Brown Box to Bulk
Indiana Department of Education 2021 Spring Edition
What is IDOE’s Food Distribution Program (FDP)?
Schools rely on USDA Foods as an important resource for the National School Lunch Program. The provision of USDA Foods frees up funds that schools would otherwise have to use to purchase commercial food products. USDA Foods account for 15 to 20 percent of federal school lunch food expenditures.
FDP is a program administered through the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) for eligible institutions to receive entitlement dollars to purchase food from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These foods are USDA Foods (formerly known as commodities), and can be used within the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), School Breakfast Program (SBP) and After School Snack Program (ASSP). To learn more about FDP, please click: here.
Important Updates
Excess Storage Fees
IDOE has suspended these fees for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.
USDA Foods Cancellations
Canned Carrots 100309 and Refried Beans 100362 have been cancelled for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. USDA was unable to purchase these items due to the inability to secure bids.
Surplus Foods
We still have plenty of garbanzo beans available in surplus. To request these surplus foods, log in to CNPweb and click on the Food Distribution Program green puzzle piece. Click the Allocations tab in program year 2021. Then, click the gray "Add Surplus" button. Choose the quantity you want, click next page and then submit. Remember, please only take what your school can use. Surplus is always first come, first served.
Brown Box Allocations
Brown box allocations end as of Friday, April 30. Schools should continue to check allocations and inventory weekly.
State Assigned Warehouse Deliveries
State assigned warehouses, Dilgard Foods, Stanz Foodservice and Wabash Foods end deliveries on or before Wednesday, June 30 depending on the School Food Authority's (SFA) delivery period .
Annual Pre-Order Survey
The annual pre-order survey for school year 2021-2022 is closed. The next opportunity to participate in the survey will be January 2022.
Updates and Reminders
Thank you to schools for keeping Indiana students healthy. DoD diversions have skyrocketed in Indiana for school year 2021-2022, with nearly 60 new schools participating. Nearly $5 million dollars have been diverted to the program.
Now that the diversions are complete, IDOE, will submit the entire amount to USDA for all SFAs no later than April 1. E-Authentication can be completed for new SFAs once the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) enters schools into the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS) system. This should be completed by Wednesday, June 30.
Schools can proceed with placing orders once DLA enters schools with new accounts for SY22 in FFAVORS. Entitlement will also be assigned to the new schools once they are entered in FFAVORS by DLA.
For more information on the DoD timeline, please click here.
For information on FFAVORS and getting started with DoD, please review the Customer Ordering Manual, the IDOE DoD website, and inTEAM training.
Receipting in FFAVORS
- Please ensure that all SFAs receipt orders in FFAVORS within five days of delivery. This must be done so the vendors can be paid.
Adding Sites to FFAVORS
- New school sites must be sent to IDOE before Thursday, April 1 in order to be added to the school corporation's account in FFAVORS. If this date is missed, then the sites will be updated on the next available date which is before Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
- Schools should contact IDOE to add sites to FFAVORS. Please do not contact the DLA representative or USDA to add new sites.
- Please allow one month for DLA to update FFAVORS.
FFAVORS Access and eAuth NextGen
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Order Receipt System (FFAVORS) now utilizes USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) NextGen for login management. The email address associated with the eAuth profile must match the email address in FFAVORS each time the user logs in. If the email address in FFAVORS is changed and/or if a new eAuth ID is created with a different email address, access to FFAVORS will be impacted.
Users with more than one FFAVORS profile can now use the same eAuth ID to access multiple profiles as long as the email address is the same. After logging in, users will be prompted to select from the active FFAVORS profiles associated with that email address. To switch to a different profile without logging out, a new Switch link is available at the upper right corner of screen.
When logged in, users can check for important news about FFAVORS in the Announcement box on the home page. To view or download the latest version of the manual, click the Help link at the upper right corner of the screen. If you have any questions, please contact your FFAVORS account representative or email the FFAVORS Help Desk.
Changes to USDA eAuthentication
The eAuth User ID serves as the login for Web-based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Order/Receipt System (FFAVORS), and Integrated Food Management System (IFMS). In June, USDA eAuthentication (eAuth) NextGen was implemented for these computer applications.
All new eAuth IDs require a unique email address, which will serve as the User ID. Users must be able to access this email to complete the registration process and use the self-service tool.
Existing eAuth IDs have not changed, including those that share the same email address. Legacy users can add a unique secondary Account Management Email to their eAuth profile to make use of streamlined self-service features.
The eAuth website offers a brand-new look, improved user experience, and several self-service features, including:
- Create a new eAuth ID within a few minutes after entering a unique email address. New users will receive a link via email to complete the registration process.
- Online identity verification via Experian, minimizing the need to visit a USDA Service Center. If required for their level of access, users will be instructed to complete this process.
- If the eAuth password needs to be reset, users with a unique email address will receive a reset link. Users without a unique email address will need to respond to the security questions they selected when registering.
For general help with creating or managing the eAuth ID, an FAQ is available. For specific guidance regarding access to the food distribution applications and user account management, refer to help documentation and registration processes for that application. To read this and other articles, please visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFNS/bulletins/298eba6.
Dishin’ Nutrition
In this section, we would like to provide inspiration for recipes using USDA Foods. If you have recipe ideas, please email Cheryl Moore at cmoore@doe.in.gov to submit your ideas.
Find the recipes below and other recipes here.
Did You Know?
IDOE has a new USDA Foods Distribution Program Toolkit Cheat Sheet. Use this toolkit cheat sheet to help you get started in the USDA Foods program.
Always Remember
Manage direct delivered (brown box) inventory at the state assigned warehouse, Dilgard Foods, Stanz Foodservice and Wabash Foods by checking the CNPweb.
Manage diverted product balances by checking www.k12foodservice.com and www.processorlink.com.
USDA Foods are intended to be used in the year they are received.
Upcoming Events
USDA FOODS Resources
Questions?
Contact Us
Cheryl Moore, FDP Specialist (Brown Box, Annual Pre-Order Survey, SFSP USDA Foods, USDA DoD Fresh Program)
Email: cmoore@doe.in.gov
Phone: 317-234-2516
Linda Smith, FDP Specialist (Raw/Bulk Products/Pounds)
Email: lrsmith@doe.in.gov
Phone: 317-232-0859