In each case where the Director of the State Department of Aging determines that the failure or inability of any contractor adequately to perform the terms of a contract for a nutrition project established pursuant to this chapter requires the suspension, termination or withholding of funding for that project in accordance with applicable law, the State Department of Aging may provide on a purchase-of-service basis the services which otherwise would have been provided by that project for a period not to exceed 60 consecutive days where necessary to avoid interruption of provision of nutrition services to eligible individuals.