This memorandum provides information on the updated School Meal Programs Administrative Review Manual, and accompanying forms, tools, and instructions for school year 2016-17.
The purpose of this memo is to introduce the Food and Nutrition Service Draft Local Agency Procurement Review Tool which may assist state agencies in conducting adequate procurement oversight of school food authority procurement procedures in SY 2016-17.
This memorandum extends the use of share tables to the CACFP’s at-risk afterschool component and provides a reminder to all child nutrition program operators of the opportunity presented by share tables to reduce food waste and the food safety requirements that must be followed when using share tables during meal service.
This memo and attachments refer to updated guidance for state agencies and school food authorities contracting with food service management companies.
This memorandum updates SP31–2014, State Agency Prior Approval Process for School Food Authority (SFA) Equipment Purchases, to include new regulation citations for the cost principles related to the purchase of equipment.
This memorandum consolidates and supersedes previous LEP guidance and incorporates previously released USDA and FNS guidance. FNS is issuing this guidance in a Q&A format to provide responses to questions that FNS has received regarding communications with LEP individuals.
Under previous interpretation of 2 CFR 200.325, FNS communicated that “subcontracts exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold” not only applied to subcontracts related to construction or facility improvement contracts, but also applied to food service management companies as the contracts they have with school food authorities were considered to be subcontracts and, therefore, fell under the scope of the bonding requirements in 2 CFR 200.325
In January 2012, the “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs,” final rule was published and required schools to serve a greater quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables and more whole grains/whole grain-rich products. To support the updated meal pattern requirements and assist school food operators with menu planning, an inter-agency agreement was established between USDA, FNS and USDA, Agricultural Research Service to conduct analytical yield studies.
Section 304 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires local educational agencies that demonstrate high levels of, or a high risk for administrative error associated with certification, verification and other administrative processes to conduct an independent review of the initial eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meal applications for accuracy prior to notifying households of eligibility.
On Dec. 1, 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration published the final rule, Food Labeling; Calorie Labeling of Articles of Food in Vending Machines, in the Federal Register.