Location: Remote – Must Be Available to Travel to South Dakota
Duration: 29 Months (NO BENEFITS)
Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced SNAP EBT Planning Consultant to support the planning, procurement, implementation, and testing of South Dakota's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Electronic Benefits Transfer (SNAP EBT) system.
The consultant will work closely with state stakeholders and federal agencies to develop and maintain project schedules, prepare Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation, develop Advanced Planning Documents (APDs), establish proposal evaluation procedures, and oversee comprehensive EBT system testing.
The ideal candidate will have strong experience with SNAP EBT systems, government procurement, USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) requirements, project planning, federal compliance documentation, and system acceptance testing.
Review existing SNAP EBT Services RFP documentation and recommend updates to align with current federal regulations, policies, procedures, and technical standards.
Research and incorporate business and technical requirements into updated RFP drafts.
Ensure RFP documentation addresses applicable provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2018, subsequent amendments, and SNAP EBT Quest operating rules.
Develop and maintain project timelines to ensure compliance with required USDA/FNS deadlines.
Participate in project meetings and discussions with USDA/FNS regarding procurement planning and Advanced Planning Documents.
Assist state stakeholders in reviewing and implementing recommendations and changes from USDA/FNS.
Develop a comprehensive evaluation plan for reviewing and scoring vendor proposals.
Establish technical and cost evaluation criteria, scoring methodologies, and pricing evaluation structures.
Ensure evaluation criteria align with applicable state procurement requirements.
Prepare evaluation team training materials, scoring documents, and summary reports.
Train evaluation team members on evaluation procedures and the use of scoring tools.
Support the compilation and analysis of proposal scores to facilitate the final vendor selection and award process.
Coordinate evaluation training sessions through virtual or on-site delivery, as required.
Develop and submit Implementation Advanced Planning Documents (IAPDs) for USDA/FNS review and approval.
Prepare Implementation Advanced Planning Document Updates (IAPDUs) when required by changes in project scope, schedule, funding, procurement methodology, cost allocation, or system architecture.
Ensure all documentation complies with the latest applicable FNS Handbook 901 requirements and federal regulations.
Develop and maintain the following APD components:
Transmittal letter and executive summary.
Functional requirements and general system design.
Capacity study.
Project management plan and resource requirements.
Security planning.
Training plan.
Project schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
Cost allocation plan.
Proposed project budget.
Coordinate with state stakeholders to ensure documentation meets federal approval requirements before procurement activities proceed.
Plan, administer, and coordinate comprehensive testing to verify compliance with functional, technical, performance, usability, capacity, and security requirements.
Develop, document, and manage testing processes in coordination with the EBT processor and relevant stakeholders.
Prepare a comprehensive test plan covering:
Unit testing and integration testing.
Performance and end-to-end testing.
User acceptance testing (UAT).
Regression testing and fail-safe testing.
Test team roles and responsibilities.
Test databases, test cases, and test scripts.
Detailed testing schedules.
Acceptance procedures and Go/No-Go criteria.
Contingency and legacy-system rollback plans.
Ensure testing activities align with applicable USDA/FNS regulations and FNS Handbook 901 requirements.
Lead System Acceptance Testing to verify that the EBT solution meets state and federal requirements.
Develop SAT documentation, test scenarios, evaluation materials, and acceptance criteria.
Validate functional requirements, security controls, recovery procedures, system controls, and contingency scenarios.
Review system specifications, interface specifications, and test outputs.
Provide written feedback on technical documentation and testing results.
Train state personnel to conduct user acceptance testing.
Participate in testing sessions, results walkthroughs, and regression testing.
Assess testing completeness, identify gaps, and coordinate corrective actions.
Prepare and submit written test evaluation reports to USDA/FNS for review and required approval.
Experience in SNAP EBT planning, procurement, implementation, or system testing.
Knowledge of SNAP program requirements and EBT system operations.
Experience developing or reviewing government RFPs and procurement documentation.
Familiarity with USDA/FNS requirements, federal compliance processes, and Advanced Planning Documents.
Experience preparing APDs, IAPDs, or IAPDUs for government technology projects.
Knowledge of FNS Handbook 901 and federal system planning and testing requirements.
Experience developing vendor proposal evaluation plans, technical and cost scoring criteria, and evaluation documentation.
Experience developing test plans, test cases, test scripts, and acceptance criteria.
Hands-on experience coordinating UAT, SAT, integration testing, regression testing, and performance testing.
Strong project planning, scheduling, documentation, and stakeholder coordination skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work remotely and travel to South Dakota for required project activities.
Experience supporting state government human services or public benefits technology programs.
Experience working with USDA/FNS on SNAP EBT procurement, implementation, or compliance initiatives.
Familiarity with EBT processors, electronic benefit delivery systems, and associated interfaces.
Experience coordinating federal approval processes and regulatory documentation.
Knowledge of system security, disaster recovery, contingency planning, and legacy-system transition strategies.
Experience managing large-scale technology procurement and implementation projects.