FNS is establishing a nationwide opt-in waiver to help minimize the impact of coronavirus related school closures on USDA Foods entitlement calculations.
This waiver allows food service management company contracts that may expire by or around June 30, 2021, and have not been extended for SY 2020-2021 to be extended through school year 2021-2022 (June 30, 2022). To ensure program integrity during this time, extended FSMC contracts are limited to one-year only.
This memorandum provides clarification on additional questions related to the operation of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Seamless Summer Option, Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program during school year 2020-21.
Due to the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, USDA is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.
This rulemaking proposes to codify three menu planning flexibilities established by the interim final rule titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements published Nov. 30, 2017, and made permanent with some modifications by a final rule of the same title published Dec. 12, 2018, hereafter referred to as the 2018 Final Rule. An April 2020 court decision vacated and remanded the 2018 Final Rule.
This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they continue to operate the NSLP, School Breakfast Program, NSLP Seamless Summer Option, SFSP and CACFP during the school year.
Through a series of waivers, NSLP/SBP and CACFP local program operators were able to continue their mission to provide healthful meals to eligible children using combinations of the flexibilities provided for under NSLP/SBP, CACFP, the NSLP Seamless Summer Option and the Summer Food Service Program.
Program operators in a state with an approved waiver allowing non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children for school year 2020-21. FNS recognizes that continuing to require children to come to the meal site to pick up meals may not be practical and in keeping with the goal of providing meals while also taking appropriate safety measures.
This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they operate the NSLP, SBP, NSLP Seamless Summer Option, SFSP, and CACFP in the coming months, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FNS is granting a nationwide waiver to allow state agencies to reimburse Summer Food Service Program sponsors for meals served prior to the sponsor receiving written notification that the sponsor or site has been approved for participation in the Program. FNS is also waiving the requirement for state agencies to conduct pre-approval visits of SFSP sponsors and sites.