On August 31, 2020, USDA issued a nationwide waiver allowing the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) to continue to operate through December 31, 2020, under the COVID-19 flexibilities granted at the end of Program Year 2019-2020. CEs choosing to operate SFSP or SSO in lieu of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) must use this form to indicate their intention to utilize these specific flexibilities, which include:
- Non-congregate meal service
- Alternative meal times
- No child present/Parent pick-up
Note the following:
- CEs who have previously indicated the intention to utilize these flexibilities via the intake forms from spring/summer are currently not required to submit this form again unless the waiver usage has changed.
- These flexibilities under SSO/SFSP CE are only available until June 30, 2021. Note that all expiration dates are subject to change by USDA and may be extended or shortened depending on the status of the public health emergency and the availability of funding.
- If the requesting CE is a School Food Authority (SFA), all sites in the SFA must operate as an SSO/SFSP site. A district may not operate both NSLP and a summer feeding program.
- Non-school entities will only be approved to serve meals under SFSP
(1) in an area where a school has elected not to continue meal service
OR
(2) if serving a different meal type (for example, supper) than the SFSP meals provided by the area SFA.
- The submission of this form is not an approval to operate the program. While TDA approves the usage of the waivers in this form, CEs must have an approved site application prior in order to claim meals under these programs.
- If a CE is participating in SSO and changes their meal counting and collection procedures, they must complete an Attachment B, Policy Statement for Free and Reduced-Price Meals, Attachment B: Meal Count/Collection Procedure(s) in TX-UNPS
- Upon submission of this form, you will receive an email confirmation that the waiver opt-in has been accepted. Please print this receipt for your records. TDA will also indicate completed receipt of this form in TX-UNPS Packet Notes.