Purchasing Process

School districts in Minnesota vary widely in their requirements for purchasing local food. Some require a bid process; some do not.

Here are forms and protocols that are available for your use, but in your district you might not need all or even most of them.

Purchasing Step	Forms and Resources
Communicate with Suppliers	You can ask distributors to tell you about local food options that they offer. Several distributors in Minnesota do this. They may even be able to supply you with information about the farmers who produced the food. Understand the terminology that local farmers may use to describe the food that they grow. The Changing Vocabulary of Food Purchasing: A Guide for Food Service Professionals.
Calculate Quantities	Figure out how much of a product you will need by checking the Buying Tips section for the food item.
Bidding Process	Purchasing Michigan Products: A Step by Step Guide. This Michigan resource includes sample bid forms that could be used by Minnesota schools.