United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1996-08-26 monographic deposited born digital 66 p. GA 1.13:RCED-96-217 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217 P0b002ee1803a37b7 f:rc96217 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217 RCED-96-217 Food services contracts Public schools Child care programs Food programs for children Contract monitoring Cost plus fixed fee contracts Contract specifications Nutrition surveys National School Lunch Program National School Breakfast Program Chapter Report RCED

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO examined the extent to which schools use private food service companies to operate their lunch programs, focusing on the: (1) terms and conditions of the contracts between schools and food service management companies (FSMC); and (2) percentage of schools offering brand-name fast foods that participate in the National School Lunch Program.<p/>GAO found that: (1) the number of food authorities participating in the school lunch program and contracting with FSMC has increased from 4 to 8 percent; (2) most food authorities use FSMC to reduce their budget deficit and increase revenue; (3) the advantages of using FSMC include paying lower costs for food, payroll, employee benefits, and administration; (4) schools with food service contracts have fewer students participating in school lunch programs than those schools not using FSMC; (5) more food service workers remain employed as a result of schools' contracting with FSMC; (6) food service contracts vary depending on the type of meal and the federal regulations governing the contracts; (7) most food service contracts require an annual fee, half stipulate a per-meal fee, and some stipulate both fees; (8) about one-half to two-thirds of FSMC contracts do not contain standard contractual provisions to ensure compliance with federal requirements; (9) the provisions most often omitted from the contracts are intended to ensure that the food authority maintains control of the school meals program; (10) the failure to include these provisions creates uncertainty regarding FSMC responsibilities and diminishes the food authority's ability to ensure that FSMC adheres to federal requirements; and (11) although the percentage of schools offering brand-name fast foods has increased, the number of items offered is limited. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217.pdf GAO/RCED-96-217 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-96-217 Chapter Report GAO/RCED-96-217; School Lunch Program: Role and Impacts of Private Food Service Companies; Food services contracts Public schools Child care programs Food programs for children Contract monitoring Cost plus fixed fee contracts Contract specifications Nutrition surveys National School Lunch Program National School Breakfast Program Title 42 Section 1751et seq. 42 U.S.C. 1751et seq. Public Law 103-448