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Resource | Policy Memos Allocation of Supply Chain Assistance Funds to Alleviate Supply Chain Disruptions in the School Meal Programs

This guidance describes $1 billion being provided by FNS to enhance local school districts’ ability to purchase foods for school meals by offering resources needed to address supply chain challenges directly to schools and school districts.

12/17/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance Supply Chain Assistance for Schools

To help schools deal with supply chain challenges brought on by the pandemic, USDA is providing up to: $1 billion in Supply Chain Assistance funds for schools to purchase food for their meal programs, $300 million for states to purchase USDA Foods to distribute to schools, and $200 million for cooperative agreements to purchase local foods for schools, focusing on historically underused producers.

12/17/2021
Resource FNS Information Collection Needs Due to COVID-19; Comment Request for Extending Approval for OMB #0584-0654

FNS is seeking public comment on its intent to ask the Office of Management and Budget to extend approval of the information collection under OMB approval #0584-0654 from Jan. 31, 2022 until Aug. 27, 2023.

12/16/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Updates to the Federal Micro-Purchase Threshold in 2 CFR 200.320(a)(1)

The previous version of this memorandum contained incorrect references to state agencies throughout. FNS is correcting this memorandum to remove the incorrect references and so that it more clearly and accurately reflects the federal regulations. This memorandum notifies state agencies and child nutrition program operators of the changes made by OMB to the federal informal procurement method, micro-purchases and the micro-purchase threshold.

12/15/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Impacts/Evaluations Evaluation of the Independent Review of Applications in USDA Child Nutrition Programs

This study examined the processes, procedures, and effectiveness of a second, independent review of applications for certain local education agencies under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The requirement, which was first implemented in School Year 2014-15, is intended to reduce administrative certification error in LEA processing of household applications.

12/01/2021
Resource | Factsheets USDA Foods in Schools Product Information Sheets - Grains

USDA Foods in Schools product information sheets containing USDA Foods description and WBSCM ID for grains. 

11/23/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waivers of Child Nutrition Monitoring

FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals. 

11/12/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Reporting in SY 2021-22

This memorandum contains questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state and local agencies on child nutrition administrative reporting requirements in school year 2021-22. Topics covered include reporting of NSLP Seamless Summer Option meals and snacks reimbursed at the SFSP payment rates, as well as other COVID-19 related reporting issues.

10/21/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study

This study is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the school meal programs since the updated nutrition standards for school meals were phased in beginning school year 2012-2013. A study methodology report that describes the study design, sampling and data collection and a summary report that provides a brief overview of the study and key findings from the various reports are also available.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Estimate the Cost of Producing School Meals

This fact sheet summarizes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to estimate the cost of producing reimbursable school meals. The methods were based on approaches used in prior USDA studies.

10/19/2021
Page updated: October 14, 2021