Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

3. Determine the quantities of food supplies required for the number of serving portions
needed.
4. Check the amount of food on hand in refrigerated, frozen, and dry storage areas and
subtract that amount from the quantity needed for the planned menus. Prepare a list
of supplies that must be purchased and a list of those to be requisitioned from the
storeroom.
Regardless of the purchasing method used, order quantities should be large enough to
make transactions economically worthwhile for vendors. The advantages of price comparison
and product choice are lost if small orders are split among several vendors because of price.
Bid and Price Quotes, Order Placement, and Record Keeping
If purchasing is centralized, the food service department usually completes a purchase requisition
form like the one shown in Exhibit 17.1 to inform the purchasing agent of the quantity
and quality of specific foods to be ordered. The purchase requisition should contain complete
specifications for each item, the unit of purchase (dozen or case, for example), the total quantity
of each item, and the requested delivery date. In addition, a vendor and a price may be suggested;
however, the purchasing agent is responsible for obtaining bids and awarding the
purchase to the supplier quoting the best prices and terms. This approach works best when the
director of the food service department and the purchasing agent can pool their knowledge and
communicate freely.
Exhibit 17.1. A Purchase Requisition
To: Purchasing Office
PURCHASE REQUISITION
Requisition No.: _______________________
Date: _____________________ Purchase Order No.: ___________________
From: ________________________________________ Date Required: ________________________
Total Suggested Unit Total
Unit Quantity Description Vendor Cost Cost
Requested by: ________________ Approved by: ___________________ Date Ordered: __________
Purchasing
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