USDA Memos

 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services releases policy memos for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Special Milk Program (SMP). 

---

2019

Procurement 

• SP 20-2019; CACFP 07-2019; SFSP 06-2019: Federal Mico-Purchase and Simplified Acquisition Thresholds for All Child Nutrition Programs

Provision Schools 

• SP 30-2019: Reminder: Requirements for Students Transferring from Provision to non-Provision Schools  

Meal Pattern Requirements 

• SP 16-2019: School Breakfast Program: Substitution of Vegetables or Fruit
  • Short term continuing resolution extends this flexibility through November 21, 2019. 
• SP 36-2019: Updated School Meal Guidance (PDF)
• SP 37-2019: Questions and Answers on the Final Rule Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements (PDF)
• SP 38-2019: Meal Requirements under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Questions and Answers for Program Operators (PDF)
• SP 39-2019: Clarification on the Milk and Water Requirements in School Meal Programs (PDF) 
• SP 40-2019, SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in Child Nutrition Programs (PDF) 
• SP 41-2019: Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program (PDF) 

Other

• SP 04-2020; CACFP 03-2020; SFSP 03-2020: Meal Service During Unanticipated School Closures (PDF) 

---

2018

Charter Schools

• SP 03-2019 National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Questions and Answers for Charter Schools (November 14, 2018)

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• SP 18-2018, CACFP 13-2018: Child Nutrition Programs’ Flexibilities for School Year 2018-2019  (June 1, 2018)
• CACFP 09-2018: Grain Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers (April 4, 2018)
• SP 01-2018: Updated Infant and Preschool Meal Patterns in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program; Questions and Answers (Oct. 19, 2017)

Free and Reduced Priced Meals Processes

• SP 09-2018: Reducing School Meal Certification Error through Improved Online Application Design (March 5, 2018)

Procurement

• FM-03-2018 Changes to the Micro-Purchase and Simplified Acquisitions Threshold (September 26, 2018)
• FD-144, SP 04-2018, SFSP 01-2018, CACFP 04-2018 Market Basket Analysis when Procuring Program Goods and Modifying Contracted-For Product Lists (1/18/2018)

Meal Patterns

• SP 19-2018 Clarification on the Milk and Water Requirements in the School Meal Programs

​2017

Administrative Review

• SP 31-2017 Clarifications for Fiscal Action School Food Authority-Wide for Administrative Reviews in School Year 2016-2017 (May 17, 2017)

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

• SP 37-2017: Flexibility for Co-Mingled Preschool Meals: Questions and Answers (June 30, 2017)
• CACFP 16-2017: Grain-Based Desserts in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) (June 30, 2017)

Community Eligibility Provision

• SP 20-2017 Community Eligibility Provision:  Annual Notification and Publication Requirements (PDF)(March 16, 2017)

Financial

• SP 13-2014 School Food Service Account Revenue from the Sale of Non-Program Foods
• SP23-2017 Unpaid Meal Charges:  Guidance and Q&As - revised SP 57-2016 (March 23, 2017)
• SP17-2017 Paid Lunch Equity:  Guidance for School Year 2017-2018 (Jan. 12. 2017)
• SP11-2017 Paid Lunch Equity:  School Year 2017-2018 Calculations and Tools (Dec. 15, 2016)

Free and Reduced Price Meals

• SP 36- 2017 Edition of the Eligibility Manual for School Meals (June 29, 2017)
• SP 30-2017, CACFP 13-2017 Transition Period for the Updated Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Patterns and the Updated National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Infant and Preschool Meal Patterns (PDF) (May 10,2017)
• SP 28-2017 Revised Prototype Free and Reduced Price Application for SY 2017-2018 (May 3, 2017)
• SP19-2017s Reporting Annual Income on School Meal Applications (WORD) (March 15, 2017)
• SP44-2014:  Questions and Answers Related to the Independent Review of Applications (April 30, 2014)

Food Service Management Companies (various years)

• SP 35-2016s Bonding Requirements for Food Service Management Companies and Other Subcontractors (May 5, 2016)
• SP 35-2013:  State Agency Oversight and Monitoring of SFA Contracts with Food Service Management Companies (April 19, 2013)
• SP 33-2012  Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Fees in FSMC Contracts (May 31, 2012)
• SP 01-2011 Revised:  Reaffirming the Requirements that SFAs Comply with Federal Regulations Affecting Rebates, Discounts, and Other Applicable Credits in All Cost Reimbursable Contracts  (April 5, 2011)
• FD-080:  National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)  (January 25, 2011)
  • Guidance in Crediting for, and Use of, Donated foods in Contracts with Food Service Management Companies
• FD-110:  Nationals School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child an Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) (October 12, 2010)
  • Further Clarification in Crediting for, and Use of, Donated Foods in Contracts with Food Service Management Companies

Local School Wellness Policy

• SP 24-2017 Local School Wellness Policy: Guidance and Q&As (April 6, 2017)

Meal Pattern Requirements

• SP 32-2017 School Meal Flexibilities or School Year 2017-2018 (May 22,2017)
• USDA Commitment to School Meals Proclamation (PDF) USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue (May 1, 2017)
  • View the USDA press release
• SP 15-2017 Flexibility for the Target 2 Sodium Requirements for School Year 2017-2018 (Jan. 6, 2017)

Procurement

• SP 38-207 Compliance with and Enforcement of the Buy American Provision in the National School Lunch Program (June 30, 2017)
• SP 04-2017s Model Functional Requirements for State and Local Information Technology Systems (Oct. 7, 2016)
  • Model Functional Requirements  - Local Tool

Seamless Summer Option

• SP 09-2017 2017 Edition of Questions and Answers for the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option (Dec. 1, 2016)

Special Dietary Needs

• SP40-2017 2017 Edition: Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs (July 25, 2017)

USDA Memos Released before 2016