CO-OP FOOD PROGRAM
SCHOOL DISTRICT INFORMATION
- page updated October 9, 2019 -
Sysco and US Foods (FSA) were both invited to participate in our Spring 2020 Co-op Food Purchasing bid on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, and I look forward to receiving highly competitive bids from both Montana distributors by November 1, 2019. All bid docs have been posted on our Spring 2020 Bid Info page (please click for quick access if you're interested), and you will find all important bid dates toward the bottom of that brief page. Remember school food service professionals, 99% of what you'll need is Order details, so you're currently on the correct page.
While you won't see many changes during the Spring 2020 order window, there are a couple of new items I will be highlighting, and - depending on how the bid goes - some new brands that we're sure you will all love. Expect to receive a few memos before the order window opens on November 18th, and a couple once it officially opens. I'll highlight some of the new items, new brands, and feature some of the items currently listed that are pretty incredible yet have flown under the radar. In case you miss one, all of the Spring 2020 promo memos will be linked here once they have been sent. ADMIN FEES In accordance with Federal law and in the spirit of transparency, we are happy to post our fees. SWMSS charges an administrative fee to all participating schools/organizations to provide this program. The fee is a flat $.90 per case/item ordered, and invoices for the Spring 2020 orders will be sent March 16, 2020 (net 45 terms, due by April 30, 2020), and it remains one of the lowest in the industry. While you do NOT have to pay a membership fee to participate in our program, SWMSS member school districts do receive a discounted rate. (Click here for membership details and a current list of our members.) Continued growth of this program supports valuable programs within our organization, and we are happy to announce that we will not be increasing our administrative fees at this time.
OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE
A committee of participating school food service managers from around the state reviews all items offered through this program once a year to ensure quality, nutritional integrity, and student acceptance. The committee also works to include foods that help meet higher nutritional standards, such as whole grain, low fat, and low sodium foods. 2019-2020 committee meetings will be held in Great Falls, Missoula, and Miles City in October. All 3 meetings are 10 am - 2pm each day. Contact me, Jennifer Brekke, if you would like to participate or if you have questions. If you or your district has participated in our co-op food program in the last year, you are eligible to attend.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Our program provides quality food and food service supply items to schools and child-based government agencies and organizations across Montana at substantial cost savings through high-volume bid purchasing. All food items adhere to the guidelines of the Federal School Lunch Program and food nutrition requirements. These items are annually reviewed and updated by our Advisory Committee, and put out to bid twice a year with up to 4 deliveries for each order period. The bid pricing we receive is based on order quantity averages from the previous 2 bid cycles. Each participant, regardless of their order size, receives the same price for all items, and each district is guaranteed delivery to their location. There are no restrictions on the quantity of food a district can order, though orders totaling $400 or less may be restricted to a one-time delivery at the discretion of the bid winner (distributor). PLEASE NOTE This program is not associated with the USDA Commodity Foods Program or the USDA DOD Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Program, and is not subsidized by the State of Montana. 
ARE YOU NEW TO OUR PROGRAM?
If you haven't participated in the SSoM co-op food purchasing program in the past you will need a User ID & password to access the Marketplace ordering website. Please contact Jennifer Brekke at the School Services of Montana office for fast, easy registration by phone, or email your request to her and include the following:
Jennifer will email you a confirmation with your login, a temporary password, and a link to the Marketplace. While you are waiting for your registration confirmation please DOWNLOAD & PRINT the Fall 2019 Item Price List - Order Form (click the button to view, then print a copy), familiarize yourself with the items available for this order period, and begin filling out your order on your printed copy. The How To Place Your Order VIDEO is a great resource for users who are new to the program and users who may need a little refresher. Really, it is an excellent resource for ALL purchasers. :) - will be posted no later than November 18th -
The Fall 2019 order process is the same simplified process you enjoyed during the Spring 2019 order window (Nov. 16- Dec. 11, 2018) - you will enter the number of cases for each delivery window for each item all on the same page. Your login name for the Marketplace online ordering website should be your school district email address, all lower-case. Your password has not changed. Please contact Jennifer Brekke at the SSoM office if you forgot your password, or follow the prompts on the Marketplace login page to change your password.
You may access the Marketplace at ANY TIME to review previous orders you may have placed by clicking the My Orders tab in the upper right corner of your page (after logging in) to find this information. I am working on creating a "How to" video that details the process of downloading your order into an Excel spreadsheet and sorting by Delivery period. COMING SOON : )
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS & LINKS (click the blue to view/download)
Spring 2020 item price list / order form WILL BE POSTED BY NOV. 18TH VIDEO: How to Place Your Order (11:44) VIDEO: How to download your order into a spreadsheet and sort by delivery period COMING SOON Spring 2020 Food Nutrition Specs File Library COMING LATE NOV./EARLY DEC.
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CONTACT US @
SCHOOL SERVICES OF MONTANA
Jennifer Brekke
Marketing Coordinator | Interim Bid Manager
office (406) 522-6024
jbrekke@mt-schools.org
Marketing Coordinator | Interim Bid Manager
office (406) 522-6024
jbrekke@mt-schools.org