Implement
Set Standard Operating Procedures: Institutions, Management Companies, and Vendors
- Public & Private
- FSMC & Self-Operated
Introduction
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are step-by-step instructions created by an organization to establish uniformity and efficiency in specific operations. The focus of SOPs depends on the audience, intended operations, and industry. The format of SOPs also varies depending on the content being communicated. On this page you can:
- Identify who implements SOPs, what areas the SOPs should address, and how they can best convey necessary actions for certain relationships.
- Find model recommendation templates for SOPs between institutions and management companies, management companies and values-based vendors, and institutions and values-based vendors.
Keep In Mind:
The SOPs in this section are focused on key operations and actions between institutions, management companies, and vendors. While food safety is often a large part of standard operating procedures, specific resources for food safety and quality control SOPs are addressed in Implement: Review Vendor Eligibility.
Who are the people putting the SOPs into practice?
The process for drafting SOPs should include input from the relevant stakeholders and the people that will be using the SOPs.[1] Each entity (institutions, management companies, and vendors) should determine a designated team for developing and updating SOPs.
The table below identifies departments and personnel that may be engaged when developing values-based procurement SOPs:
| Institution | Management Company | Values-Based Vendor |
| Dining/Food Service (including directors, chefs, and kitchen staff) | Institution’s Account Team (including managers, food/dining staff, finance) | Producer |
| Operations and Logistics | Vendor-Relations Personnel | Food Hub |
| Procurement | Quality Assurance | Sales |
| Sustainability Officers | Compliance Team | Compliance and Certification Managers |
| Nutritionists/Dietitians | Sales and Marketing Teams | |
| Finance Department | Food Safety Coordinators | |
| Logistics and Supply Chain Management |
What primary topics should the SOPs address?
Values-based procurement SOPs should address three topics to help maintain and sustain relationships:
- Communication: Instructions guiding expectations for updates and check-ins, establishing specific questions and topics to address on a regular basis, and setting schedules for information sharing and progress reports.
- Purchasing and Delivery: Step-by-step instructions guiding the mechanics and logistics of product purchasing and delivery. These SOPs also serve as a reference for people on all sides of transactions.
- Troubleshooting: Instructions establishing solution pathways and addressing challenges or changes that may arise in values-based procurement relationships.
How can SOPs best convey necessary actions for specific relationships?
The model recommendations and language in the guiding activities below focus on addressing these primary topics within SOPs for values-based procurement relationships.
Guiding Activities
Set SOPs between Institution and Management Company
SOPs between the institution and the management company facilitate successful fulfillment of food service contract requirements and establish expectations for relationship-building with values-based vendors.
Set SOPs between Management Company and Values-Based Vendor
A management company can work with both prospective and approved vendors throughout the values-based procurement program, selecting them based on institutional priorities and purchasing guidelines. Standard operating procedures guide how vendor relationships are developed and maintained, ensuring consistency and alignment with program goals.
Set SOPs between Institution and Values-Based Vendor
Self-operated institutions engage directly with prospective and approved vendors to implement a values-based procurement program, guided by SOPs that standardize relationship management.
Footnotes
[1] Standard Operating Procedures: A Writing Guide, Penn State University (updated February 24, 2023), https://extension.psu.edu/standard-operating-procedures-a-writing-guide.