scope:

This standard provides all parties involved in Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) processing for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Cash benefit programs with technical specifications for exchanging financial transaction messages between an Acquirer and an EBT card issuer processor.

It specifies message structure, format and content, data elements and values for data elements used in the SNAP and Cash benefit programs.

Cash benefits provided on pre-paid cards or on co-branded cards are outside the scope of this standard. The method by which settlement takes place is also not within the scope of this standard.

Data representation used in individual systems is subject to the commercial relationships between the parties contracting to each system. The message formats specified in this standard are designed to ensure that compatibility between systems conforming to this standard is always feasible.

This standard shall only be used with EBT transactions that comply with the Quest® Operating Rules, dated December 2014, Version 2.2 including any subsequent updates to said rules or similar rules that are approved by FNS and compliant with FNS policy.