New Wildfire Food Contract Goes Live Tomorrow: More Steaks, Only Real Eggs, Better Lunches, Veggie Options Mandatory, And More.

Caterers must adhere to the new rules or face monetary repercussions.

Tomorrow, the new food contract will go live for wildfire incidents nationwide. The new contract, 146 pages long, introduces several significant changes to meals on wildfires, the ordering of caterers, and the consequences for caterers who do not adhere to the new standards.

Here are some highlights from the new contract that goes into effect tomorrow:

🥩 Steak Requirements (Dinner)

• Steak nights required: At least once every week, a grilled or pan-seared steak must be offered.

• Meat type: Must be USDA Choice or higher grade, beef steak cuts only (e.g., sirloin, ribeye, New York strip).

• Portion size: Minimum of 10 oz. cooked weight per person.

• Preparation: Steaks must be grilled or seared on-site; precooked or reheated steaks are not acceptable.

• Vegetarian substitution: A comparable entrée (e.g., marinated grilled portobello or tofu steak) must be available for non-meat eaters.

  Egg Requirements (Breakfast)

  • Eggs must be freshly prepared, not pre-cooked or powdered unless explicitly approved. Fried or poached eggs a minimum of 3 times per

    week.

  • Minimum quantity: 2 large eggs (or equivalent) per person, three if scrambled.

  • Preparation: Scrambled eggs are the default.

  • Rotation: Eggs cannot be the sole protein at every breakfast—alternating with ham, sausage, bacon, or vegetarian options is required.

  🥗 Salad Bar Requirements (Dinner Meal)

  • Mandatory at all dinner meals unless otherwise directed by the COR (Contracting Officer's Representative).

  ✅ Minimum Components Required:

  • Base greens (2 types minimum):

    • Must include a blend of leafy greens such as romaine, spinach, spring mix, or kale. Iceberg lettuce alone does not meet requirements.

  • At least 4 vegetable toppings from the following (must rotate):

    • Cherry tomatoes

    • Cucumbers

    • Shredded carrots

    • Bell peppers

    • Red onions

    • Mushrooms

    • Broccoli or cauliflower

  • 1–2 protein toppings:

    • Hard-boiled eggs, shredded cheese, beans (e.g., garbanzo or kidney), sunflower seeds, or tofu

  • Dressings (minimum of 3 types):

    • Must include at least one low-fat option

    • Common standards: Ranch, Italian, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Oil & Vinegar

  • Croutons or crunchy toppings: Must be stocked and rotated

  • Fresh fruit or fruit salad: May be provided alongside or as a salad bar component

  🔄 Rotation & Variety

  • Items must rotate regularly

    📋 DIETARY ACCOMMODATION STANDARDS

    • Allergen labeling

    • Menus must be posted daily on-site

    🍗 DINNER MENU CHANGES

    • Minimum of two entrée choices required nightly, with one being vegetarian.

    • Starch sides must rotate between mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, couscous, or grain medleys.

    • Expanded salad bar expectations: Must include mixed greens, spinach, toppings (e.g., carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans), and 3 dressing options.

    ---

    🥪SACK LUNCH CHANGES

    • Main item must rotate (e.g., sandwich, wrap, burrito, rice bowl).

    • Protein content increased: Minimum of 3 oz. of protein (meat or vegetarian equivalent).

    • Snacks must include one high-protein item (e.g., jerky, protein bar, trail mix).

    • Shelf-stable fruit (like apple sauce or dried fruit) required in addition to fresh fruit. (No more apples)

    🍳 BREAKFAST MENU CHANGES

    • Protein options now specified by name and type (e.g., scrambled eggs, sausage links, Canadian bacon) rather than generic terms.

    • Expanded starch variety: Now must rotate among hash browns, home fries, grits, or rice.

    • Mandatory inclusion of cold cereal and hot cereal each day.

    • Fresh fruit servings increased, and fresh cut fruit or whole fruit must now accompany all breakfasts.

