Distribution of donated foods in CACFP. The Department provides donated foods in CACFP to distributing agencies, which provide them to child care and adult care institutions participating in CACFP for use in serving nutritious lunches and suppers to eligible recipients. Distributing agencies and child care and adult care institutions must also adhere to Federal regulations in 7 CFR part 226, as applicable.

Types and quantities of donated foods distributed. For each school year, the distributing agency receives, at a minimum, the national per-meal value of donated food assistance (or cash in lieu of donated foods) multiplied by the number of reimbursable lunches and suppers served in the State in the previous school year, as established in Section 6(c) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1755(c)). The national per-meal value is adjusted each year to reflect changes in the Bureau of Labor Statistic's Producer Price Index for Foods Used in Schools and Institutions. The adjusted per-meal value is published in a notice in the Federal Register in July of each year. Reimbursable lunches and suppers are those meeting the nutritional standards established in 7 CFR part 226. The number of reimbursable lunches and suppers may be adjusted during, or at the end of the school year, in accordance with 7 CFR part 226. In addition to Section 6 entitlement foods (42 U.S.C. 1755(c)), the distributing agency may also receive Section 14 donated foods (42 U.S.C. 1762(a)), and donated foods under Section 32 (7 U.S.C. 612c), Section 416 (7 U.S.C. 1431), or Section 709 (7 U.S.C. 1446a-1), as available, for distribution to child care and adult care institutions participating in CACFP.

Cash in lieu of donated foods. In accordance with the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, and with 7 CFR part 226, the State administering agency must determine whether child care and adult care institutions participating in CACFP wish to receive donated foods or cash in lieu of donated foods, and ensure that they receive the preferred form of assistance. The State administering agency must inform the distributing agency (if a different agency) which institutions wish to receive donated foods and must ensure that such foods are provided to them. However, if the State administering agency, in consultation with the distributing agency, determines that distribution of such foods would not be cost-effective, it may, with the concurrence of FNS, provide cash payments to the applicable institutions instead.

Use of donated foods in a contract with a food service management company. A child care or adult care institution may use donated foods in a contract with a food service management company to conduct its food service. The contract must meet the requirements in subpart D of this part with respect to donated foods, and must also meet requirements in 7 CFR part 226, 2 CFR part 200, subpart D and appendix II, Contract Provisions for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards, and USDA implementing regulations at 2 CFR parts 400 and 416, as applicable, with respect to the formation of such contracts.

Applicability of other requirements in this subpart to CACFP. The requirements in this subpart relating to the ordering, storage and inventory management, and use of donated foods in NSLP, also apply to CACFP. However, in accordance with 7 CFR part 226, a child care or adult care institution that uses donated foods to prepare and provide meals to other such institutions is considered a food service management company.