Integrating Healthy Nutrition Standards and Practices Into Food Service Contracting in a Large US County Government
IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION — Volume 21 — March 7, 2024
PEER REVIEWED
A flowchart describes the implementation process for reviewing and integrating nutrition standards and behavioral economics practices into more than 20 RFPs and food service contracts with food vendors conducting business with the County of Los Angeles from 2011 through 2021. In March 2011, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors adopted the Healthy Food Promotion in LA County Food Services Contracts policy. In October 2011, Department A was the first adopter of the March 2011 board policy. In January 2012, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s (DPH’s) public health director shared the board’s policy with all 37 county departments to identify whether they purchased, distributed, or sold food. From February through May 2012, the FPP team conducted an assessment of county food settings and environments to support the implementation of the board policy. In September 2013, nutrition standards and practices were integrated into Department B’s vending machine contract with its selected food supplier. In April 2017, a new food service request for proposals (RFP) in Department A was developed to acquire a new food vendor through a fair solicitation process. The FPP team provided technical assistance to help integrate revised nutrition standards in the RFP. In October 2018, DPH conducted a follow-up assessment of county food settings and environments via an online survey administered to all 37 county departments.
Figure.
Timeline of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Food Policy and Procurement (FPP) team’s implementation process for reviewing and integrating nutrition standards and behavioral economics practices into more than 20 requests for proposals (RFPs) and food service contracts with food vendors conducting business with the County of Los Angeles, from 2011 to 2021. Department A refers to the first adopter of the March 2011 board policy. Department B refers to a second department that integrated nutrition standards and practices into its vending machine contract with its selected food supplier.
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