|
Sponsors considering purchasing unitized meals for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) should note that these purchases are treated as vended meal arrangements and are subject to specific procurement and oversight requirements. Because the meals are fully assembled by a vendor, this means advanced planning, proper procurement, and coordination with OSPI are required, particularly when meals are produced outside the state of Washington.
Who does this apply to?
SFSP sponsors that are:
- Purchasing unitized meals, with or without milk.
- Working with a vendor that unitizes meals at a production facility located outside of Washington.
Who does this not apply to?
This does not apply to SFSP sponsors that purchase individual food items and assemble unitized and reimbursable meals on site, rather than purchasing fully unitized meals from a vendor.
Why this matters for sponsors
Purchasing unitized meals is more than a simple food purchase. From an SFSP perspective, it means:
- Sponsors are entering into a vended meal relationship and must use the SFSP Food Service Agreement for Vendors
- The vendor's meal production facility is subject to federal oversight.
- Certain arrangements must be reviewed and approved before a contract is signed.
Understanding this early can help sponsors:
- Select an appropriate procurement method
- Avoid delays or the need to re-procure
- Ensure meals remain eligible for reimbursement
What is a unitized (vended) meal?
Unitized meals are meals that are assembled and packaged by a vendor to be served as a reimbursable meal, with or without milk. They are commonly referred to as meal kits or meal boxes.
Under SFSP regulations, vendors that provide unitized meals are generally treated as food service vendors (referred to as food service management‑type agreements) 7CFR225.6(l). As a result, additional requirements related to procurement, contracts, and oversight apply, regardless of how the vendor describes its services.
Purchasing meals from out-of-state vendors
If a unitized meal vendor assembles meals at a production facility located outside Washington state, additional considerations apply. Federal regulations (7 CFR 225.7(i)) require OSPI to conduct in‑person reviews of vendor production facilities during a review cycle. Because of this, pre‑approval from OSPI is required before sponsors enter into an agreement with an out‑of‑state unitized meal vendor.
This review must occur before contracts are finalized to ensure the arrangement can be supported and monitored as required.
What sponsors should do before moving forward
Sponsors exploring unitized meals, especially from an out-of-state vendor, should take these steps early in the process:
-
Confirm the production location
Ask where meals are prepared and unitized (city and state).
-
Contact your SFSP Specialist early
Share the vendor name and production location so OSPI can determine whether the arrangement can be approved.
-
Plan procurement carefully
Unitized meals require a compliant procurement process and a written agreement that clearly defines vendor responsibilities.
-
Ensure contracts are clear
Approved agreements must specify that the vendor is responsible for unitizing meals and meeting all applicable program requirements.
Procurement reminder
All SFSP purchases must comply with federal, state, and local procurement requirements under 2 CFR 200. This includes:
- Selecting the correct procurement method.
- Conducting competition when required.
- Clearly defining responsibilities for meal production and delivery.
- Maintaining complete procurement and contract documentation.
Even when a vendor only provides unitized meals, these agreements are still subject to procurement and oversight expectations to support program integrity and compliance.
Final Considerations
Requests involving unitized meals produced out of state are reviewed case by case, based on regulatory requirements and oversight considerations. Early coordination helps ensure plans can move forward smoothly.
Questions? Contact summermeals@k12.wa.us.
Annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines used to determine eligibility for free and reduced-price meals for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 are now available.
2026-27 Income Guidelines
These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Special Milk Program, Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Summer-EBT (SUN Bucks)
Join office hours with OSPI through the end of May. Review the content-specific dates and times below.
Office Hours Schedule
- May 6 | 2–3:30 PM, S-EBT Focus (Led by Joe and Noa Kay) Join here
- May 12 | 2–3:30 PM, Monitoring Focus (Led by Joe) Join here
- May 19 | 3–4:30 PM, General SFSP Office Hours (Led by Adriana) Join here
- May 26 | 2–3:30 PM, General SFSP Office Hours (Led by Joe) Join here
Questions about applications for the Seamless Summer Option (SSO)? Contact a School Meals Program Specialist.
May 15 is the next deadline for applying to operate the Summer Food Service Program for sponsors that will start operating between June 1–15. All remaining applications are due June 1.
Submitting your application by May 15 helps ensure adequate time for review, feedback, and approval ahead of program start dates. Please review the tiered deadlines under Important Dates to Remember to confirm your required submission timeline.
|
Questions? Contact your SFSP Program Specialist or the summer meals inbox for support.
|
2026 SFSP Applications Due: Tiered Deadlines
|
|
May 15
|
Returning sponsors with first date of operations between June 1-15
|
|
June 1
|
Returning sponsors with first date of operations after June 15
|
|
