Tennessee DOE outlines procurement review process for school nutrition programs

Tennessee Department of Education procurement staff led a webinar training explaining how the state conducts federally mandated procurement reviews of school food authorities' (SFAs) purchases made with federal school nutrition program funds. Procurement Specialist Elizabeth Hewson said the review focuses on compliance with federal, state and local procurement rules, documentation in the Tennessee Meals, Accounting and Claiming (TMAC) system and corrective‑action timelines.

The training explained why the reviews matter. "A procurement review is the federally mandated review of a school food authority's purchases for products and services paid for with federal school nutrition program funds," said Elizabeth Hewson, Procurement Specialist, Tennessee Department of Education. She said reviewers examine whether purchases are "allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable" and ensure "full and open competition and good stewardship of taxpayer funds."

State staff emphasized that the procurement review (PR) differs from an audit: "The PR is not an audit," Hewson said, adding the review is intended to check compliance and provide technical assistance rather than perform an accounting audit. The PR is scheduled on a five‑year cycle for each SFA and normally is a 100% off‑site desk review, with on‑site visits only for extenuating circumstances or at an SFA's request.

What reviewers ask for and when

Hewson walked attendees through the PR workflow in TMAC. SFAs receive an announcement…