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Q&A
Contract renewal process and food quality control measures in shelters
0:28:48
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171 sec
Council Member Julie Won inquires about the contract renewal process for existing food providers and the food quality control measures in place for shelters.
- Officials explain that direct food service contracts run through FY 2026/2027 and will be rebid in FY 2027.
- Food quality control measures include monthly reviews by shelters, twice-annual DHS inspections, annual DOHMH inspections, and random spot checks by the DHS nutritionist team.
- Won expresses skepticism about the ability to conduct thorough inspections with the current staffing levels.
Julie Won
0:28:48
I will definitely follow-up.
0:28:49
We just heard from the executive director, McKinsey, about quality control and feedback systems and I think those updates are great since we last met a year ago.
0:28:57
So can you help me understand for existing contracts that have been bad faith actors that we continue to get complaints about like Regina's, Riviera's and Woodson's.
0:29:07
Can you help me understand the standards and processes for a food provider that's already on contract with you to be approved for a renewal of these contracts or to continue their contracts?
Jill Berry
0:29:18
The so the the direct service the direct food service contracts we have, I believe, run through the end of f y twenty seven twenty six and will be rebid in FY '27.
0:29:34
Individual subcontractors for the individual shelters are on a variety of different schedules, and they can rebid those contracts as needed.
Julie Won
0:29:45
So you're saying that you're not gonna do the food quality control before that rebidding process happens for
Gale A. Brewer
0:29:50
renewal?
0:29:50
No.
Jill Berry
0:29:51
Food quality control is done regularly.
0:29:54
So every shelter is responsible for a monthly quality food reviews that looking to for adherence to the menu, and nutrition standards to quantities of food, temperature, appearance, and taste.
0:30:10
Every shelter is provide is required to do that monthly.
0:30:14
DHS does twice annual inspections of all food services.
0:30:18
DOHMH does annual inspections of food.
0:30:22
We also have quarterly contract monitoring for the food and our DHS nutritionist team does random and targeted spot checks of food quality.
Julie Won
0:30:34
When it comes to compliance monitoring, it's come to my attention that you have about 1.5, at most two people doing these inspections, and you're saying that you do it two times annually.
Jill Berry
0:30:44
There are seven inspectors that are doing the food inspections twice a year.
Julie Won
0:30:48
So you're saying that DHS has seven inspectors for what's the population of your shelters or how many shelters does DHS oversee in the city of New York?
Jill Berry
0:30:57
It is a very large number of shelters.
0:31:00
What is that number?
0:31:02
About it's about 400.
0:31:06
Over 400.
0:31:07
Okay.
Julie Won
0:31:09
So you have 400 shelters and you are able to complete every single year inspections two times a year of those 400 shelters with with your staff.
Jill Berry
0:31:19
And we are posting the results of those inspections on our websites.
Julie Won
0:31:23
So you swear under oath that you are able to complete those inspections for every single site per year?
Jill Berry
0:31:31
That is my understanding.
0:31:33
I would have to go back and absolutely check myself.
0:31:36
Okay we would like to follow-up because
Julie Won
0:31:39
it seems that in a comparison for quality control between DFTA for New York City Aging and DHS sites, it seems that there seems to be a very stark difference in the number of staff doing inspections.