National School Lunch Program

The purpose of this memo is to clarify the different types of procurement requirements school food authorities (SFAs) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors MUST follow when using funds from the non- profit foodservice account to purchase goods and services for the federal Child Nutrition Programs. Thresholds discussed in this guidance are current as of August 2018 and are subject to change.

The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, 7 CFR 210.10(a)(2) required that schools identify, near or at the beginning of serving lines, what foods constitute unit priced reimbursable meals.

The Child Nutrition Program Administration has purchased materials to ensure School Food Authorities (SFAs) are complying with this signage requirement.  There are poster frames, display stands, dry erase markers, static clings and a variety of posters available to schools, at no charge.

On May 1, 2017, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide greater flexibility to the federal meal pattern requirements for the purpose of making food choices both healthful and appealing to school age children.  The Secretary signed a formal proclamation that allows increased local decision and control regarding whole grains, sodium and milk.

Specifically:

Whole Grains

To ensure continued integrity in the Child Nutrition Programs, the New York State Education Department (SED) is requiring all School Food Authorities (SFAs) opting to participate in the After-School Snack Program or an Extended Day/Expanded Learning Time Program during the 2017-18 school year to complete a Program Addition Application.  Even if your SFA has had prior approval in past years to serve snacks in an After-School Snack Program or an Extended Day/Expanded Learning Time Program, you must re-apply for the 2017-18 school year.  

Please visit our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program page, located under the Programs drop-down, for more information about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.  Due to limited funds, and the large number of high need schools in New York State, we will only be able to award monies to those SFAs that submit applications by the due date and have the highest percentage of eligible students enrolled. We will award starting with 100% eligibility and continue down until funds are depleted.

The list of applicants that were selected to receive the FY 2016 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for School Food Authorities (SFAs) is below.

FY 2016 Equipment Grant Awards

The New York State Education Department (SED) received 570 applications for equipment requests which totaled approximately $5 million. SED was able to fund a total of 196 equipment grant awards to 143 Recipient Agencies (RA) in 56 School Food Authorities (SFA), totaling $1,677,198.

Applications due April 7, 2017.

The Northeast Farm to School Institute is a year long school planning and professional development opportunity for twelve (4-6 members from schools/5-7 members from districts) teams from New England and New York. The Institute starts off with a three day retreat to Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VT from June 26-28, 2018. 

To apply, go to the website (http://vtfeed.org/farm-school-institute) and submit an application by March 7th, 2018.

For additional information:

Online Direct Certification Matching Process (DCMP)

This memorandum contains information pertaining to the requirement for  SFAs to obtain prior approval for equipment purchase(s) from the State Education Department.  Government-wide requirements found in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance cited at 2 CFR 200 (Subpart E Cost Principles), 2 CFR 200.439, Equipment and other capital expenditures, require a SFA to obtain the prior written approval of its awarding agency before incurring the cost of a capital expenditure.  Both the OMB guidance and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles identify equipment as a capital asset.