NIGP 37554: Pizzas

NIGP 37554 Pizzas, an Item code, covers fresh and prepared pizzas for school nutrition programs, where state and local governments currently procure both finished products delivered ready-to-serve and turnkey programs combining equipment, ingredients, and operational support. School districts dominate the buyer base, ranging from small independent districts to large county systems; recent solicitations come from DeKalb County Schools and Bartow County Schools in Georgia, Bryan and London independent school districts and Katy ISD in Texas, Charter School Institute on behalf of Colorado International Language Academy, and the City of Bridgeport Department of Public Purchases on behalf of the Bridgeport Board of Education in Connecticut. Scope divides broadly into two categories: delivered fresh pizzas meeting USDA National School Lunch Program standards (typically whole grain with specified toppings, heat-held at 135–140 degrees Fahrenheit, sliced into eight servings, and arriving within defined service windows) and comprehensive fresh pizza programs that bundle raw or finished crusts, toppings, equipment, staff training, and ongoing operational support. Buy American requirements—at least 51 percent domestic ingredients for processed products—appear in most school district solicitations. Evaluation typically weights price (ranging from 21 to 40 points), product quality and specification adherence (20–25 points), delivery capability and timeliness (15–25 points), vendor experience with school nutrition (10–25 points), and marketing or operational approach (5 points). Equipment arrangements in turnkey procurements often center on vendor preference for no-cost placement, leasing, or deferred-payment structures to minimize district capital outlays.

Geographic activity concentrates in the Southeast and Texas, with recent opportunities in Georgia (DeKalb County, Bartow County, Henry County, Charter School Institute), Texas (Bryan ISD, London ISD, Katy ISD), Connecticut (Bridgeport), and Colorado (Colorado International Language Academy). Bartow County School System issued IFB 10-2026-020 for a fresh pizza program with equipment serving three high schools (Adairsville, Cass, and Woodland) with bids due June 29, 2026; the contract includes raw crusts, toppings, packaging, commercial equipment, training, and maintenance, with estimated daily servings totaling approximately 1,505 across the three schools and potential expansion to additional campuses during the contract term. DeKalb County Schools released RFI 26-742 (due June 30, 2026) gathering vendor information on comprehensive K-12 fresh pizza programs for planning purposes across its 139 schools serving approximately 93,000 students. Bryan ISD issued RFP #26.4024 for fresh delivered pizza (due May 26, 2026) with evaluation weighted 40 percent price, 25 percent vendor experience and reputation, 25 percent quality, 5 percent financial capability, and 5 percent marketing plan. The Charter School Institute issued two sequential RFBs for whole grain pepperoni and cheese pizzas on behalf of Colorado International Language Academy, with the later bid (RFPDACA20260002481, due May 29, 2026) specifying hot delivery at above 140 degrees Fahrenheit no later than 10 minutes before lunch service, 15 units monthly of each type, and evaluation criteria emphasizing price (21 points), quality and specification adherence (20 points), maintenance and service (20 points), delivery timeliness (20 points), and experience (19 points).