    • Milk types expanded: 2%, 1%, and non-dairy options should be available.

    • Beverage additions: Coffee must be served with decaf and regular options. Tea now must include herbal options.

  🥦 Vegetarian and Vegan Meal Requirements

  🔹 Availability

  • At least one vegetarian entrée must be offered at every meal (breakfast and dinner).

  • These options must be available at the same time and with the same quality and presentation as meat-based meals—no special request or delay allowed.

  🔹 Nutritional Standards

  • Must provide comparable caloric and protein content to meat-based entrees.

    • Protein sources must include:

      • Legumes (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, black beans)

      • Tofu or tempeh

      • Plant-based meat substitutes (e.g., Beyond, Impossible)

      • Eggs and dairy (for vegetarian meals only)

  🔹 Labeling and Separation

  • All vegetarian options must be clearly labeled

  • Must be prepared and served separately from meat products to avoid cross-contamination.

  • Serving utensils and preparation equipment must be distinct and sanitized.

  🔹 Rotation and Variety

  • The contract requires regular rotation of plant-based entrees—repetition of the same entrée more than twice in a 5-day period is discouraged.

  🚫 Consequences for Non-Compliance

  1. Monetary Deductions

  • If a contractor fails to provide meals meeting specifications (e.g., insufficient protein, missing required items), the Government may apply deductions to the daily meal rate.

  • Deductions can also be assessed for:

    • Not offering required vegetarian, vegan, or allergen-free options.

    • Failing to rotate items or provide required variety (e.g., same bar or protein served repeatedly).

    • Missing supplemental items (e.g., electrolyte drinks, condiments, salad bar).

  2. Unsatisfactory Performance Ratings

  • Documented failure to follow menus or meet nutritional standards will be recorded in Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs).

  • Poor CPARs may impact future award eligibility or placement on national dispatch priority lists.

  3. Corrective Action or Suspension

  • If deficiencies are repeated or severe, the Contracting Officer may:

    • Issue a Cure Notice or Show Cause Letter.

    • Suspend operations until deficiencies are corrected.

    • Terminate the contract for default if issues are not resolved.

  4. Immediate Incident Removal

  • Incident Management Teams (IMTs) are empowered to order the caterer off the incident if food safety, adequacy, or service standards are not met—especially in cases of health risk or repeated menu violations.

  ---

  These consequences reflect a significant tightening of quality enforcement mechanisms compared to earlier contracts.

🚚 Dispatching & Mobilization Changes

🔹 National Dispatch Priority List (NDPL)

• Contractors must now be listed on a nationally maintained dispatch priority list for MFSUs, no longer solely by regional preference.

• Placement is influenced by past performance ratings, availability compliance, and mobilization speed.

🔹 Pre-Dispatch Readiness

• Contractors must declare daily availability status in VIPR/ROSS (or equivalent), including estimated time en route (ETE) and current location of the unit.

• Failure to update availability may result in being skipped on the NDPL.

🔹 Mobilization Timelines

• Once dispatched, caterers are required to mobilize and arrive at the incident within 24 to 36 hours, depending on location and pre-positioning.

• Delays not communicated in advance may be considered performance deficiencies.

🔹 Dispatch Point and Travel

• Contractors must maintain and report a primary dispatch point (city/state) and must be able to respond from that location unless otherwise pre-approved.

• Travel costs and time are calculated from the dispatch point and must be verifiable via logs and GPS if requested.

🔹 Surge Capacity Dispatch

• Language was added allowing for expedited or non-sequential dispatching during high-demand periods (e.g., multiple Type 1 incidents). This gives the government discretion to override list order to meet operational needs.

---

These updates aim to increase responsiveness, enhance accountability, and better align dispatch with national-level incident complexity and demand.

That’s some of the changes made to the new food contract that goes into effect tomorrow, July 1st.

Thoughts?!

• THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

INSTAGRAM PAGE LINK

TWITTER PAGE