Prepare

Secure Funding, Build Team and Evaluate Infrastructure

This stage guides institutions through strategies for seeking public and private funding, building a team, and evaluating facilities and equipment for values-based purchasing programs.
  • Public & Private
  • FSMC & Self-Operated
Prepare: 

Evaluate Existing Food Operations Budget

The food operations budget represents the institution’s existing and potential capacity for a values-based procurement program. Transitioning an institution’s purchasing procedures can require staff time and some additional budgetary commitments.

Institutions should evaluate their food operations budget as a whole, considering the food operations budget process, food operations budget stakeholders, and budget allocations for purchasing, staffing, training and professional development, and facilities and equipment.

The lists of questions below can guide an institution’s evaluation of its food operations budget. While not all of these topics will be relevant to all institutions, the topics and areas of focus indicate how an institution can understand its current purchasing bandwidth and craft strategic food purchasing guidelines and priorities for tailoring values-based purchasing to its values and capacities.

Food Operations Budget Process

  • When is the food operations budget set?
  • What is the timeline for budget proposal, review, and approval?
  • What primary spending areas are included in the food operations budget (e.g., staff, training, facilities, equipment, food service management company contracting, food purchasing, supplies purchasing)?
  • What kind of information is included in the food operations budget proposal?
  • What has the food operations budget been each of the last 3-5 years?
  • Are there any external funds (funds from outside the institution) incorporated into the food operations budget?

Food Operations Budget Stakeholders

  • What departments from the institution are involved in setting the food operations budget?
  • Who are the key individuals involved from each department?
  • Who makes the final decision about the food operations budget?
  • Who is responsible for tracking spending and providing accounting and reports?
  • Who is authorized to make food purchasing decisions and at what amount?
  • Who is authorized to make menu planning decisions?
  • Who is authorized to make food operations staffing decisions?
  • Who is authorized to make training and professional development decisions?
  • Who is authorized to make food operations facilities and equipment decisions?

Food Operations Budget Details

Locations:

  • How many food service locations are at the institution?
  • Do all locations follow the same schedule for food purchasing, or do they vary?
  • What is the budget allotment for each location?

Purchasing:

  • What amount of the budget is allocated to food purchasing?
  • How do purchasing budgets break down into increments over a year? Do purchasers have a weekly or monthly budget?
  • Are there currently purchasing requirements or priorities governing the institution’s food procurement?
  • Are any purchasing funds allocated for specific types of products?
  • What products are purchased regularly? What are the price points for these products?

Staffing:

  • What amount of the budget is allocated to staffing and personnel?

Training and Professional Development:

  • What amount of the budget is allocated to trainings and professional development?

Facilities and Equipment:

  • What amount of the budget is allocated to facilities updates or renovations? What amount is allocated to equipment updates?
  • Is there a schedule or process for facilities and equipment reviews and updates?