The first step in establishing an efficient procurement process is to outline specific program goals and objectives for the year.
This process should be conducted in a systematic way, one in which menu planning drives procurement—not the other way around.
School nutrition operators must plan, analyze, implement and monitor changes in procurement policies and procedures.
This is an important step in the procurement process and should not be overlooked. By assessing the results of your process, you will be able to verify whether efficiencies have been achieved and/or identify areas with room for improvement.
Useful links to other web sites
PDFs available for download
The School Nutrition Procurement Toolkit was developed as a resource for new school nutrition program directors and those in small to medium sized districts. Seasoned directors or those in larger districts may find components of the toolkit helpful as well.
The Toolkit offers practical solutions and guidance on many aspects of operating a successful and efficient food service operation. Suggested tools and templates are included to help you understand the procurement process and create efficiencies.
SNA has developed this information and created these tools in an effort to assist new directors or directors of smaller programs in creating efficiencies in their procurement process. Please note that all tools were designed to be customized with your specific program information, downloaded, and saved to your computer. The Budget Calculator was designed to allow you to input your specific program information and make periodic adjustments as necessary. For security reasons, the information that you enter into the calculator will not be saved.