The SEL Food Procurement Program's six value categories
The SEL Food Procurement Program's implementation timeline and FY2022 stats
Serving Seniors, a food service operation participating in the County of San Diego's SEL Food Procurement Program
The County of San Diego launched the Sustainable, Equitable, and Local (SEL) Food Procurement Program in early 2022, aiming to leverage the power of its public procurement to advance a more sustainable, local, and equitable food system. The County retained KK&P to provide technical assistance services to implement and advance this program.
KK&P, in partnership with the Center for Good Food Purchasing, executed comprehensive work across multiple phases and more than three years, starting with a Procurement Landscape Analysis to understand the key dynamics and mechanisms within the County's procurement ecosystem. The team worked closely with the program leads, agency procurement entities, food service operations, and other stakeholders to design and launch the program, which is organized around six value categories: local sourcing, equity-informed sourcing, elevated labor standards, organic or regenerative certification, low-carbon intensity, and nutritional co-benefit.
In all, 11 County food service operations participated in the program during KK&P's implementation, including County-run hospitals, senior meals programs, and the sheriff's department, impacting more than $30M in spending each year. This foundational work established a full implementation toolkit, action plans, and collaborative processes designed to institutionalize the SEL Food Procurement Program and drive significant projected environmental, economic, and fiscal impacts, including carbon emission reductions and local economic benefit.