(c);

(4) Processes to incorporate additional eligible children in the family size in accordance with § 98.21(d);

(5) Procedures and policies for presumptive eligibility in accordance with § 98.21(e), including procedures for tracking the number of presumptively eligible children;

(6) Procedures and policies to ensure that parents are not required to unduly disrupt their education, training, or employment to complete initial eligibility determination or re-determination, pursuant to § 98.21(f);

(7) Processes for using eligibility for other programs to verify eligibility for CCDF in accordance with § 98.21(g);

(8) Limiting any requirements to report changes in circumstances in accordance with § 98.21(h);

(9) Policies that take into account children's development and learning when authorizing child care services pursuant to § 98.21(i); and,

(10) Other policies and practices such as timely eligibility determination and processing of applications;

(i) For child care services pursuant to § 98.50:

(1) A description of such services and activities;

(2) Any limits established for the provision of in-home care and the reasons for such limits pursuant to § 98.30(e)(1)(iii);

(3) A list of political subdivisions in which such services and activities are offered, if such services and activities are not available throughout the entire service area;

(4) A description of how the Lead Agency will meet the needs of certain families specified at § 98.50(e);

(5) Any eligibility criteria, priority rules, and definitions established pursuant to §§ 98.20 and 98.46;

(j) A description of the activities to provide comprehensive consumer and provider education, including the posting of monitoring and inspection reports, pursuant to § 98.33, to increase parental choice, and to improve the quality of child care, pursuant to § 98.53;

(k) A description of the sliding fee scale(s) (including any factors other than income and family size used in establishing the fee scale(s)) that provide(s) for cost-sharing by the families that receive child care services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF and how co-payments are affordable for families, pursuant to § 98.45(l). This shall include a description of the criteria established by the Lead Agency, if any, for waiving contributions for families;

(l) A description of the health and safety requirements, applicable to all providers of child care services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF, in effect pursuant to § 98.41, and any exemptions to those requirements for relative providers made in accordance with § 98.42(c);

(m) A description of child care standards for child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF, in accordance with § 98.41(d), that includes group size limits, child-staff ratios, and required qualifications for caregivers, teachers, and directors;

(n) A description of monitoring and other enforcement procedures in effect to ensure that child care providers comply with applicable health and safety requirements pursuant to § 98.42;

(o) A description of criminal background check requirements, policies, and procedures in accordance with § 98.43, including a description of the requirements, policies, and procedures in place to respond to other States', Territories', and Tribes' requests for background check results in order to accommodate the 45 day timeframe;

(p) A description of training and professional development requirements for caregivers, teaching staff, and directors of providers of services for which assistance is provided in accordance with § 98.44;

(q) A description of the child care certificate payment system(s), including the form or forms of the child care certificate, pursuant to § 98.30(c);

(r) Payment rates and a summary of the facts, including a local market rate survey or alternative methodology relied upon to determine that the rates provided are sufficient to ensure equal access pursuant to § 98.45;

(s) A detailed description of the State's hotline for complaints, its process for substantiating and responding to complaints, whether or not the State uses monitoring as part of its process for responding to complaints for both CCDF and non-CCDF providers, how the State maintains a record of substantiated parental complaints, and how it makes information regarding those complaints available to the public on request, pursuant to § 98.32;

(t) A detailed description of the procedures in effect for affording parents unlimited access to their children whenever their children are in the care of the provider, pursuant to § 98.31;

(u) A detailed description of the licensing requirements applicable to child care services provided, any exemption to licensing requirements that is applicable to child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF and a demonstration of why such exemption does not endanger the health, safety, or development of children, and a description of how such licensing requirements are effectively enforced, pursuant to § 98.40;

(v) Pursuant to § 98.33(f), the definitions or criteria used to implement the exception, provided in section 407(e)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 607(e)(2)), to individual penalties in the TANF work requirement applicable to a single custodial parent caring for a child under age six;

(w)(1) When any Matching funds under § 98.55(b) are claimed, a description of the efforts to ensure that pre-Kindergarten programs meet the needs of working parents;

(2) When State pre-Kindergarten expenditures are used to meet more than 10% of the amount required at § 98.55(c)(1), or for more than 10% of the funds available at § 98.55(b), or both, a description of how the State will coordinate its pre-Kindergarten and child care services to expand the availability of child care;

(x) A description of the Lead Agency's strategies (which may include alternative payment rates to child care providers, the provision of direct grants or contracts, offering child care certificates, or other means) to increase the supply and improve the quality of child care services for children in underserved areas, infants and toddlers, children with disabilities as defined by the Lead Agency, and children who receive care during nontraditional hours, including whether the Lead Agency plans to use grants and contracts in building supply and how supply-building mechanisms will address the needs identified. The description must identify shortages in the supply of high-quality child care providers, list the data sources used to identify shortages, and describe the method of tracking progress to support equal access and parental choice. If the Lead Agency employs grants and contracts to meet the purposes of this section, the Lead Agency must provide CCDF families the option to choose a certificate for the purposes of acquiring care;

