June 13, 2024

This is an official communication between ODE CNP and Sponsors of NSLP

Inside This Issue

• Important Dates (Updated)
• SNP News and Reminders (Updated)
• Fiscal Year 2023 Equipment Grant (New)
• USDA Final Rule Introduction (New)
  
• New Procurement Resource Available (Repeat)
• Breakfast After the Bell (New)
• Training and Webinars (New)
• Upcoming Newsletter Dates
• SNP Contacts

• April 1- June 30 - Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Election Timeframe
• June 29 - April 2024 Claim Deadline
• June 30 - Transfer of Funds from General Funds to Nonprofit Food Service Account for State Match Due

ODE Memos Oregon Waiver - Noncongregate Meal Service due to Excessive Heat USDA MEMOS SP 22-2024 -  Geographic Preference Expansion Related to the Final Rule titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans SP 18-2024 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs UPDATES Reminder: SFA's that have less than 10 operating days in their final month of operation (June), may combine the May and June claims together. As a reminder claims may only be combined in the same program year.  New Production Record Template ODE CNP has posted  a new production record template to help streamline record keeping. The new production record template contains all the required production record elements and features the following: A single version can be used electronically or as a printed version. The meal production record template can be used for breakfast, lunch or snack. Drop down menus with pre entered information such as grade group, service options, meal component, meal pattern contribution and milk variety. Offering bar production record template with drop down menus that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, grain and meat/meat alternate options frequently served. Instructions on how to use the production record and completed examples are included in the template. The template can be downloaded and customized to meet the needs of the SFA. The new template can be downloaded by following this link: ODE Production Records Template

FY 2023 NSLP Equipment Grant FY 2023 NSLP Equipment Grant opened Wednesday, May 29, 2024. USDA allocated Oregon $269,737. ODE will use 5% for administrative costs. Available funds for allocation is $256,250.15  The Request for Application (RFA) can be accessed at: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/students-and-family/childnutrition/SNP/Pages/Grants.aspx Remember This is a competitive award grant for Local Educational Agencies (LEA) and schools to purchase equipment, with a value greater than $1,000 but less than $50,000. The purpose is to purchase equipment that will: Serve healthier meals; Support scratch cooking; Improve food safety; Support the establishment, maintenance, or expansion of School Breakfast Program. Important Details Each Smartsheet application packet submission is for one (1) piece of equipment. Sponsors may submit more than 1 Smartsheet application packet. Use the RFA Attachment C – Smartsheet Checklist as you work through the Smartsheet application packet to ensure your submission is complete. Due Dates Written questions about the grant may be emailed to: piper@ode.oregon.gov through  1 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2024 Answers for the written questions submitted to ODE Procurement will be published on grant opportunities web page by Monday June 24, 2024.  Complete Smartsheet application packets are due by 3 p.m. Friday July 12, 2024.

USDA Final Rule Introduction

The purpose of this notification is to announce USDA’s Final Rule – Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 -2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is important to note that while the new rules will be in effect July 1, 2024, School Food Authorities (SFA) are not required to make any changes until SY 2025-2026 at the earliest.

The new rules offer some flexibility that SFAs may want to incorporate early. SFAs may choose to incorporate some flexibility and not others at any time during the 24/25 school year.

Below are some of the rule changes:

• Schools may continue to substitute vegetables for fruits at breakfast and the rule updates the vegetable variety requirement as proposed with an implementation date of July 1, 2024. For the school year 2024-25, Congress has provided schools the option to offer any vegetables in place of fruits at breakfast with no subgroup requirements.
• Adds the definition of whole grain-rich to regulations.
• Updates the definition of entrée item to clarify that whole grain-rich and enriched grain entrées may be sold as a “Smart Snack.”
• Finalizes the proposal to allow beans, peas, and lentils offered toward the meats/meat alternates meal component to also count toward the weekly vegetable subgroup requirement with an implementation date of July 1, 2024.
• Finalizes the proposal to allow schools, at their option, to offer grains, meats/meat alternates, or a combination of both at breakfast with an implementation date of July 1, 2024.
• Finalizes the proposal to allow nuts and seeds to credit for 100% of the meats/meat alternates component with an implementation date of July 1, 2024.
• Removes the synthetic trans fat dietary specification requirement with an implementation date of July 1, 2024.
• Finalizes the proposal to allow “locally grown,” “locally raised,” or “locally caught” to be used as procurement specifications with an implementation date of July 1, 2024.
• Maintains the current requirement to allow flavored and unflavored, fat-free, and low fat milk for all grades. This fluid milk standard applies to NSLP, SBP, and Smart Snacks in School, as well as the Special Milk Program for children six and up.
• Adopts a phased-in approach to implementation of the non-domestic food purchases limit. While the overall implementation date for the Buy American changes is July 1, 2024, the non-domestic food purchases limit will be phased in as follows:
• 10% beginning in SY 2025-26.
• 8% beginning in SY 2028-29.
• 5% beginning in SY 2031-32.

