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Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

January - 2026

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Division of Finance and Support Services
Child Nutrition Programs
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811

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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 the USDA FNS Policy Page.

There are no new policy memos at this time.

Additional Topics

Intent to Operate Please submit your Intent to Operate (ITO) for Summer 2026 here. The ITO gives us a picture of the site(s) you plan to operate this summer.  This allows us to get a head start on planning and address any potential overlap or other issues. Please submit an ITO by March 1, 2026, for all sites you hope to operate in Alaska for summer 2026.  Completing the ITO does not guarantee site approval.

Mark your Calendar: 2026 SFSP Training SFSP regulations require that all sponsors annually attend State Agency training, and also requires that they must train all administrative staff and site staff before they undertake their responsibilities.   For Summer 2026, training will be held in 3, 1.5 hour online sessions March 3-5: March 3, 2:30-4pm AKST: Applications and Claims March 4, 1-2:30pm AKST: Compliance, Best Practices, and Administrative Reviews March 5, 1-2:30pm AKST: Non-Congregate Meal Service (only required if operating non-congregate sites) An additional training session may be added March 2 for any new sponsors (this will be offered as-needed) Please email eed.cnp.summer@alaska.gov if you are unable to make the trainings above. Calendar invites for this training will be sent out in February to all returning sponsors. Sponsors will be expected to have current AK DEED Civil Rights training. This can be done through the link (laid out below), or we will offer a Teams viewing of the training (TBD).  A current certificate from another Child Nutrition program (July 29, 2025, training or more recent) will meet this requirement.  Similarly, Procurement Training is available online (laid out below), or we will offer a Teams viewing of this training (TBD). Any new sponsors or staff will also be expected to complete the SFSP eLearning trainings listed below: SFSP Administration Basics SFSP Operation Basics

DEED Civil Rights Training Self-Certification Portal The most recent Civil Rights training for FY2026 is available here. Sponsor staff may now request their certificate through the self-certification portal for Training Outside the E-learning System. Each staff must complete the training and document their completion using the Self-Certification Portal- you can have the self-certification portal open while the training video is playing and answer the questions as you go along.  You must pass the quiz in the self-certification portal to receive a certificate Note that while participants will receive an immediate confirmation of completion, certificates are generated via the Nightly Automated Issuance for Learners Self-certified.

Updated Procurement Thresholds and Updated Financial Management Training

Procurement thresholds administered under Federal awards were increased to the following starting October 1, 2025:

• Federal micro-purchase threshold - increased from $10,000 to $15,000 and;
• Federal simplified acquisition threshold (formerly known as the Federal small purchase threshold) - increased from $250,000 to $350,000.

State agencies and program operators are reminded to continue referencing Federal procurement regulations at 2 CFR 200, which cite the above regulations.

As a parting gift from Gavin, the Financial Management in Child Nutrition Programs training is now available!  Program administrators can either watch the MP4 file (video) and download the included PDF copy (the MP4 is not ADA accessible).The updated Food Service Management Company (FSMC) Request for Proposal (RFP) templates, including the Vended Meals Contract, are available below: Full Service FSMC https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ip8LMK_FRoZLz1X3Fiw_l1EyCyS7jeKs Management Contract (Menu and Procurement) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VccGyosnPvWMInXajnAlc6D7elxun-cW Vended Meals Contract https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Mhm2Tgv1zUWiSEQdHUuVP7c4nmxzqLr3/

Summer Food Program Resources

• USDA's Summer Food Service Page
• SUN Programs Communications Toolkit | Food and Nutrition Service
• USDA TEAM Nutrition - An initiative of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to support the Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance
• Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) - Provides training opportunities for all Child Nutrition Programs
• SFSP Administration Guide | Food and Nutrition Service
• Summer Meals Nutrition Guide | Food and Nutrition Service
• DEED eLearning Training – For SFSP training, Civil Rights and helpful program trainings.
• Team Nutrition Recipes
• DEED Traditional Foods and Donated Fish and Game Resources
• USDA Food Safety
• USDA Capacity Builder
• USDA Summer Meal Site Finder
• USDA Rural Designation Map
• USDA Area Eligibility Mapper
• Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

Contact Us

Disclaimer

This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.