SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2026

The SNAP Staffing Flexibility Act of 2026 amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, enabling state agencies to utilize contractors for various Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) functions, including application certification. This authority is granted under specific circumstances, such as a significant increase in SNAP applications or an inability to timely process applications. Permissible reasons for hiring contractors include public health emergencies, seasonal workforce cycles, temporary staffing shortages, or natural disasters. The bill establishes several requirements for these contracts, prohibiting incentives for delaying or denying benefits and preventing contractors from having a financial interest in approved food retailers. State agencies must ensure contracts are for a reasonable cost, align with standard contracting rules, and that contractors form a blended government workforce without supplanting existing merit-based personnel. Furthermore, states are required to notify the Secretary of Agriculture about contractor hiring, including the justification, and the Secretary must publicly disclose this information and submit an annual report to Congress detailing state measures and processing challenges.