Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Service Activities (Minimum and Mandatory Tasks and Responsibilities) 1. Coupon Issuance and Redemption. The applicant (service provider) will use a food coupon issuance and redemption system, which gives participants the flexibility to make purchases at different locations throughout the county. Under this system, participants are each given $50 in coupons which they can use to purchase eligible food from authorized vendors who submit the coupons to the service provider for repayment. The service provider will be responsible for all aspects of the coupon system including, but not limited to: • Printing and distributing coupons, • Issuing instructions on the proper use of coupons and a list of datesand locations that coupons may be redeemed, • Ensuring the secure transportation and storage of unissued SFMNPcoupons, • Ensuring coupons are being redeemed only at authorized farmers/farmers’ markets/roadside stands and only for eligible foods, • Ensuring all coupons allocated to county are distributed, • Ensuring at least 85% of the coupons issued are redeemed, • Collecting coupons from farmers, and • Ensuring authorized vendors are reimbursed in a timely manner. Participants will only be allowed to redeem coupons between April 1, 2025 and October 31, 2025 in the first year, and April 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 in the second year. 2. Outreach. The applicant will conduct community outreach activities to the general public by providing information to the eligible population, resulting in program interest. The applicant must also recruit farmers to participate in the SFMNP. A farmer is defined as “an individual authorized to sell eligible foods at participant farmers’ markets or roadside stands. Individuals who exclusively sell produce grown by someone else, such as wholesale distributors, cannot be authorized to participate in the SFMNP” (7 CFR §249.2). 3. Farmer Authorization, Annual Training and Management. The applicant must authorize an appropriate number of SFMNP farmers for its service area, using criteria provided by OCS. Authorized farmers must participate in annual farmer training sessions conducted by the applicant. OCS will provide the applicant with training material. The annual training topics include, but are not limited to, eligible food choices, proper SFMNP redemption procedures or receipt of payment for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program distribution of eligible foods, equitable treatment of SFMNP participants, civil rights compliance, proper storing of SFMNP coupons and guidelines for cancelling SFMNP coupons (7 CFR §249.10). Following the completion of farmer training, the applicant must execute awritten agreement with each farmer and maintain on file a signed SFMNP Farmers/Grower Agreement form, provided by OCS.
