A strong proposal starts with a clear request. Whether you are replacing a vendor or starting meal service for the first time, the details below help any food-service partner understand your program and respond accurately.
1. Who you serve
Share the type of organization, the age ranges or populations you serve, and approximate participant counts. If counts vary by day or season, say so — volume changes affect production planning and delivery routes.
2. Which meals, and when
List each meal and snack you need (breakfast, lunch, supper, morning or afternoon snack), the days of service, and the times you serve. Include school calendars or closure days if you have them.
3. Format
Do you need individually packaged meals, bulk service for a serving line, or a mix? Do you have equipment to reheat food, or should meals arrive ready to serve? Your answer shapes packaging, labeling and price.
4. Dietary and documentation needs
- Organization-level allergy procedures (for example, a nut-free facility).
- Cultural or religious accommodation requests.
- Participation in programs that have meal-pattern or recordkeeping rules, such as CACFP or USDA school meal programs.
- The menus, labels or reports you need to keep on file.
Keep requests at the organizational level. Individual medical records should never be shared through a public website form.
5. Delivery and receiving
Provide each delivery address, your preferred delivery window, who receives deliveries, and any check-in procedures. Multi-site organizations should note which locations share a schedule.
6. Timeline and procurement
Note your desired start date, expected program length, and any procurement deadline or required forms. If you are issuing a formal solicitation, include the documents.
The more specific the request, the more accurate — and comparable — the proposals you receive.
You can use our Meal Solutions Builder to organize all of the above in one place and download a summary for your records.
This guide is general information, not legal or regulatory advice. Program rules vary; confirm requirements with your licensing agency or program sponsor.
