Broome Tioga BOCES

Rock on CaféTM Food

Procurement Program Presented by Julie M. Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS

Rock on CafeTM

• This program, which is in its 9th school

year, is a service of Broome-Tioga

BOCES and currently 15 school districts

throughout Broome and Tioga County are

participating.

• This program is designed by the

cooperative effort of all of the Food

Service Directors and their nutrition expert.

Background

• 1995 Started Bid Group

• 1999 “BC Specification Coalition”

– 15 School Districts w/ Separate Menus

• 2006 Launched “BT BOCES Rock on Café”,

with Standard Menus and “BC Specification

Group Bid”

• 2009-Present Full-Time Registered Dietitian

who reviews all items for food bid

Broome Tioga BOCES Structure

Senior Director of Food Services

Food Service Director

6 Site Managers

Food Service Director

5 Site Managers

Food Service Director (1

Large District)

Registered Dietitian

Special Projects

Coordinator

2 Site Managers

What is Procurement?

• Procurement is the purchasing of goods

and services. The procurement process

involves:

Planning Drafting

Specifications

Advertising the

Procurement

Awarding a Contract

Managing a Contract

Source: USDA/FNS

Why are Procurement Rules

Important?

• To ensure that program benefits (and

taxpayer dollars!):

– Are received by eligible schools and students

– Are used effectively and efficiently, with no

waste or abuse

• Competition

– Competition is essential to ensure low cost

and good quality of goods and services

Source: USDA/FNS

Why?

From a Food Service Perspective:

• Food Buying Power

• Lower Food and Supply Cost To The Meet

The Bottom Line

• Control on Specifications

• More Creativity and Discussion on Menu

Planning

Why?

From Food Industry Perspective:

• Decrease Number of Similar Product

• Lower Cost in Volume Purchases

• Less Time in Bid Proposal Preparation

• Consistency in Product Specification and

Product Development

• Easy Presentation of New Products

Why?

From a Nutritional perspective:

• Insure Nutritional Integrity of Foods

• Insure Portion Size and Cost of Items

• Better Control Over Allergens with One

Data Base

• Systemized Procedure for Evaluation of all

Foods Before Being Allowed on Bid

Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act Final Rule

• Meeting Weekly Requirements of the Meal

Pattern:

– Age-appropriate calorie limits (min/max)

– Larger servings of vegetables and fruits

– A wider variety of vegetables, including dark

green and red/orange vegetables and legumes

– Fat-free or 1% milk (flavored milk must be fat-

free)

– More whole grains/adequate protein

– Elimination of trans fats and 10% or less of total

calories from saturated fat

– Less sodium

Competitive Foods

(A La Carte Sales)

• Snack, beverages, and other entrée items

sold during school hours

• Nutrient Standards

– Calories, sodium, fat and sugar limits

• Identifying acceptable (price and taste)

products can have a positive/negative

effect on a programs financial status

Smart Snacks Bid

• Implemented in 2014

• Guidelines and bid shared with

stakeholders in schools who were selling a

la carte items during the school day

• Decreased number of products available

meeting requirements

Smart Snacks Taste Test

• Ask for samples from vendors

• Taste test with students through sampling

and voting

• Vend products and look at sales

• These guide price point (what students are

willing to pay)

Broome Tioga BOCES:

Food Procurement Bids

• Milk and Milk Products: 1x per year (Opens in June)

• Bread and Bread Products: 1x per year (Opens in July)

• Groceries/Smart Snacks: 1x per year (Opens in July)

• Meat and Cheese: 5x per year (Opens in July, October,

December, February, and April)

• NOI (Opens in February)

• Fee For Service (Opens in February)

• Paper and Supplies: 1x per year

(Opens In August and January)

Product Identification Process

Identify Product Needs

Identify Products and Cost

Per Serving

Cut Products

(Staff Only)

Evaluate Nutritional

Contribution to Menus

Test Taste Products

with Students

Specified Acceptable

Product Added to

Bid

Taste Testing

152 Yes

48 No

Carrot

Taste Tests

1. Bid is reviewed each year and deletions and

additions are suggested. (Ongoing, but is mostly

done in the spring before it is sent out)

2. Items suggested are reviewed for nutritional

integrity and contribution to the meal pattern. If

acceptable, samples are requested. (Ongoing)

3. Directors are periodically asked to attend food cuttings

to sample new items, If acceptable, samples are then presented to students for a

review. (Ongoing)

4. Then acceptable items are added to the Grocery Bid yearly or to the Meat and

Cheese Bid five times a year which gives flexibility to bid new items throughout the

year.

5. Bid is specified by product name and product code. Bid notice is posted (depending on the type of bid determines the time of

this.

6. A minimum of 3 directors review the bid to ensure

adherence to the bid specification. (Ongoing, but

also depends on what the bid is)

7. A line by line award is given to the Grocery and

Meat and Cheese bid. (depending on the type of bid determines the time of

this)

8. Any variations of products received by the schools is

relayed to the bid office in order to ensure that only acceptable

products are received. Companies are notified if there

is any variance in products. (Ongoing)

Staff Training & Decision Making

Rock on Café Benefits

• Community Partners

• Wellness Policies

• Promotions

• Farm To School

• Grants and Projects

Community Partners

• American Farmland Trust

• Broome County Health

Department

• Cornell Cooperative

Extension

• Cornell University

• Equinox Broadcasting

• Food and Health Network

• Food Bank of The

Southern Tier

• News Channel 34

• Rural Health Network

• NYS Farm to School

Coordinating Committee

• SUNY Binghamton

• SUNY Oneonta

• Tioga County Health

Department

• United Health Services

• WSKG

Wellness Policies

• Training

• Schools should lead wellness policy, but

food services should be a member

• Community Involvement

Promotions

Our Local

Farm To School Project

Foods Services is an Asset

• Appreciate the role of nutrition in the

educational process

– Wellness

– Hunger

– Educational Success

• Build a relationship with school food

service manger and staff

• Keep in mind they are busy and have a lot

on their plate (just like everyone!)

Broome & Tioga Counties

Approach The Rock on Cafe™

15 School Districts

Involvement of Every Director

Recipe

Development

Promotion

Menus

Bids

Community

Involvement

Nutrition

Education

Rock on

Café Gets

Published!

Questions?

Contact Information

Julie Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

jraway@btboces.org

(607) 766-3937