SNAP Mobile Payment Pilots

The information collected in the pilot evaluation will help FNS determine the success of and best practices for the use of mobile payment technologies to redeem SNAP benefits. This information will inform program design, standards, rulemaking, and guidance for approval of SNAP mobile payment technologies as well as Departmental decisions and recommendations to Congress with respect to requiring all state EBT systems to accept mobile payment technologies in the future.

FNS is authorized to allow up to five Mobile Payment Pilots (MPPs) to allow the use of personal mobile devices, such as cellular phones, tablets and smart watches in place of SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to conduct SNAP transactions. Respondents (SNAP State agencies (State agencies) and their SNAP business partners) will conduct pilots to test the use of mobile payment technologies for the redemption of SNAP benefits by SNAP households at participating retailers, to determine their feasibility and implications for program integrity. FNS will conduct these projects to evaluate whether allowing mobile payments is in the best interest of the program, and to therefore, recommend allowing their use to the Secretary.

Comments

Written comments must be received on or before Oct. 22, 2024.

Comments may be sent via the following methods:

• Preferred Method: Comments can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
• Email: Send comments to [email protected].
• Mail: Send comments to Shelly Pierce, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314.