Application Procedures

The process to complete a WIC application can be long and has multiple steps to it. Each step is outlined below.

Please note that you must be able to successfully move to the next step in the process within 30 days of beginning each step. Failure to do so may result in a denial of your WIC Vendor Application.

Request WIC Vendor Application

Once you are ready to request an application, please complete the Application Request Survey.

You will receive an email from IL DHS via DocuSign with the application form ready to complete. You will have 30 days to return the application, however, we recommend that it be completed and returned as soon as possible in case any corrections are needed.

  • Using DocuSign

    • You will receive an email from IL DHS via DocuSign. Click on the Review Documents Button in the email.
    • Once you have clicked on Review Documents a screen will open asking you to Review and Act on These Documents. Click on the yellow continue button to review and complete the application form.
    • Red boxes will appear on the fields that are required for completion.
    • If a document needs to be attached a yellow box with a paperclip image will appear, and you will need to click on that to attach the required document.
    • When you click on the Sign or Initial button, the "Adopt your Signature" screen will appear.
    • Once you have gone through the whole document and attached all of the required documents, you will be able to click the "Finish" button.
    • Once you have clicked the finish button the "Log in to DocuSign" screen may appear. You may select "No Thanks" unless you want to create a free account with DocuSign to access a copy of the application through their website in the future.
    • Regardless of if you Log in or not, you will receive a copy of the fully completed forms sent to your email that you may download and keep for your records once the state has approved the application.

Complete Vendor Initial Training

  • Once your application has been reviewed and approved by the Department, you will be sent an email invitation to complete the initial training. This email is usually sent within 7 - 10 business days of the application being approved.
  • At least 1 person from the store must complete the initial training.
  • The person who completes the training is responsible for training all cashiers on WIC as it pertains to the following:
    • WIC-approved foods
    • WIC Vendor Transactions
    • Allowing the same courtesies to WIC customers as non-WIC customers
    • How to process eWIC transactions in your store's system.
  • This training must be completed within 30 days of the email invitation being sent to the vendor.

Initial Site Visit & Education

  • Once you have completed the initial training requirement, your store will be scheduled for an initial site visit to be completed in the following month.
    • Please note that our monitors are scheduled to complete site visits on the first business day of each month for the upcoming month. Trainings completed after the first day of the month will be scheduled in the following month.
  • The following areas will be verified during the initial site visit:
    • The vendor site meets the minimum stocking requirements based on the store's peer group assignment.
    • The vendor clearly displays the price of specific WIC foods charged to the general public for customers to see.
    • The vendor does not have any WIC Food that exceed the expiration date printed on the food item.
    • The vendor does not possess, display on the shelf, attempt to sell, or actually sell food products that originate from the WIC Food Centers or the Commodity Supplemental Food Program?
  • If all criteria are met, the vendor will pass the site visit.

eWIC Certification

  • Once you have passed your initial site visit, within 7 - 10 business days you will be sent a contract to complete and instructions on how to complete the final step in your authorization process, which is your eWIC certification.
  • Review the contract and return a signed copy of the contract to the Department at DHS.WICVendor@illinois.gov or fax it to 217-785-5247.
  • Work with your POS Provider to set up your system to be able to complete eWIC transactions.
    • You will need to give your POS Provider your WIC Vendor ID which is the X9 number they need to set your system up.
    • Your POS provider will need to be able to provide responses to these questions for you.
      • Who is your POS provider?
      • What is your POS provider contact, name, phone, and email?
      • What POS software are you using?
      • Are you on a Release that currently accepts eWIC?
      • Has this POS been installed in a State that does eWIC transactions already?
        • If so, which states are you currently processing online eWIC in?
      • For Electronic Payments such as SNAP and Credit Card - do these go thru POS Software or out thru a different system - such and NCR Connected Payments (typically NOT in an IBM store)
      • Who do you use as you Third Party Provider for Electronic Payments? (example: First Data - Vantiv - FISERV - World Pay)
      • Will you be doing testing in your office lab?
      • How will you pick up the APL file?
  • Complete a Balance Inquiry and notify Solutran at retailcert@solutran.com when this has been done.
  • Solutran will verify that the Balance Inquiry was successful and will notify the vendor, the POS Provider, and the state that there is connectivity between the vendor's system, and the payment processor.
  • Once connectivity has been confirmed by Solutran, ensure that all front-end staff at the store have completed training with your POS Provider on how to complete WIC transactions including, Balance Inquiries, Sale Transactions, Voids, and basic troubleshooting.
  • Notify the state at DHS.WICVendor@illinois.gov when you are set up and all training has been done by the POS team so we can schedule the L3 Certification Visit.
  • The L3 Certification Visit will usually be conducted by a monitor coming to the store, and they will need to be able to successfully complete a Balance Inquiry, purchase a WIC Eligible Item, attempt to purchase a non-WIC eligible item, and verify that it does not go through as WIC eligible, and complete a transaction Void.
    • The monitor will contact the vendor to give a date and approximate time they will be at the store to complete the L3. It is strongly recommended that a representative from the POS provider be available either by phone or in person to resolve any minor issues or provide education on the system itself if necessary.

Authorization

Once you have completed your eWIC Certification, the Department will send you a fully executed contract and authorization to begin accepting WIC.

NOTE: Any WIC benefits redeemed prior to authorization being received by the store may be denied or may not be paid to the vendor.