(y) A description of how the Lead Agency prioritizes increasing access to high-quality child care and development services for children of families in areas that have significant concentrations of poverty and unemployment and that do not have sufficient numbers of such programs, pursuant to § 98.46;

(z) A description of how the Lead Agency develops and implements strategies to strengthen the business practices of child care providers to expand the supply, and improve the quality of, child care services;

(aa) A demonstration of how the State, Territory or Tribe will address the needs of children, including the need for safe child care, before, during and after a state of emergency declared by the Governor or a major disaster or emergency (as defined by section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5122) through a Statewide Disaster Plan (or Disaster Plan for a Tribe's service area) that:

(1) For a State, is developed in collaboration with the State human services agency, the State emergency management agency, the State licensing agency, the State health department or public health department, local and State child care resource and referral agencies, and the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to section 642B(b)(I)(A)(i) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i))) or similar coordinating body; and

(2) Includes the following components:

(i) Guidelines for continuation of child care subsidies and child care services, which may include the provision of emergency and temporary child care services during a disaster, and temporary operating standards for child care after a disaster;

(ii) Coordination of post-disaster recovery of child care services; and

(iii) Requirements that child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under the CCDF, as well as other child care providers as determined appropriate by the State, Territory or Tribe, have in place:

(A) Procedures for evacuation, relocation, shelter-in-place, lock-down, communication and reunification with families, continuity of operations, accommodations of infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, and children with chronic medical conditions; and

(B) Procedures for staff and volunteer emergency preparedness training and practice drills, including training requirements for child care providers of services for which assistance is provided under CCDF at § 98.41(a)(1)(vii);

(bb) A description of payment practices applicable to providers of child care services for which assistance is provided under this part, pursuant to § 98.45(l), including practices to ensure timely payment for services, to delink provider payments from children's occasional absences to the extent practicable, and to reflect generally-accepted payment practices;

(cc) A description of internal controls to ensure integrity and accountability, processes in place to investigate and recover fraudulent payments and to impose sanctions on clients or providers in response to fraud, and procedures in place to document and verity eligibility, pursuant to § 98.68;

(dd) A description of how the Lead Agency will provide outreach and services to eligible families with limited English proficiency and persons with disabilities and facilitate participation of child care providers with limited English proficiency and disabilities in the subsidy system;

(ee) A description of policies to prevent suspension, expulsion, and denial of services due to behavior of children birth to age five in child care and other early childhood programs receiving assistance under this part, which must be disseminated as part of consumer and provider education efforts in accordance with § 98.33(b)(1)(v);

(ff) Designation of a State, territorial, or tribal entity to which child care providers must submit reports of any serious injuries or deaths of children occurring in child care, in accordance with § 98.42(b)(4);

(gg) A description of how the Lead Agency will support child care providers in the successful engagement of families in children's learning and development;

(hh) A description of how the Lead Agency will respond to complaints submitted through the national hotline and Web site, required in section 658L(b) of the CCDBG Act of 2014 (42 U.S.C. 9858j(b)), including the designee responsible for receiving and responding to such complaints regarding both licensed and license-exempt child care providers;

(ii) Such other information as specified by the Secretary.

[81 FR 67576, Sept. 30, 2016, as amended at 89 FR 15412, Mar. 1, 2024] EDITORIAL NOTE:At 89 FR 15412, Mar. 1, 2024, § 98.16 was amended in part by redesignating paragraphs (x) through (ii) as paragraphs (bb) through (11), adding new paragraphs (x) through (aa), and revising newly redesignated paragraphs (ee) and (ff) ; however, the amendment could not be incorporated due to an error that misidentified the redesignated paragraphs..

(a) For States, Territories, and Indian Tribes the Plan shall cover a period of three years.

(b) The Lead Agency shall submit a new Plan prior to the expiration of the time period specified in paragraph (a) of this section, at such time as required by the Secretary in written instructions.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67578, Sept. 30, 2016]

(a) Plan approval. The Assistant Secretary will approve a Plan that satisfies the requirements of the Act and this part. Plans will be approved not later than the 90th day following the date on which the Plan submittal is received, unless a written agreement to extend that period has been secured.

(b) Plan amendments. (1) Approved Plans shall be amended whenever a substantial change in the program occurs. A Plan amendment shall be submitted within 60 days of the effective date of the change. Plan amendments will be approved or denied not later than the 90th day following the date on which the amendment is received, unless a written agreement to extend that period has been secured.

(2) Lead Agencies must ensure advanced written notice is provided to affected parties (i.e., parents and child care providers) of substantial changes in the program that adversely affect eligibility, payment rates, and/or sliding fee scales.

