NA Mid Approval Contact (MAC)
 |
This section includes NA Mid Approval Contact (MAC) information for NA budgetary units assigned an approval period of 12, 24, or 36 months.
Policy
Simplified reporting NA budgetary units assigned to any of the following approval periods are required to complete a Mid Approval Contact (MAC) midway through their approval period.
●12-month
●24-month
●36-month when a household is approved for the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) and is converted to a regular NA household before the 17th month of the approval period.
NOTE When a budgetary unit is eligible for ESAP or Arizona Simplified Nutrition Assistance Program (AZSNAP), they are not required to complete a MAC.
Simplified reporting NA budgetary units are required to respond to the MAC by completing all of the following questions:
●Did your residential address or shelter costs change?
●Has anyone moved into or out of your home?
●Has anyone in the household had a change in the source of income?
●Have there been any changes of more than $125 in the amount of unearned income for anyone in the household?
●Has there been a change in the legal obligation to pay child support?
●Has anyone in your household received lottery or gambling winnings that meet or exceed the winnings reporting amount in a single game?
●Have the work hours for any adult household member decreased below 80 hours per month? (See ABAWD Reporting Requirements for more information.)
NOTE The Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) question is included on the Mid Approval Contact Form (X027) notice when a budgetary unit includes a participant meeting an ABAWD work requirement.
See Simplified Reporting for more information on what changes a participant is required to report outside of the MAC process.
The MAC process begins with one of the following:
●Month 5 for 12-month approval periods. (See Example 1)
●Month 11 for 24-month approval periods. (See Example 2)
●Month 17 for 36-month approval periods, when an ESAP household is converted to a regular NA household before the 17th month of the approval period. (See Example 3)
The participant can respond to the MAC notice using any of the following:
●The MyFamilyBenefits (MFB) website at https://myfamilybenefits.azdes.gov/.
●Interactive Voice Response (IVR MAC). (See Customer Care Center for contact information and hours.)
●Mid Approval Contact Form (F027 or X027) notice.
●OnBase Mid Approval Review Unity Form.
NOTE Completion of a Unity form is done with the assistance of FAA staff. To complete and sign a Unity form, visit any FAA office. (See the DES Office Locator webpage at https://des.az.gov/find-your-local-office and click ‘Find a DES Office’ to locate the nearest FAA office.)
●Nutrition Assistance (NA) Mid Approval Contact (FAA-1108A) form
NOTE The FAA-1108A form should be used for in-person contact and when the OnBase Mid Approval Review Unity Form is unavailable.
●An official application when all required information is completed, and the document is signed.
A completed MAC includes all of the following:
●Name of the participant.
●Responses to all the questions.
●Signature of the primary informant(g), an adult participant in the budgetary unit, or their Authorized Representative.
The PI or Authorized Representative is required to complete and return the MAC form and provide all verification, when requested, to continue receiving benefits.
The MAC notice informs the participant of all the following:
●The requirement to complete the MAC form.
●The due date to return the completed and signed form.
●The requirement to answer all the questions on the form.
●The consequences of failure to complete and return the form.
●The penalties of fraud.
●The requirement to complete the appropriate section within the form when any question is answered with a Yes.
●The requirement to sign the certification section attesting to the truthfulness of all the information being provided, and the understanding that reported changes may cause a decrease or closure of benefits.
●Options for how to return the form.
NA Mid Approval Contact Process
When all the MAC questions are answered with a No and a signature is provided, no further action is needed from FAA.
Budgetary units with a 12-month approval period, are sent the initial MAC notice on the second workday(g) of the fifth month.
Budgetary units with a 24-month approval period, are sent the initial MAC notice on the second workday of the 11th month.
Budgetary units with a 36-month approval period, are sent the initial MAC notice on the second workday of the 17th month.
NOTE ESAP and AZSNAP households are the only budgetary units assigned to a 36-month approval period and are not required to complete the MAC. When the ESAP household converts to a regular NA household before the 17th month of the approval period, they are required to complete the MAC.
When the participant fails to provide a completed MAC by the due date, a second notice is generated and mailed, according to all of the following:
●Generated on the 23rd calendar day(g) and mailed between the 25th and 28th calendar day of the fifth month (for 12-month approvals)
●Generated on the 23rd calendar day and mailed between the 25th and 28th calendar day of the 11th month (for 24-month approvals)
●Generated on the 23rd calendar day and mailed between the 25th and 28th calendar day of the 17th month (for 36-month approvals)
NOTE ESAP and AZSNAP households are the only budgetary units assigned to a 36-month approval period and are not required to complete the MAC. When the ESAP household converts to a regular NA household before the 17th month of the approval period, they are required to complete the MAC.
The second notice informs the participant that no response was received or the MAC was incomplete. This gives the participant another 10-calendar day opportunity to provide a completed MAC.
When the participant does not respond to the second notice, FAA sends a third notice notifying the budgetary unit that NA benefits are stopped, and the effective month benefits are stopped, allowing for adequate notice(g).
When the benefits are stopped due to not providing all the required verification, benefits can be reopened without a new application when the budgetary unit provides the requested verification before the effective date of closure. (See Revert Program to Open – Overview for additional information.)
NOTE When the required verification is not provided before the effective date of closure, a new application is required.
MAC Compliance - A Change is Reported
When a completed MAC is received, and one or more of the questions are answered with a Yes, additional action is needed from FAA based on the reported change. Verification may need to be requested. The change is affected for all open programs.
Verification
The participant has the primary responsibility for providing verification. (See Participant Responsibilities – Providing Verification for additional policy.)
When no changes are reported, any of the following completed and signed Mid Approval Contact (MAC) forms are the only verification needed:
●MyFamilyBenefits
●OnBase Unity Form
●Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) Voice or Phone keypad
●The MAC notice sent to the participant
●FAA-1108A form (for in-person contact only)
NOTE The MAC form must have a signature and all questions answered to be considered a completed form.
When a change is reported, additional verification may be needed. Required verification depends on what change is reported.
Examples
1) Maria’s NA benefits are approved for the months of 01/2019-12/2019.
Since Maria’s budgetary unit is assigned a 12-month approval period, the budgetary unit is required to complete a Mid Approval Contact (MAC) in 05/2019 or 06/2019.
2) Maria’s NA benefits are approved for the months of 01/2019-12/2020.
Since Maria’s budgetary unit is assigned a 24-month approval period, the budgetary unit is required to complete a Mid Approval Contact (MAC) in 11/2019 or 12/2019.
3) Maria’s NA benefits are approved as Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) for the months of 01/2019-12/2021. In the 12th month of her approval period, it was determined that she is no longer eligible for ESAP and she is converted to a regular NA household.
Since Maria’s budgetary unit is assigned a 36-month approval period, and was converted to regular NA before the 17th month, the budgetary unit is required to complete a Mid Approval Contact (MAC) in 05/2020 or 06/2020.
Legal Authorities
7 CFR 273.12(a)(1)(i)(D)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(ii)(B)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(ii)(B)(1 – 4)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(ii)(C)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iii)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(B)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(D)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(E)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(G)(1 – 3)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(iv)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(v)
7 CFR 273.12(a)(5)(vi)
last revised 05/29/2026