DoD Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

Participation

Program Operators participating in the Food Distribution Program (FDP) have four options for ordering and receiving USDA Foods: through a State Distribution Center as an Allocation Agency or an Advance Order Agency, as a member of a state cooperative (co-op), or as a member of a private co-op. Program participation determines how Program Operators order and receive DoD Fresh produce. Program Operators may view their selected participation option on the Contract Packet page within the FDP module of Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS).

State Distribution Center Allocation Agencies

State Distribution Center (SDC) Allocation agencies are offered DoD Fresh produce during each of the five yearly allocations. DoD Fresh produce is delivered by the SDC along with the agency’s USDA Foods. Allocation orders are submitted within the FDP module of CNIPS.

State Cooperative and Advance Order Agencies

State Cooperative (co-op) members and Advance Order agencies designate a portion of their entitlement for the DoD Fresh Program each school year through the annual survey process in the FDP module of the CNIPS.

The entitlement identified in the annual survey is transferred to the DoD’s online ordering system, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order Receipt System (FFAVORS). State co-op members and Advance Order agencies are then able to place orders in FFAVORS and receive DoD Fresh produce delivered by the prime vendor.

Private Cooperative Members

Private co-op members designate a portion of their entitlement for the DoD Fresh Program each school year through their co-op’s annual ordering process. This entitlement is then transferred to FFAVORS.

Private co-op members place orders for DoD Fresh produce in FFAVORS and receive deliveries from the prime vendor. For questions regarding entitlement or participation, private co-op members should contact their co-op directly

Entitlement

USDA Foods Entitlement

A Program Operator’s entitlement is the dollar value of USDA Foods each Program Operator is eligible to receive. Entitlement is calculated by multiplying the number of reimbursable lunches served during the previous year (July 1–June 30) by the current per-meal value. For more information on entitlement visit California Department of Education's (CDE)'s USDA Foods Program Information web page.

Entitlement Spending

Program Operators who utilize the DoD Fresh Program will decide the amount of entitlement to use on DoD Fresh produce from July 1 through April 30 each year. This amount is deducted from the Program Operator’s total beginning entitlement and transferred to their FFAVORS account.

Entitlement Requests

There are four designated opportunities for Program Operators to change entitlement allocations for the DoD Fresh program. The deadlines are as follows:

• October 1
• January 1
• March 1
• April 1

Program Operators must submit DoD Fresh allocation changes to their Food Distribution Program (FDP) ordering coordinator by these deadlines for changes to become effective. When the first day of the month falls on a holiday or weekend, the deadline will be extended to the following business day. The FDP encourages Program Operators to take this change into account when planning yearly DoD Fresh allocations, understanding that Program Operators are only able to increase or decrease allocated funds four times during the school year.

Requirement

DoD Fresh Entitlement Usage Requirement

Program Operators should fully use their Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order Receipt System (FFAVORS) entitlement by May 1. As outlined in Management Bulletin NSD-FDP-02-2012, any unused entitlement remaining after this date may be transferred to the state’s DoD Fresh account. Once the entitlement has been moved to the state account in FFAVORS, agency entitlement designations are eliminated and orders placed will draw from the state’s DoD Fresh entitlement pool.

DoD Fresh Ordering and Delivery Requirements

All prime vendor contracts are standardized, and Program Operators may receive at least one delivery per week. Delivery days are assigned in accordance with the prime vendor’s pre-established routing schedules. The delivery period is 6:00 am – 2:30 pm, and the delivery order minimum is $150.00 per location.

DoD Fresh Receipting Requirements

Program Operators that place DOD Fresh orders direct from the prime vendors must receipt orders in FFAVORS within two business days after delivery. Receipts are considered past due if they have not been entered in FFAVORS by the end of the second day and additional orders cannot be placed until previous orders are receipted.

Receipting orders confirms items are received and ensures entitlement funds are drawn down accurately. Receipting instructions can be found in the Help section of FFAVORS.

DoD Fresh Administrative Fees

Program Operators are invoiced by the State a standard administrative fee for each case of DoD Fresh produce delivered by the prime vendor; this fee is based on the most recent rate at the end of the prior school year. Program operators who receive DoD Fresh through one of the State Distribution Centers (SDC) are invoiced any administrative or delivery fees by the SDC.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS)

The FFAVORS is the national online cataloging, ordering, and receipting system used by Program Operators that receive DoD Fresh produce directly from the prime vendor. In California, any Food Distribution Program (FDP) Program Operator may use FFAVORS, regardless of participation method.

