| Nutrition Services Division Information Alert |
|
| To: School Nutrition Program Sponsors |
Number: NSD-SNP-04-2010 |
| Attention: Business Officials, Food Service Directors, District and County Superintendents |
Date: March 2010 |
| Subject: Annual Bid Threshold for Procurement of Food, Services, or Related Products | |
| Reference: California Public Contract Code, Section 20111(a) | |
Notice of Bid Threshold for Contracts Awarded by School Nutrition Program Sponsors
School Nutrition Program sponsors may contract for food, services, or related products using a competitive procurement process determined by the appropriate bid threshold.
The total annual (i.e., 12 consecutive months) value of the contract determines whether a sponsor must use an informal or formal bid process. If the annual value of the contract is less than the applicable bid threshold, an informal bid process may be used. A formal bid process must be used for contracts that are equal to or exceed the applicable bid threshold.
Sponsors must follow the bid threshold established by their governing body, which differs among the types of agencies as follows:
- The federal bid threshold is $100,000 and applies to private, nonprofit agencies, and charter schools.
- Public schools and county offices of education must use the small purchase threshold as established in the California Public Contract Code, Section 20111(a). This amount may change from year to year. The bid threshold for the 2010 calendar year is $78,500.
- Local governments, such as those administered by county government offices, shall use the small purchase threshold established by their governing body. If no such local threshold exists, they must use the federal threshold of $100,000.
For more information, please see the California Department of Education, Office of Financial Accountability and Information Services Web page located at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/ac/co/.
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Burnette, School Nutrition Programs Specialist, at 916-322-1641 or by e-mail at eburnette@cde.ca.gov, or Rae Vant, School Nutrition Programs Specialist, at 916-445-6775 or by e-mail at rvant@cde.ca.gov, or call 800-952-5609 to reach either specialist.
