OMB published the Super-Circular at 78 FR 78590 on Dec. 26, 2013, for USDA and other federal grant-making agencies. Section 200.10(a) requires federal agencies to implement the policies and procedures set out in the Super-Circular by promulgating regulations effective Dec. 26, 2014. USDA published such regulations at 2 CFR Parts 400, 415, 416, et al. (79 FR 75981, Dec. 19, 2014).
This memorandum and attached Q&As clarify and highlight the use of state administrative expense funds, both as initially allocated and when reallocated, and state administrative funds for state-level coordination of farm to school activities related to the administration of the child nutrition programs.
The purpose of this memorandum is to distribute funding allocations in the amount of $25 million provided by the FY 2015 Agriculture Appropriations Act to state agencies that will competitively award equipment assistance grants to eligible school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program.
This memorandum responds to a number of recent questions and requests to provide clarifying guidance to state agencies and child nutrition program operators, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program, regarding the expectation and enforcement of ethical conduct by their employees engaged in procurement of program goods and service.
This memorandum notifies state agencies and local program operators of recently updated rules issued by the Federal Communications Commission regarding the calculation of discount rates under the E-Rate program for schools electing the Community Eligibility Provision.
This memorandum provides guidance on the process state agencies and SFAs should use when assessing requests to fund nutrition education related expenses from the nonprofit school food service account.
Recently, we have received several questions about the use of funds from the nonprofit school food service account to cover expenditures related to farm to school activities and school gardens. The questions and answers below address specific scenarios that school food authorities may be dealing with when considering the allowability of such costs.
FNS considers access to a healthy school meal a critical function of child nutrition programs. FNS Instruction 782-6 established the longstanding policy that children participating in the school meal programs not be charged any additional fees for services provided in conjunction with the delivery of these programs.
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information and guidance to state agencies and school food authorities on the current status of the domestic beef market.
To assist state agencies and FNS to better monitor the use of Section 201 funds, as mentioned in our August 15, 2014 memorandum SP60-2014 (Second Extension of Grant Period for State Administrative Funds to Implement New Meal Pattern Requirements), FNS has changed the frequency of financial reporting from annual reporting to quarterly reporting beginning with the fiscal year (FY) 2015.