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Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Study of School Food Authority Procurement Practices

The Study of School Food Authority (SFA) Procurement Practices is the first study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service to comprehensively describe and assess the decision-making process regarding school food procurement practices at the SFA level. The sample for this study was a subset of the 1,679 SFAs that participated in the Child Nutrition Operations Study II (CN-OPS-II), which included a module on SFA procurement practices in school year (SY) 2016–17. Findings are based on the perceptions and experiences of the SFA and they may not reflect actual regulations and policies; this study was not an audit. 

09/21/2021
Resource | Webinars/Videos Procurement Strategies for SY 2021-22: Webinar for School Food Authorities

This webinar discusses school meal procurement strategies and USDA school meal program flexibilities, waivers and training resources for school year 2021-22. 

08/23/2021
Resource | Webinars/Videos Procurement Strategies for SY 2021-22: Webinar for State Agencies

This webinar focuses on USDA school meal program flexibilities, waivers, and training resources to help state and school food authorities navigate supply chain issues during school year 2021-22. 

08/23/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0061 Buy American and the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018

This memorandum addresses information in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 regarding the Buy American requirements in the national school meal programs.

SP32-2019
08/15/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0004 Flexibility for the Administrative Review Cycle Requirement

In school year 2013-14, FNS introduced the unified administrative review and a 3-year review cycle. Since then, FNS has received feedback about the difficulties of the shorter review cycle, both for the state agencies conducting the reviews, and for school food authorities preparing for and responding to reviews.

SP12-2019
02/22/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0053 Local Agency Procurement Reviews: SY 2015-16

Program integrity is essential in all aspects of program administration and state agencies contribute to this by overseeing program operations. To this end, this memorandum provides guidance on state agency oversight of program operator procurement procedures while FNS is currently developing a Local Agency Procurement Review Tool to aid state agencies.

SP04 CACFP04 SFSP04-2016
11/05/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0011 School Food Authorities Purchasing Produce from Department of Defense Vendors using Section 4 and 11 FFVP Funds

This memorandum clarifies how school food authorities may use funds provided under Sections 4 and 11 or 19 of the National School Lunch Act to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program vendors.

FD-133
03/06/2014
Page updated: October 14, 2021