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Management Companies

Contracting with Food Service Management Companies:Guidance for School Food Authorities

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has released its updated version of the 1995 guidance entitled Contracting with Food Service Management Companies: Guidance for School Food Authorities. This guidance provides clear information and guidance regarding the responsibilities that reside with the district or school or residential child care institution (RCCI)when it decides to contract with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC).

Procedures to Follow When Using a Food Service Management Company-Walkthrough/Bidding

Any public school that intends to use a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) to run their food service operation must competitively bid for services. A non-public school, jail or residential child care institution participating in a Child Nutrition Program that wants to use a management company to manage their food service operation in whole or in part must competitively bid for those services.

Reaffirming the Requirement that School Food Authorities Comply with Federal Regulations Affecting Rebates, Discounts and Other Applicable Credits in All Cost Reimbursable Contracts

State Agencies (SAs) have just received another memo from USDA reiterating the importance of School Food Authorities (SFAs) ensuring Food Service Management Company (FSMC) compliance with the procurement requirements. These requirements are established in regulations affecting the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Special Milk Program (SMP) which became effective on November 30, 2007 and emphasizes that:

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Click here for Nondiscrimination Statement translations.

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