(c) Appeal of disapproval of a Plan or Plan amendment. (1) An applicant or Lead Agency dissatisfied with a determination of the Assistant Secretary pursuant to paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section with respect to any Plan or amendment may, within 60 days after the date of receipt of notification of such determination, file a petition with the Assistant Secretary asking for reconsideration of the issue of whether such Plan or amendment conforms to the requirements for approval under the Act and pertinent Federal regulations.

(2) Within 30 days after receipt of such petition, the Assistant Secretary shall notify the applicant or Lead Agency of the time and place at which the hearing for the purpose of reconsidering such issue will be held.

(3) Such hearing shall be held not less than 30 days, nor more than 90 days, after the notification is furnished to the applicant or Lead Agency, unless the Assistant Secretary and the applicant or Lead Agency agree in writing on another time.

(4) Action pursuant to an initial determination by the Assistant Secretary described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section that a Plan or amendment is not approvable shall not be stayed pending the reconsideration, but in the event that the Assistant Secretary subsequently determines that the original decision was incorrect, the Assistant Secretary shall certify restitution forthwith in a lump sum of any funds incorrectly withheld or otherwise denied. The hearing procedures are described in part 99 of this chapter.

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 81 FR 67578, Sept. 30, 2016]

(a) Requests for relief. The Secretary may temporarily waive one or more of the requirements contained in the Act or this part, with the exception of State Match and Maintenance of Effort requirements for a State, consistent with the conditions described in section 658I(c)(1) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 9858g(c)(1)), provided that the waiver request:

(1) Describes circumstances that prevent the State, Territory, or Tribe from complying with any statutory or regulatory requirements of this part;

(2) By itself, contributes to or enhances the State's, Territory's, or Tribe's ability to carry out the purposes of the Act and this part;

(3) Will not contribute to inconsistency with the purposes of the Act or this part, and;

(4) Meets the requirements set forth in paragraphs (b) through (g) of this section.

(b) Types. Types of waivers include:

(1) Transitional and legislative waivers. Lead Agencies may apply for temporary waivers meeting the requirements described in paragraph (a) of this section that would provide transitional relief from conflicting or duplicative requirements preventing implementation, or an extended period of time in order for a State, territorial or tribal legislature to enact legislation to implement the provisions of this subchapter. Such waivers are:

(i) Limited to a two-year period;

(ii) May not be extended, notwithstanding paragraph (f) of this section;

(iii) Are designed to provide States, Territories and Tribes at most one full legislative session to enact legislation to implement the provisions of the Act or this part, and;

(iv) Are conditional, dependent on progress towards implementation, and may be terminated by the Secretary at any time in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) Waivers for extraordinary circumstances. States, Territories and Tribes may apply for waivers meeting the requirements described in paragraph (a) of this section, in cases of extraordinary circumstances, which are defined as temporary circumstances or situations, such as a natural disaster or financial crisis. Such waivers are:

(i) Limited to an initial period of no more than 2 years from the date of approval;

(ii) May be extended, in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section, for at most one additional year from the date of approval of the extension, and;

(iii) May be terminated by the Secretary at any time in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.

(c) Contents. Waiver requests must be submitted to the Secretary in writing and:

(1) Indicate which type of waiver, as detailed in paragraph (b) of this section, the State, Territory or Tribe is requesting;

(2) Detail each sanction or provision of the Act or regulations that the State, Territory or Tribe seeks relief from;

(3) Describe how a waiver from that sanction or provision will, by itself, improve delivery of child care services for children; and

(4) Certify and describe how the health, safety, and well-being of children served through assistance received under this part will not be compromised as a result of the waiver.

(d) Notification. Within 90 days after receipt of the waiver request or, if additional follow up information has been requested, the receipt of such information, the Secretary will notify the Lead Agency of the approval or disapproval of the request.

(e) Termination. The Secretary shall terminate approval of a request for a waiver authorized under the Act or this section if the Secretary determines, after notice and opportunity for a hearing based on the rules of procedure in part 99 of this chapter, that the performance of a State, Territory or Tribe granted relief under this section has been inadequate, or if such relief is no longer necessary to achieve its original purposes.

(f) Renewal. Where permitted, the Secretary may approve or disapprove a request from a State, Territory or Tribe for renewal of an existing waiver under the Act or this section for a period no longer than one year. A State, Territory or Tribe seeking to renew their waiver approval must inform the Secretary of this intent no later than 30 days prior to the expiration date of the waiver. The State, Territory or Tribe shall re-certify in its extension request the provisions in paragraph (a) of this section, and shall also explain the need for additional time of relief from such sanction(s) or provisions.

(g) Restrictions. The Secretary may not:

(1) Permit Lead Agencies to alter the federal eligibility requirements for eligible children, including work requirements, job training, or educational program participation, that apply to the parents of eligible children under this part;

(2) Waive anything related to the Secretary's authority under this part; or

(3) Require or impose any new or additional requirements in exchange for receipt of a waiver if such requirements are not specified in the Act.

[81 FR 67578, Sept. 30, 2016, as amended at 89 FR 15413, Mar. 1, 2024]