Most USDA commodities are delivered from the state warehouse in McAlester, except for commodities sent directly to large recipient agencies (RAs) and processors. Once a month, the Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) staff allocates available products based on what recipient agencies (RAs) have ordered and their remaining planned assistance level (PAL). The warehouse uses the allocation information to determine loads for delivery according to a route schedule.
The Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) does not charge a delivery fee or fee per case for USDA foods. There is an annual billing that each recipient agency (RA) must pay (this is for entitlement programs only). This is based on the annual meal count data and is called an assessment fee. The assessment fee helps defer some of the Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) expenses associated with the administrative costs of ordering, storing, and distributing commodities. Failure to pay results in termination of benefits and further receipt of food from the commodity program.
A shipping document is created for the recipient agencies (RAs) that serves as a notice of the products to be delivered along with the delivery or drop site, date and time.
Effective July 1, 2005, the documents will not be mailed to the schools, but will be available on the Commodity Distribution Application (DF-8) located on the OKDHS Web site.
The warehouse will send an e-mail message when shipping documents are completed and ready for retrieval by the recipient agencies (RAs).
If a recipient agency (RA) has been advised by the warehouse staff that they will now receive a direct delivery, do not meet the truck at the old drop site even though the old drop site is still listed on the form. If you had direct delivery in the prior school year, you will continue to have direct delivery.
If you ordered 100 cases of green beans and capped your order at 120 cases, you are responsible to take at least the 100 cases. We never plan to deliver a product all at once. However, there are times the USDA changes the delivery dates and delivers them to our warehouse all at once, despite our best efforts to so carefully spread them over several months. We do not have control over when USDA will purchase and ship the items, so if the 100 cases arrive at one time, you will be responsible to accept the delivery. The Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) does not deliver processed foods. The processor and school determine the delivery schedules and amounts.
The computer program and system we have should not allocate more than the capped amount designated on any item. If there are foods not on the forecast sheet, you will be notified of your initial allocation and must reply by the deadline to refuse your fair share amount.
General guidelines to pick up commodities:
- Be on time
- Have a signed copy of the shipping document
- Show your driver’s license to the CDU driver
- Bring enough help to get your load
- Ensure the load is in good shape and all items are accounted for before signing for them
General guidelines to have commodities delivered to a facility:
- Be prepared to call and have your helpers there within 15 minutes of the truck’s arrival
- Have a signed copy of the shipping document
- Have enough help and equipment to get your load into the facility
- Ensure the load is in good shape and all items are accounted for before signing for them
A school official must sign the shipping document. It can be the person who is picking up the food. This does not have to be the designated authority or authorized representative on our official records. The person who picks up or receives the food must sign in addition to any other signatures that may be on the document. The person must also provide a driver’s license or other form of identity if requested by the driver.
If the product is in questionable condition or amounts are not correct, note the problem on the shipping document before signing and have the Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) driver initial the notation. Notify the Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) office in Oklahoma City immediately.
Note: Refusals are not allowed at the point of delivery unless the product has obvious signs of deterioration such as thawing, broken or severely dented cans, or insect or rodent infestation.
Warehouse delivery personnel are responsible to:
- be at the designated drop site on time
- move the load to the tailgate
- check the pallet contents before signing the shipping form
- verify the identity of the person picking up the load
Note: Commodity Distribution Unit (CDU) drivers are not responsible to help recipient agencies (RAs) load their vehicles. The drivers will only get the load to the tailgate of our truck. It is the responsibility of each recipient agency (RA) to bring a big enough vehicle to carry the load and enough people to pick up their loads.
Contact Commodity Warehouse Manager Phillip Butler, Phillip.Butler@OKDHS.org, or Warehouse Supervisor Danny Conn, Danny.Conn@OKDHS.org at 1-800-818-7118.
Delivering directly to all schools is our goal. This has been initiated in most counties. Even with direct delivery schools are responsible for having adequate help to unload orders in a prompt and courteous manner.
Those that have direct delivery will not be given a specific time for delivery, only the date of the delivery. The drivers will not wait more than 15 minutes for you to call your helpers for unloading. If you miss the delivery, you will have to make arrangements to pick up at the warehouse or have that delivery added to the following month’s delivery. After you miss two deliveries, the food will be given to another recipient agency (RA).