August Announcements

• SY 24-25 SNP Application ~ Update as needed
• Direct Certification Match List in TXELMS ~ Monthly
• Attachment B Uploads module open in TX-UNPS ~ July 1 - October 31
  
• National School Lunch Week resource order form open ~ July 1 - August 9
  
• Self Cert. Micro-Purchase Threshold ~ Aug 1 - Oct 31
  
• FSMC New Contracts and Renewals must be signed and executed. Signed and executed must be submitted to TDA ~ July 1
  
• Apply for Turnip the beet ~ Due August 30
• WBSCM Users transition eAuth to Login.gov ~ Due September
• Paid Lunch Equity Tool - Determine student paid lunch price

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Training & Development Team encourage our School Food Authorities to utilize the resources available through The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)'s "Back to School for 2024" series. Browse here to view trainings, resources, checklists, videos, and best practices for all roles in your operation.

Beginning in School Year 2024-2025, TDA will allow School Food Authorities (SFAs) to retain an amount of net cash resources in their food service accounts not to exceed six months’ average expenditures (expanded from a three-month threshold).

Reference: ARM Section 16, Financial System

The Texas Department of Agriculture is opening the self-certification process as an option to increase the micro-purchase threshold for Contracting Entities (CEs) operating the National School Lunch Program. This will be an annual process that CEs must be approved for to increase the threshold.

The process will open August 1 and close October 31, 2024. Submissions will not be accepted outside of those timeframes.

CEs may only self-certify a threshold up to $49,999.99.

All information is required during submission and will be verified during an Administrative Review. If the submitted information is not accurate and documentation is not maintained, a finding will be issued, and fiscal action will apply.

Exception: If the CE has multiple compliance issues noted in the prior year’s ARs, TDA might require the CE to provide low-risk audit documentation upfront to be self-certified.

Upon approval, the CE must update the procurement procedures and maintain documentation.

A mailbox has been set up for questions: selfcertification@texasagriculture.gov.

Instructions for the process

Submit Self-certification Here
To apply, click on the Smartsheet link.

Per current federal and state guidelines, your inventory levels may not exceed a 6 Months-On-Hand level. Once your requested inventory is allocated to your account, ensure you utilize it by placing delivery orders. By ordering your inventory, you are reducing your overall inventory and remaining compliant with federal and state guidelines. If you are unable to utilize your inventory and find another school within your respective region, USDA Foods transfers are available. Please use the H4529 transfer JotForm located in SquareMeals.org. You may also seek assistance from your Education Service Center. The goal is to reduce inventories being stored at your state contracted warehouse and get CEs to take possession of the USDA Foods they requested the state to bring in by April 30th.

Reference: NSLP-USDA Foods Inventory Management

As part of security management, Food & Nutrition is reminding all Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) users including User Administrators of the following:

• Maximum of two (2) User Administrators (UA) per entity.
• Deactivation of WBSCM account
• WBSCM account for Food Service Management Company
• Keep User Information Updated

Reference: WBSCM Security Updates and Reminders

The new Paid Lunch Equity tool for the upcoming 2024-2025 School Year has been posted to the NSLP Administration/Forms page:

https://squaremeals.org/Programs/National-School-Lunch-Program/Administration-Forms

Resource: PLE Tool Newsletter

** Household Application Instructions has been updated to only contain the reduced-price thresholds for NSLP. It's okay if a CE released the ordinal which included both free and reduced-price thresholds. Moving forward we will only include the reduced-price income threshold for the household application instructions.

Note: The media release should have both free and reduced-price thresholds included.

The following SNP-related forms have been released and posted. All below documents can be found in the Forms table at: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/NationalSchoolLunchProgram/NSLPAdministrationamp;Forms.aspx

· School Meal Applications

· 2024-2025 Standard (Multi-Child) Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Multi-Use Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Multi-Child Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals (Nonpublic School Version) (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Application Directions (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Application Letter to the Household for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals (English and Spanish versions)

(NOTE: The documents listed above can also be accessed at: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/NationalSchoolLunchProgram/EligibilityandVerification/HouseholdApplications.aspx

Additionally, the following Special Milk Program documents have been released and posted at: http://squaremeals.org/Programs/SpecialMilkProgram/SMPAdministrationamp;Forms.aspx

· 2024-2025 Multi-Child Application for Free Milk (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Application Directions (English and Spanish versions)

· 2024-2025 Application Letter to the Household for Free Milk (English and Spanish versions)

TDA has released a revised Daily Food Production Record suite for the School Nutrition Programs. The Onsite Kitchen Production Record along with associated instructions have been updated so that school districts can better document both the amounts planned for each food/menu item as well as the number of portions of each food/menu item served. Additional functional improvements were also added to the Onsite Form.
Note that the Central Kitchen and Receiving Kitchen forms have not changed from the last version and will be updated at a later date.
This form is available on the NSLP Administration/Forms page.

FNS will share a webinar recording in the future for those who could not attend. The webinar recording will be shared on the final rule page here.

USDA has given TDA the discretion to approve specific flexibilities and waivers for school districts experiencing an unanticipated school closure during School Year 2024-2025. These flexibilities include non-congregate service, meal service time exceptions, waiver of OVS requirements, parent pick-up flexibilities, service at the closed school site, and waiver of enrichment activities (if operating CACFP At-Risk during the closure). It also allows for SFSP and SSO to be operated at any time during the school year in the event of an unanticipated closure. Note that all non-congregate flexibilities will only be approved for a maximum of 10 calendar days at one time.

Schools experiencing a closure must submit the recently updated Unanticipated School Closure Notification Form currently published on the NSLP Administration/Forms page. Please refer to ARM Section 24, Disaster Situations, for specific guidance on operating during an unanticipated school closure.

At MegaCon, TDA announced the development of a new nutritional system called the Texas Automated Nutrition System (TANS). TANS is a web-based system that brings current technology, modern software and simplifies the user experience. TANS will be directly managed by TDA which will allow for the flexibility to adapt to regulatory changes more easily.

Beginning with program year 2026, program sponsors, ESC users, and TDA staff will administer nutrition programs through TANS. Management of applications, claims, monitoring and compliance, reporting and other administrative functions will be in TANS for the following programs:

• School Nutrition Programs
• Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Summer Meal Programs
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
• Special Milk Program
• Food Distribution Program

Updates, guidance, and resources related to the transition can be found on SquareMeals/TANS, in upcoming newsletters, and through program sponsor calls.

Join us at 1:30 pm on August 27!

Zoom registration

Due to Hurricane Beryl Region 6 ESC cancelled the 2024 Summer Workshop. Region 6 ESC and TDA have worked together to provide an updated schedule of sessions.

• Select from Virtual or In-person depending on the session.
• August 2nd & August 9th offer multiple in-person sessions. These sessions require a $6 fee which includes lunch.
• Click on the link below for registration information.

https://secure.smore.com/n/dcs7kj

Google Calendar

• School Nutrition Program/Seamless Summer Option
• CAFCP/SFSP

Cindy Scott

CN Program Specialist

936-435-8234

cscott@esc6.net

Dina Herrick

CN Program Specialist

936-435-8244

dherrick@esc6.net

Julie A. Smith

CN Program Specialist

936-435-8238

jasmith@esc6.net

Tona Holcombe

CN Program Administrative Assistant

936-435-8236

tholcombe@esc6.net

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. This program is funded by the USDA.

August 2, 2024