Florida Business Enterprises Program

The Florida Business Enterprises Program (BEP) is one of the largest vending and food services programs operated by people who are legally blind in the United States.  The Florida Business Enterprises Program provides job opportunities in the food service sector for eligible blind persons under the Randolph-Sheppard Act. Job opportunities include: Snack Bar, Cafeteria, Highway Vending Machines, or Non-Highway Vending.

Most of the information in this section is for trainees or managers in Florida. But, if you are legally blind and a United States citizen, you might want to consider the Florida Business Enterprise Program as your career choice. Read about the Florida Business Enterprises Program to see how you can began an exciting career as a manager of a vending or food services facility.

Important Notice

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released Food Code 2009 replacing the 2005 version and the 2007 supplement. Among the updates, cut leafy greens are now included among the foods that require time and temperature control for safety. And requirements are added to improve food worker awareness of food allergen concerns in the food service and retail setting.

Serving hamburgers and other ground meats in an undercooked form upon a consumer's request is no longer an option for items offered on a children's menu, and a new definition and criteria are added for the non-continuous cooking of foods comprised of raw animal products.

Several requirements related to the effective cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and surfaces are enhanced or clarified.

Since 1999, successive updates of the Food Code have been officially adopted by the US General Services Administration (GSA) as law on all GSA-controlled properties, whether owned or leased.  Observance of Food Code 2009 on all GSA-controlled properties is effective immediately.

A link to the Food Code is available from the Law section of our Web site.

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Florida Business Enterprises Program
Providing Tools and Support for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Food Service Business