Technical Assistance and Support

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LOOKING TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ESC?
Click HERE for a detailed contact list or click the region on the map for general contact information.

The Texas Legislature created Education Service Centers to help schools in each of their 20 regions improve student performance, operate efficiently and comply with government regulations. Through a partnership with the 20 ESCs, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) provides regional training and support for contracting entities (CEs). The Texas Education Agency oversees ESC operations.

ESC specialists support TDA CEs’ efforts to serve healthy and appealing meals in federal nutrition programs while adhering to state and federal regulations. As regional representatives for TDA Food and Nutrition, ESCs can respond quickly to questions and provide technical assistance locally. ESCs maintain training facilities in each region that can accommodate CE training workshops while limiting travel time for TDA partners. There are no fees and no contracts for TDA partners accessing ESC services.
Trainings available at all ESCs

For more information about the Education Service Centers, click here.

Program Operation Questions

While contracting entities operating federal nutrition programs should utilize their local Education Service Center (ESC) first, and as their main point of contact, TDA can help with specific program questions. We've created email addresses for the federal nutrition programs we administer and for areas in those programs that generate the most questions.

Contracting entities partnering with TDA in federal nutrition programs can use the following email addresses to get technical assistance for program operations:

PROGRAM APPLICATIONS

Child and Adult Care Food Program: CACFP.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov
National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer Option, Special Milk Program and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program:
NSLP-SBP.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov
Summer Food Service Program: SFSP.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov

FINANCIAL ISSUES

Capital Expenditures: capital.expenditures@texasagriculture.gov
Claims: BCT.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov
Excessive Balance Plan and How to Use the Funds: School.Operations@TexasAgriculture.gov
Procurement, Including Sole Source and Food Service Management Companies: CE.ProcurementReviews.BOps@TexasAgriculture.gov

PROGRAM OPERATIONS

Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program: Community.Ops@TexasAgriculture.gov
Local Products and Farm Fresh Initiative: LocalProducts.SquareMeals@TexasAgriculture.gov
National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and Special Milk Program: School.Operations@TexasAgriculture.gov
TX-UNPS Direct Certification Direct Verification System: DirectCertification@TexasAgriculture.gov
USDA Foods Operations: CommodityOperations@TexasAgriculture.gov

PROGRAM FLEXIBILITIES/WAIVERS

Schools can use SNPWaivers@TexasAgriculture.gov to get answers to questions about any of the following flexibilities/waivers:

Breakfast Waiver
Child Nutrition Program Requirement Waivers
Gender Exception
Hiring Standards
Lunch Mealtime
RCCI Age/Grade Group Meal Pattern

Seamless Summer Operation (SSO) Age/Grade
Summer Mandate
Technology-Based Confirmation
Universal Breakfast Mandate
Vending Machine to Dispense Reimbursable Meals

Use Nutrition@TexasAgriculture.gov for questions about the following flexibility:

Milk Substitute Notification

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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