FY 2024 User Fees for FPLS and CSENet

DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER

DCL-23-12

DATE: October 12, 2023

TO: State IV-D Directors

SUBJECT: FY 2024 User Fees for FPLS and CSENet

Dear Colleague:

Each year OCSS assesses Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS) and Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) user fees for states. Your state will soon receive its FY 2024 fee summary under separate cover.

FPLS and CSENet user fees for FY 2024 are assessed beginning Oct. 1, 2023. These user fees are paid quarterly in equal installments. Using form OCSE-396, report your FPLS fee charge-back on line 10 and CSENet fee charge-back on line 11. You will continue to receive all fees in a consolidated bill. Fees will be deducted from your state’s quarterly grant automatically.

In FY 2024, OCSS will continue its multiyear modernization effort on legacy mainframe applications. Modernization will enhance the overall agility and efficiency of data and service delivery. Modernization and enhancement efforts are also underway for the Child Support Portal and its applications. At the same time, we are investing in operational efficiencies and technology improvements to operate as cost effectively as possible and minimize the financial burden on states.

OCSS allocates FPLS and CSENet fees based on each state’s IV-D caseload average for the most recent six-year period as reported on its OCSE-157 report. Since all states can participate in FPLS, CSENet, and other telecommunications systems, we weigh benefits in direct proportion to caseloads and allocate user fees accordingly.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 authorizes OCSS to recover costs for furnishing FPLS information at rates determined reasonable by the Secretary. These fees recover only a portion of our costs to operate, maintain, and upgrade the FPLS and implement new capabilities to support the child support program’s mission.

If you have questions regarding fees, please contact us at FPLSaccess@acf.hhs.gov. Thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of our nation’s children.

Sincerely,

Tanguler Gray
Commissioner
Office of Child Support Services