Appendix 9 - Training Script

SCHOOL FOOD PURCHASE STUDY III
Draft OMB forms clearance package – Appendices
Appendix 9: TRAINING SCRIPT FOR APPROACH TO FSMC HEAD OFFICES

The approach to FSMC head office will be made by senior project staff only (i.e. the project
director, or other senior personnel). In most cases this will be by telephone, although some
may be by personal visit (e.g. where headquarters are conveniently located to either of the
project senior staff)

1.

Confirm you are speaking to a senior staff member with responsibility for school district food
service management.
2. Introduce yourself
3. Explain background to the study
a. Explain that in undertaking a random selection of school districts one or more of the
districts that they service has been selected.
b. Explain that you are contacting them before you speak to the local FSMC management to
fully explain the study and to request your full participation.
4. Explain study objectives
5. Explain how results will be used
a. Emphasize the value to those servicing the school districts
6. Explain how FSMC role is critical in the study
a. Emphasize the contribution to improved understanding of the operation of school feeding
programs throughout the nation.
b. Emphasize the importance of FSMC participation to gain a view of the national picture.
c. Emphasize the full support of the School Nutrition Association
7. Explain what is required
a. As a participant in the study you will be asked to assist us in the following three ways:
i. Assemble and send to us purchase data for each of the three months of your
participation in the study.
ii. Review for accuracy a computer printed list that we will prepare summarizing
your food purchase and USDA donated food records for the three month
period for which you have invoices or purchase records. We will prepare this
listing and send it to you approximately 45 days after the end of your three
month period.
iii. Complete a survey that asks general questions about your school feeding
program and procurement practices. This survey will be mailed to you near the
end of your three month data collection period. Based on our pretest of the
survey, we estimate it will take about 1.25 hours to complete.
8. Explain timetable
a. Need one quarter of 2009/2010 purchase data
b. Procurement practices survey to follow at the end of the quarter.
9. Get confirmation of participation
10. Anticipate negative responses
a. Admin burden/cost –
i. We have identified the hours required to participate from pretests (give
estimates).

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Draft OMB forms clearance package – Appendices
ii. You do not have to complete any forms – simply supply us with copies of
purchases over a three month period.
b. Disclosure of business information
i. No school district will be identified. We aggregate all the data – point to
availability of previous studies on line to illustrate the point.
ii. The only people who see this are the research team.
iii. The districts will be coded and not identified by name.
iv. Our data handling procedures are secure and safe.
11. Build on positive responses
a. Value
i. This will be the only information available on school food district purchases.
ii. It will be complete if the FSMCs participate
iii. It will have considerable value to those serving the school meal market.
iv. It will clarify the structure of that market.
12. Request forwarding of agreement to participate to local FSMC management
13. Thank and ensure respondent that a full report will be made available to the company

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