Contracting
Contracts are formal agreements that define the terms and conditions of business relationships between parties, providing a clear framework for collaboration. Nutrition programs may involve multiple contracts with vendors, suppliers, and service providers, each tailored to specific needs. A solid understanding of how to develop and manage contracts is essential to protect your organization, foster successful partnerships, and ensure you meet your program goals.
Quick Guides
- Business Contracts: Ensuring Flexibilities During the Unexpected — Considerations for food service contracts
- Contracting Tips for Purchasing Meals/Food — Outline of the recommended process for sourcing meals
- Options for Contracting Meals — Guidance on how to choose the right meal provider for your program
- Evaluating Food Service Approaches — Tip sheet for evaluating features and limitations of different food service approaches, including contracted or self-operated models
Guides
- SBA Contracting Guide— Resource from the U.S. Small Business Administration to assist in navigating the contracting process
Tools & Toolkits
- Memorandum of Agreement for Culturally Appropriate Meal Program — Sample memorandum of agreement for a site to manage and administer a culturally appropriate meal program
- Memorandum of Understanding for Basic Provisions — Sample agreement between a AAA and a nutrition site outlining essential provisions
- HCBS Business Acumen Toolkit— Resource to prepare community-based organizations to contract with integrated health care entities
- Request for Proposals Template — Customizable tool with tips to simplify the process of soliciting bids and selecting vendors
- Aging and Disability Business Institute Contracting Toolkit— Critical elements of CBO-health care contracts
- Sample Contract Language for RDNs — Examples of deliverables that can be included in RDN contracts or requests for proposals
- Understanding and Writing Contracts and Memoranda of Agreement— Resources from the Community Tool Box, offering guidance on effectively drafting and interpreting contracts and memoranda of agreement
Presentations
- Implementing a Medically Tailored Meals Program (YouTube)— Four-minute Network Spotlight highlighting the process of contracting with healthcare plans in California to implement a medically tailored meals program
- Business Acumen — Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana presentation regarding contract with an Accountable Care Organization
- Contract in Hand: Now What — Southern Maine Agency on Aging presentation on contracts with healthcare organizations
- NASPO Procurement Professional Development— Free on-demand and instructor-led courses from the National Association of State Procurement Officials