USDA Policy, Information, and Implementation Memos
Sponsoring organizations and institutions are required by regulation to keep Bulletins, Instructions, and USDA Policy Memorandums for reference and to apply them immediately to the appropriate agency programs. Call Child Nutrition Programs if you need further clarification.
To view the USDA SFSP policy memos, visit: DEED Child Nutrition Programs website or the USDA Policy Memorandum webpage.
Please continue to monitor the CNPWeb for any policy memos, additional information, or program guidance at the Child Nutrition Programs website.
Additional Topics
How are you conducting your informal procurement?
If you are purchasing less than $10,000: Micro-purchases allows for purchases less than $10,000 to be conducted without quotes as long as the purchases are equitably distributed among qualified suppliers. Purchases must not be separated into two or more purchases to be below this threshold.
If you are purchasing between $10,000-$250,000: When doing small procurement, you must obtain quotes from two or more vendors through either an annual purchase survey, or a quote per purchase or contract.
Annual Purchase Survey
The annual purchase survey is only allowable when a cycle menu is used. Done at least once a year, this method allows you to make your food purchases without getting quotes for each purchase throughout the year. It involves acquiring prices from at least two vendors/stores and writing or documenting the prices for items your agency needs to purchase.
Please note that when completing an annual purchase survey, list at least 75% of the items that are most frequently purchased and those that make up the largest part of your budget. These are not only the most frequently purchased items, but also those that take more out of your budget. If you are working with an out-of-town distributor or vendor, please include transportation costs. Vendor/store selection should be from the lowest and best quote based on quality, service availability, and primarily price.
Quotes
If you aren't using an annual purchase survey, you will need to obtain quotes from two or more responsible and responsive vendors. This may be done per purchase or for the year, but could be for separate product types.
How are you collecting racial/ethnic information?
Through CFR Part 15 and FNS Instruction 113-1, federal regulations require that SFSP and CACFP operators collect racial and ethnic data. This was later amended through SFSP Policy Memo 07-2021 which removed the option for visual identification.
How can sponsors and sites gather racial/ethnic data without visual identification?
- Encourage participants to complete the voluntary form.
- This could be a sign and/or a verbal request for participants to complete the form
- Forms should be available in a convenient location, such as at the point of service
- There should be a convenient place to return the forms, such as to the person at the point of service
- If you fail to collect any responses, try to collect responses on multiple days.
- If three separate (consecutive or non-consecutive) attempts to collect racial and ethnic data forms do not result in any forms being returned, sites can document the dates that they attempted to collect the data and, what methods were used to advertise the availability of the form an, and that this resulted in no forms being collected.
Where should you include the USDA Non-Discrimination Statement?
Many sites print and post signs that promote their summer meals. Curious if your sign should include the USDA non-discrimination statement?
Include the non-discrimination statement on all program materials, advertisements, and :
- Your print materials advertises and gives information about the program (for example, a 'Free food for children here' banner or a 'Summer meals available' sign)
- You're posting the menu or schedule of meal
You don't need to include the non-discrimination statement when your sign is meant to provide direction (for example, a 'Park here' sign).
Note that you can only use the abbreviated statement if "the size of the material is too small to include the full statement provided above." Documents that are greater than one page must then contain the full statement.
Resources
As a member of the Healthy Food Community of Practice, No Kid Hungry worked with a group of national organizations to create a list of resources on summer meals. Resources include guidance on a range of topics, including ways to access meals, how to become a summer meals site or sponsor, examples from other programs, and more.
Click here to access the Summer Meals Resource Guide!
No Kid Hungry has also created a chart that highlights the key differences and similarities in the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program and the Summer Food Service Program.
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