NIGP 32528: Fish Food

NIGP 32528 Fish Food, an Item code, covers specialized pelleted and powdered aquafeed formulations that state and local governments procure to support hatchery operations, including starter feeds, fry food, extruded floating and sinking feeds, production pellets in multiple sizes, and species-specific formulations for trout, salmon, catfish, and marine species. State fish and wildlife departments are the primary buyers under this code, soliciting multi-year contracts with detailed nutritional specifications (protein, fat, fiber, phosphorus, ash, and digestible energy ratios), pellet-size requirements, floatation performance standards, and delivery commitments of 30 days or fewer.

Recent activity spans six states—South Dakota, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, and Nevada—with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources reissuing the Little Grassy Fish Hatchery catfish feed contract multiple times over the past four months (three separate IFBs in March, April, and May 2026), signaling either repeated bid failures or contract revisions. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources posted two near-identical master agreement solicitations for hatchery feed in late March 2026 (RFB 660 2600000470 on March 23 and March 27), each covering eleven line items of formulated aquafeed with one-year initial terms and four one-year renewal options. Representative opportunities include the South Dakota Office of Procurement Management's June 2026 IFB 26IFB19839 for trout and salmon food with delivery to state hatcheries (bids due June 24, 2026), the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' May 2026 IFB for four-year catfish feed supply to Little Grassy Fish Hatchery in Makanda (response deadline May 27, 2026), and the Nevada State Purchasing Division's April 2026 solicitation for hatchery fish food across four locations (Boulder City, Yerington, Ruby Valley, and Baker) with quarterly delivery to specified hatcheries. Contracts typically award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder with firm fixed pricing, require $1 million to $2 million in general commercial liability insurance, and often include state preferences—South Dakota and Illinois apply resident and in-state manufacture preferences; Kentucky offers qualified-bidder and resident reciprocal preference designations; Texas requires E-Verify and foreign-adversary certifications. Multi-year contracts (two to four years plus renewal options) predominate, with as-needed delivery schedules and estimated annual shipments ranging from three to quarterly frequency depending on location and season.