Rescission of Summer Food Service Program Guidance on Targeted State Agency Reviews of Sponsors and Sites

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) rescinds, effective immediately, the memorandum Targeted State Agency Reviews of Sponsors and Sites in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), issued on March 23, 2000. The rescinded memorandum provides incorrect instructions to state agencies for calculating the cumulative total dollar amount of SFSP meal reimbursements. The rescinded memorandum describes the cumulative total dollar amount as sponsors who participated in the SFSP in the prior year and who are participating in the current year. SFSP regulations at 7 CFR 225.7(d)(2)(ii)(B) require state agencies to annually review a number of sponsors whose program reimbursements, in the aggregate, accounted for at least one-half of the total program meal reimbursements in the state in the prior year. Therefore, reimbursements from sponsors that participated in the SFSP in the prior year but are not participating in the SFSP in the current year should be included in the total aggregate amount.

For example, if a state agency’s total SFSP reimbursements were $1,000,000 for SFSP meals served in 2018, then the state agency must review at least as many sponsors whose cumulative 2018 reimbursement adds up to $500,000 because $1,000,000/2 = $500,000. If Sponsor A received $50,000 in reimbursement in 2018 and does not participate in the SFSP in 2019, the cumulative program reimbursement to base the number of sponsor reviews upon in 2019 is still $500,000, not $450,000. In other words, the previous year’s cumulative reimbursement includes reimbursement to all sponsors; it is not reduced by those sponsors that are not participating in the current year.

State agencies with questions should contact the appropriate FNS regional office.

Sarah E. Smith-Holmes
Director
Program Monitoring and Operational Support Division
Child Nutrition Programs