Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0159 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP – Extension

This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP  through Dec. 31, 2020, in conjunction with the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through December 2020.

COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #51
08/31/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0107 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the Summer Food Service Program

During the public health emergency due to COVID-19, FNS waives, for all states, requirements that limit the use of Offer versus Serve to school food authorities and require sponsors to apply OVS under the rules followed for the National School Lunch Program.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #16
07/02/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0097 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools in the NSLP for SY 2020–21

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus for school year 2020-21.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #37
06/25/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0038 Summer Food Service Program Memoranda Rescission

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance for state agencies and program operators on the status of nationwide waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements in the Summer Food Service Program.

SFSP01-2019
10/11/2018
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0049 2018 Direct Certification Improvement Grant RFA

The fiscal year 2018 Direct Certification Improvement Grant Request for Applications are available to state agencies that administer the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast programs to fund the costs of improving your direct certification rates with SNAP, and other needs-based assistance programs.

SP41-2017
08/15/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0094 Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

This memorandum outlines the use of offer versus serve in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the use of family style meals in the CACFP.

CACFP05-2017
12/09/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0033 Updated Offer vs Serve Guidance for the NSLP and SBP Beginning SY2015-16

Offer versus Serve is a provision in the NSLP and School Breakfast Program that allows students to decline some of the food offered. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals programs while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat. 

SP41-2015
07/21/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2013-0088 Attachments to SP12-2014: RFA for Participation in Demonstration Projects to Evaluate Direct Certification with Medicaid in SY 2014-15

FNS invites state agencies that administer the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to apply to participate in demonstration projects that will evaluate the effectiveness of conducting direct certification with the Medicaid program.

12/06/2013
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2013-0069 Transmittal of Q&As on Computation of Direct Certification Performance Rate with SNAP

The attached Q&As are issued in follow-up to Policy Memorandum SP 50-2013, Release of the new state agency Direct Certification Rate Data Element Report.

SP54-2013
08/16/2013
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2013-0059 Data Exchange between the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) for Direct Certification with SNAP

This memo is to inform you of recent changes related to data exchanges for the purposes of direct certification for NSLP with SNAP. Please share this information with state agencies administering SNAP and continue to encourage them to fully cooperate with their NSLP counterparts to improve the direct certification of children in SNAP households.

07/16/2013
Page updated: October 14, 2021