Simple guide showing the different procurement methods and when to use them.
This resource aims to familiarize you with procurement methods that school districts and charter schools may utilize for local food purchasing. Use this resource to guide you in asking the right questions about your own district’s purchasing policies, and understanding what purchasing options are available to you given your district’s funding and menu needs.
For farmers and ranchers, this resource serves as a way to better understand the kinds of bids that school districts and charter schools may approach you with during the farm to school procurement process. It also shows you a couple of ways that procurement can be simplified
For further information on procurement methods, visit this section of the Colorado Department of Education website and this section for additional guidance on Sourcing Local Foods.
Our USDA Food and Nutrition Services Department also has some excellent resources available:
- Local Procurement Decision Tree
- Farm to School Resources – with a specific call out for the Procuring Local Foods for Child Nutrition Programs Guide – primarily pages 38-48 (Procurement Methods), 49-62 (Targeting Local in a Solicitation), 63-75 (Geographic Preference).