3316 - Events-Meals and Refreshments - Procedure

Meals and refreshments for an event at an SBCSS facility may be provided through any catering service that meets catering guidelines. Refreshments only may be supplied by the department. Full meal services for breakfast, lunch or dinner may be provided by a catering service, school district or ROP. Departments may order and pickup refreshments and meals from any established food vendor that meets the guidelines below. The department will then be responsible for all cleanup associated with meals/refreshments

“Meals” will be used to define traditional hot and/or cold entrees associated with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served at conventional times. “Refreshments” will be used to define beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks, juice), continental breakfast (pastries, muffins, bagels, fruit, etc.) and snacks (cookies, crackers, cheese, chips, pretzels, etc.) which are served during a usual break and are not part of a specific meal.

Catering Guidelines:

1. Catering service must have a current business license and be approved by the County Health Department.
2. Catering service may not be owned or operated by immediate relative(s) of sponsoring department employees.
3. Catering service must check-in at reception desk of facility and must have a reservation number for proper directing for those locations scheduled through Facilities Management.
4. Catering service must perform all necessary food setup and cleanup.
5. If catering service fails to properly cleanup, department will be responsible to do so.
6. Full meal service for fee may not be provided by an SBCSS employee or any vendor owned, in whole or part, by an SBCSS employee.

Districts, partners, and SBCSS departments are responsible for payment to the catering service by purchase order, check or credit card. The method of payment (purchase order, credit card, etc.) must be determined prior to placing the order. An agenda, activity flyer, or other appropriate meeting notice must be submitted with the purchase order or invoice.

Meals and/or refreshments for employees and non-employees are an allowable SBCSS expense for conferences, workshops/seminars, and inservices as described below. An agenda and/or event notice is required as well as a sign-in sheet. Meals and/or refreshments are not an approved expenditure for staff meetings.

Guidelines for SBCSS-Sponsored Events

Conference

Definition: A conference is defined as an event in which there is a registration fee assessed to attend the event and/or there are contracts issued in conjunction with the event.

Registration fee: Yes
Location: Outside facility
Speaker(s): Keynote speaker(s), session speakers; keynote speakers generally incur a cost
Meals/Refreshments: Contracted through facility at which event is located
Participants: Mostly outside organization; employees
Required documentation: Flyer announcing event; agenda or program of activities showing times, topics, speakers, etc.; and list of participants showing name and organization.

Workshop Seminar or Inservice

Definition: A workshop is differentiated from a conference by the length of the event and the amount of the registration fee.
Registration fee: Perhaps
Location: Outside facility or SBCSS facility
Speaker(s): Yes; may be contracted or provided through partnership or reciprocity at no charge
Meals/Refreshments: If paying with SBCSS funds, must follow meal guidelines below.
Outside facility – as provided for in contract or arrangement
SBCSS facility – follow meal guidelines below
Participants: Mostly outside organization; employees
Required documentation: Flyer announcing event; agenda or program of activities showing
times, topics, speakers, etc.; and list of participants showing name and organization.

Staff Meeting

Definition: A staff meeting is differentiated from an inservice by the participants and content. Inservice sessions are conducted for training and staff development purposes while staff meetings are held for conducting staff business and discussing day-to-day operations. Staff meetings are generally held on a set schedule during the regular work day (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.).
Registration fee: No
Location: SBCSS facility
Speaker(s): No
Meals/Refreshments: No
Participants: Division or department employees
Required documentation: None, no reimbursement involved

Meal Guidelines:

• Breakfast – Only continental breakfasts are permitted at SBCSS facilities. Full breakfasts may be ordered for events which are under contract at an outside facility in conjunction with a conference or workshop (see definitions).
• Lunch – Catered lunch is only permitted if the event begins at or before 10:00 a.m. and concludes at or after 2:00 p.m., or is more than five hours in length and begins no later than 11:00 a.m., even if the cost is included in a registration fee.
• Dinner – Event which begins at or before 5:00 p.m. and extends to or beyond 7:00 p.m.
• Refreshments – May be served at any conference, workshop, seminar or inservice regardless of duration.

Exceptions to the Meal/Refreshment guidelines may be requested in writing and authorized by the Assistant Superintendent, Business Services.

Approved : March 19, 2002
Revised Effective, April 1, 2003 : December 3, 2002
Revised : June 27, 2011