The Child Nutrition Program Office reminds all Child Nutrition Program operators of the flexibilities provided by Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 200.320(f)(2), noncompetitive procurements resulting from a public emergency.  A noncompetitive proposal is a procurement method used when competition is deemed inadequate or impossible due to public exigency or emergency.

School Food Authorities (SFA) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors may provide reimbursable meals to low-income children during school closures related to COVID-19. Upon Child Nutrition’s approval of their application, schools may provide up to two meals per day per child through the SFSP or the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP.  Meals may be provided and consumed at schools or other locations in the community or provided for consumption at home.

The New York State Education Department (SED) has requested a waiver from USDA for regulations 7 CFR 210.7, 220.9 and 225.9(d)(7) to allow School Food Authorities and Summer Food Service Program Sponsors additional reimbursement for costs necessary to provide meals and meal supplements with appropriate safety measures to help minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 while schools are closed.

The waiver has not been approved at this time. Further guidance will be made available upon approval.

Local education agencies (LEAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program were required to develop a local school wellness policy and have this policy in place by July 1, 2017. An assessment of this policy must be conducted at a minimum of once every three years. Therefore, the first triennial assessment must be completed by June 30, 2020.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY19 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for School Food Authorities (SFAs).

RFP GC20-021 is posted at the Grants Administered by NYSED webpage: 

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/currentapps.html   

The FY 2020 USDA Farm to Grant Request for Applications (RFA) is now available! Grants are designed to expand farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that $1.5 million is available for eligible school districts to support the growth of the Farm-to-School programs across New York State ahead of the upcoming school year.

Applications are due November 7, 2019 by 4 pm and should be submitted in Grants Gateway.

Now Available through USDA! 

Offer versus Serve (OVS) National School Lunch Program Posters and Lunch and Breakfast OVS Tip sheets!  

The Offer versus Serve (OVS) Lunch Posters for elementary, middle and high school students may be used as signage to instruct students to select a reimbursable meal under OVS.  The OVS tip sheets are intended for use by school foodservice staff to enhance their understanding of OVS requirements at breakfast and lunch.

This final rule increases flexibility in the Child Nutrition Program requirements related to milk, grains, and sodium effective SY 2019-2020, which begins July 1, 2019.  The purpose of this rule is to ease operational burden and provide school nutrition professionals the flexibility needed to successfully operate the Child Nutrition Programs. This final rule makes the following changes beginning in SY 2019-2020: