Real-world examples of institutions putting values-based purchasing into practice.

“During the term of this contract, it may be determined that it is in the best interest of the District and California farmers to purchase seasonal, local produce, directly from the farmer or from a secondary vendor, within compliance of State and Federal regulations.”

“Shelby County Board of Education occasionally purchases large quantities of specific items and expressly reserves the right to purchase these and other similar items via other competitive methods if deemed in the best interest of SCBE.”

The Lunch Box – CAF Solicitation Templates, Chef Ann Foundation: “Examples of those items are locally grown, organic, regenerative certified and/or animal welfare certified. We are willing to buy said foods via special order, in advance, or in bulk to secure quantities. If this bidder cannot provide said products, we will buy them from other vendors. During the effective period of the contract, it is hereby agreed and understood that the [Institution] reserves the right to buy food items off contract.”

“Traceability. Each case of product delivered must be labeled with the farm name, product, date harvested, and date packed. The District reserves the right to request documentation that verifies the traceability information provided on each case, and the farmer must provide documentation within 24 hours of the request.

Education and Engagement. The District values direct connections between farmers and our students. Participants in the District’s Farm to School program are encouraged (but not required) to visit schools and talk with students and school staff about growing food for school meals. As feasible, the district hopes to coordinate staff and student visits to farms. The District understands the busy nature of farm life, so education opportunities may be tailored to the interest level and capacity of each farmer.”

San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Specifications Include:

• Vendor staff should be available for consultation to district staff about seasonal sourcing strategies and menu planning ideas that may deliver the best value to the school district for a minimum of 2 hours per month;
• Products be grown on farms that grow no less than five crops per 500 acres;
• Products be delivered within 24-48 hours of harvest; and,
• Products be delivered directly to multiple SDUSD school sites (not a central warehouse).

The Lunch Box – CAF Solicitation Templates, Chef Ann Foundation:
“The [Institution] participates in [ADD PROGRAMS HERE LIKE CHEF ANN FOUNDATION’S HSFP, GOOD FOOD PURCHASING, EAT REAL, ETC]. As such we expect our procurements, to the extent practical and in compliance with federal and state procurement regulations, to advance a set of values that goes beyond just the lowest priced food item but provides our students with foods that support environmental sustainability, promotes worker well-being, advances climate reliance, reduces food waste, and/or supports animal welfare. Examples of those items are locally grown, organic, regenerative certified and/or animal welfare certified.”

Stanford University can offer up to 50% as an advance payment to farmers who sell to the University. Stanford University has self-operated food purchasing, so it manages its food services directly and not through a management company.

The Common Market: The Common Market, a food hub that operates in several regions throughout the country, requires its farmers and producers:

• Be located within a specific radius of each of its regional offices (either 250 miles, 300 miles, or within the same state)
• Have annual revenues less than $50 million
• Hold or are working towards Harmonized GAP certification
• Only use non-GMO seeds, rootstocks, and cultivars
• Do not use neonicotinoid seed treatments
• Use sustainable growing methods with a clear depiction of the farm’s practices
• Maintain safe and fair worker conditions

In addition, partners that sell animal products to the Common Market must:

• Process products at a USDA inspected and certified facility
• Not use any growth hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics
• Not use animal feed containing animal by-products
• Use sustainable growing methods with a clear depiction of the farm’s practices
  **Certified humane and animal welfare certifications are preferred but not required.

Sysco has a supplier diversity process that aims to make it simple for diverse suppliers to do business with Sysco. Prospective suppliers are encouraged to register with Sysco’s registration portal and must contact local operating sites to engage at the local level. Registering through the portal does not guarantee a vendor any contracts, and prospective suppliers must still go through an approval process. To be a Sysco supplier, Sysco prefers vendors have a third-party diversity certification, and requires that they carry liability insurance, update their certifications records regularly, and have a clear understanding of their product and how it relates to Sysco’s business goals and objectives. On the local level, prospective suppliers must contact local operating sites directly about supplier approval processes.

Sodexo has a strong commitment to supplier diversity, and it supports small, minority-owned, and diverse businesses through its Supplier Diversity Program, established in 2000. This program actively seeks partnerships with businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. In fiscal year 2023, Sodexo spent over $1 billion with diverse and small businesses in the U.S., engaging nearly 3,000 vendors through Tier 1 and Tier 2 purchases.

To participate in Sodexo’s Supplier Diversity Program, vendors are encouraged to register through Sodexo’s Supplier Diversity Program Management portal. The registration process requires vendors to submit company information, demographic details, annual sales figures for the past three years, relevant industry codes, and diversity certification information. Sodexo prefers that all diverse vendors obtain third-party certification from national NGOs or certification bodies at the city, county, or state level.

Sodexo’s dedication to supplier diversity is further emphasized through SodexoMagic, a joint venture with Magic Johnson Enterprises. SodexoMagic is a food services management provider for corporations, healthcare facilities, K-12 schools, and higher education campuses that focuses on community empowerment by hiring locally and sourcing from minority- and women-owned businesses.

Aramark works through Avendra group to accept vendors. Avendra group has two separate vendor certification programs. The first program is for general registration, and the second program is for diverse and small business suppliers including: minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBT-owned, and small businesses. To be considered a small business at Aramark, the products that are grown, raised, caught, manufactured or processed by a farm or an independently owned business must be located within 250 miles of the Aramark location. Below are the step-by-step guidelines for general vendor registration and diverse vendor certification.

General requirements:

• Step 1: Submit a Prospective Supplier Form. The form asks for initial information about the farm and is used by Aramark to understand the farmer’s business and what the farm is selling.
• Step 2: Confirmation from Aramark. Once the Prospective Supplier Form is returned to Aramark, Aramark sends a confirmation email.
• Step 3: Category Review. Category Review can take anywhere from one to four years. During this time, Aramark considers a variety of factors including:
  • Years of business history (three year minimum required);
  • A record of excellent customer service;
  • Competitive pricing;
  • Rigorous standards for quality, consistency of service, and on-time delivery; and
  • Insurance and indemnification requirements.

Bon Appetit is a management company and a subsidiary of the Compass Group. In 1999 the company launched its Farm to Fork Program to help pair local farms with chefs. Chefs that work for Bon Appetit are required to purchase at least 20 percent of their ingredients from small farms located within 150 miles of their kitchen. Farmers in the Farm to Fork program have a streamlined process to achieve eligibility.

The requirements for eligibility for the Farm to Fork Program vary by farm type:

• Small farms, orchards, mills growing plant-based products:
  • Owner operated
  • Within 150 miles of a Bon Appetit kitchen
  • Annual sales less than $5 million
• Small producers of meat, poultry, and eggs, dairy, and cheese:
  • Owner operated
  • Within 150 miles of a Bon Appetit kitchen
  • Annual sales less than $5 million
• Mid-size producers of meat, poultry, and eggs, dairy and cheese:
  • Owner operated
  • Within 500 miles of a Bon Appetit kitchen
  • Annual sales less than 1% of industry leaders’ sales volume for each species cultivated
  • Third-party humane certification