USDA has created several tools to help SFAs learn more about the new rule. SFAs may read more about USDA’s Final Rule – Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 -2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans on the USDA website. In an effort to highlight these new changes, ODE CNP will release articles featuring the rule changes in future newsletter editions. Should you have any questions, please contact your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.

New Procurement Resource available! The Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Procurement Compliance staff have recently created a new resource for program operators for all Child Nutrition Programs. All sponsoring organizations of a USDA Child Nutrition Program must follow federal procurement requirements found in 2 CFR 200 Subpart D. It is a top priority of the Procurement Compliance team to assist program sponsors with understanding these regulations. One way to achieve this is by offering information resources that are available to program operators at any time. With this goal, they have created a new Child Nutrition Program At-A-Glance Procurement Reference Sheet. The goal was a one page, printable, overview and job aid. The document covers some of the most high-level procurement related topics such as general standards, thresholds, and procurement methods as well as the highly requested “terminology crosswalk” between State and Federal Procurement. This document can be found on ODE’s Procurement Resources webpage under the Procurement Resources heading, along with many other helpful informational sources. Any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this CNP At-A-Glance Procurement Reference Sheet can be directed to Jared Puckett, CNP Procurement Compliance Specialist at  Jared.Puckett@ODE.Oregon.gov or via phone at 971-208-2407.

Breakfast After the Bell (BAtB) SY 23-25 Breakfast After the Bell Equipment Grant The first batch of amendments will be emailed from Procurement in next few days.  These amendments will add an additional $83.70 to the original grant of $3158 for a total of $3,241.70. In addition, the amendment will include the performance period end-date extension to June 30, 2025, to procure your equipment.  Please follow the instructions in the email.  There will be a deadline date to sign and returned the amendments to the Procurement Department. If the contact for signature is not available before the deadline date, we will reach out to you.  Here is the process to have your claims approved: Receive a BAtB equipment agreement from procurement. The agreement will need to be signed and submitted to ode.schoolnutrition@ode.oregon.gov.  Be notified of the grant funding available with instructions and a BAtB Equipment Assistance Grant Reimbursement form. (This form will be updated on the website) Purchase, repair, renovate, or upgrade the necessary equipment by June 30, 2025. Email the completed BAtB Equipment Assistance Grant Reimbursement form.and invoice for each site to ode.scholnutrition@ode.oregon.gov.  Include in the subject line of the email, "BAtB Equipment Grant Reimbursement - (School Name) After approval, enter claims through the Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS) If you have questions regarding the BatB Equipment grant, please contact Laura Allran at laura.allran@ode.oregon.gov. Fun Ideas?   Please share your ideas, what’s working well, and any questions with us any time. Crista Hawkins and Laura Allran.

Upcoming ODE/SNP Webinar Trainings

Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Program (ODE CNP) is offering the following webinar(s)/Training(s):

In-person NSLP Refresher Trainings

The In-Person NSLP Refresher training is a great opportunity to connect with other school nutrition professionals and ODE SNP child nutrition specialists as well as contributes to the professional standards annual training requirement. Training certificates will be provided.

The topic areas that will be covered are:

1. Meal counting and claiming
2. Meal pattern
3. Menu crediting
4. Production records and offer versus serve
5. Student eligibility- optional session on day two

The training will go in depth into each topic and have many hands-on activities to support the learning process. The trainings will be in four different locations throughout the state and will have the same content.  We are offering a session in Hermiston that will be specifically geared towards supporting small sponsors

Registration will be limited to 45 participants per session, so don’t delay in getting a spot for you and your team. To provide opportunity to the maximum number of programs, registration will initially be limited to three staff per sponsor. However, space permitting, more than three may be able to attend. You can indicate in the registration comment section any additional staff who would like to attend. Please only register for a single location; duplicate registrations will result in cancellation.

The training schedule will be as follows:

Day one - 9:00-4:00 

Day two - 9:00-12:00 and optional 1:00-3:00 session on student eligibility and benefit issuance. If you intend to stay for the optional session, please indicate that in your registration.

• Register for Salem, August 6-7- Chemeketa Community College, 4001 Winema Place, Salem (This training is already full, please be watching for further information)
• Register for Hermiston, August 13-14- Hermiston High School, 600 South 1st St. Hermiston (This training is already full, please be watching for further information)
• Register for Bend, August 20-21- Central Oregon Community College, 2600 NW College Way, Bend
• Register for Grants Pass, August 20-21- Fruitdale Elementary, 1560 Bill Baker Way, Grants Pass

News and Information About Other Child Nutrition Programs

For any questions about how supplemental USDA foods support the NSLP, CACFP or SFSP meal program for current school year or next school year, please contact the ODE USDA Foods Distribution Team at ode.fooddistribution@ode.oregon.gov

Please visit the Farm to Child Nutrition webpage for the latest grant information and due dates.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Extra! Extra! Read all about it.  Newsletters will be distributed during the following weeks. (During the summer, newsletters will be distributed once a month)  We encourage you to access previous newsletters on the School Nutrition Memos Page:

Upcoming Editions:

• Mid-July

School Nutrition Program Contacts