The FFAVORS catalog features a wide selection of seasonal, domestically sourced items, including fresh, pre-cut, and organic produce. Each time an order is placed, the invoice total is deducted directly from the Program Operator’s FFAVORS entitlement. An added benefit is that delivery fees are already included in the price of the produce.

Program Operators receive a user ID and password to access FFAVORS through a registration process administered by the DoD.

The FFAVORS web site

The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS) is the ordering website used by all USDA customers to order their DoD Fresh produce.

FFAVORS Delivery Site Requests

To request additional delivery sites, contact the FDP by email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov. Please note that it may take over a month for the DoD to approve and add new sites to FFAVORS

FFAVORS New User Requests

To request a new user account for FFAVORS, send an email to the FDP at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov and include the following information:

1. The full name of the district
2. The full name of the new user
3. The email address for the new user
4. The phone number for the new user

FFAVORS Technical Assistance

For FFAVORS system or log-in issues, contact the assigned regional DoD Fresh Customer Service Representative listed in the contacts tab.

Complaints

DoD Fresh Complaints

To ensure the success of DoD Fresh, it is important that all issues are documented and immediately reported to the FDP. Program Operators should inspect all produce for condition and quality upon arrival. Any issues with the product must be reported within 24 hours of delivery or by the end of the next business day. Communication and documentation, including photos, are key to quickly resolving any issues.

Program Operators that Receive DoD Fresh Produce Direct from the Prime Vendor

Report any issues with produce quality, condition, availability, or delivery to:

• The vendor
• The DoD Customer Representative, and
• The FDP by phone at 916-323-0865 or by email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov
• Email photos to FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov

Program Operators that Receive DoD Fresh Produce through the Pomona Distribution Center (PDC)

Immediately report any produce issues to the PDC by phone at 909-596-7777

Program Operators that Receive DoD Fresh Produce through the Sacramento Distribution Center (SDC)

Immediately report any produce issues to the SDC by phone at 916-324-0162.

Resources

California Department of Education

• DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Fact Sheets
• DoD State Distribution Center Offering Schedule
• External Resources for Increasing Consumption of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

U.S. Department of Agriculture

• USDA DoD Program Information
  Information on the USDA DoD Fresh program, current DoD Fresh solicitations and contracts, and the list of regional DoD Fresh Customer Service Representatives.
  
  
• USDA Food Distribution Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS)
  Information on the USDA Food Distribution Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS) and link to the FFAVORS web site.

Policy

Policy Guidance

Select policy guidance related to the DoD Fresh Program is listed below. For all Food Distribution Program (FDP) related guidance, visit the Guidance, Manuals, and Resources – Food Distribution web page.

Contacts

CDE DoD Fresh Questions

For general questions regarding DoD Fresh, including

• Entitlement
• Participation
• Ordering

Contact the California Department of Education’s Food Distribution Program by phone at 916-324-7132 or by email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov.

USDA DoD Fresh Customer Service Representatives

A list of all assigned DoD Fresh Customer Service Representatives is available on the USDA DoD Fresh Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Service Representatives web page .

Northern California DoD Fresh Customer Service Representative

Louimmi Nunez

Email: Louimmi.Nunez@dla.mil

Southern California DoD Fresh Customer Service Representative

Naftali Meles

Email: Naftali.Meles@dla.mil

DoD Fresh Prime Vendors

Program Operators that communicate with the prime vendor are required by the USDA to include the State and the DoD Customer Service Representative in the correspondence for contract monitoring purposes, especially when communication involves a complaint. When emailing the vendor, please include the FDP at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov and the DoD Customer Service Representative found on theUSDA DoD Fresh DLA Service Representatives web page .

Northern California DoD Fresh Prime Vendor

ProPacific Fresh

Phone: 888-232-0908

Email: customerservice@propacificfresh.com

Southern California DoD Fresh Prime Vendor

Valley Produce

Phone: 213-657-5220

Email: schools@valleyproduce.com