002-DW-0326_Milk_Dairy_Non-Dairy_RFP.pdf

The School Board of Polk County, Florida 002-DW-0326, Milk, Dairy and Non-Dairy

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida

Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of

Chapter 119, Florida Statute

P.O. Box 391 1915 S. Floral Avenue Bartow, Florida 33831-0391 Bartow, Florida 33830-7124

Purchasing Department

RFP (Request for Proposal)

002-DW-0326, Milk Dairy and Non-Dairy

All solicitations and support documents will be posted at www.myvendorlink.com. It is the sole responsibility of interested parties to monitor VendorLink for solicitation opportunities and updates. It is the responsibility of the proposer to be certain that all pages of the solicitation, all attachments thereto and all addenda released are received prior to submitting a proposal without regard to how a copy of the solicitation was obtained. All proposals are subject to the terms & conditions specified herein in the solicitation documents and on any addenda issued thereto. Further, it is the responsibility of every vendor to register and maintain their current email and mailing address at www.myvendorlink.com.

http://www.myvendorlink.com/

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida

Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of

Chapter 119, Florida Statute

Required Response Form Proposal Certification

I hereby certify that I am submitting the following information as my company's proposal and understand that by virtue of executing and returning with this proposal this REQUIRED RESPONSE FORM, I further certify full, complete, and unconditional acceptance of the contents of this Request for Proposal, all Attachments, Worksheets, Appendices, Supplemental Materials, and the contents of any Addendum released hereto except as otherwise noted as exception to this proposal.

*SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

SIGN HERE

PRINT NAME OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE:

TITLE: _________________________________________________________ DATE:

PROPOSER (Legal name of firm):

STREET ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE, ZIP:

CONTACT PERSON:

CONTACT PERSON'S EMAIL ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

EMAIL ADDRESS (for receipt of purchase orders:

PROPOSER TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:

The Required Response Form, on this page, must be completed, signed, and included with your proposal for proposal to be accepted. We will accept signed PDF documents electronically uploaded at www.myvendorlink.com, or digital signatures on documents electronically uploaded on VendorLink.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida

Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of

Chapter 119, Florida Statute

SECTION 1: PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

1.1 Purpose

Public notice is hereby given that Polk County Public Schools (“PCPS” or the “District”) on behalf of The School Board of Polk County, Florida (the “School Board”) has issued this competitive solicitation for the goods and services outlined in this document, attachments and appendices.

1.2 About the District

One of the largest school districts in the nation, encompassing more than 120 schools and serving more than 117,000 students. The county measures approximately 1,850 square miles, making it one of the larger counties in the state. Additional district information is available at https://polkschoolsfl.com/. School FTE, school population, etc. is available at https://polkschoolsfl.com/schoollistings/.

1.3 Current Milk Dairy and Non-Dairy services

The District has a current contract awarded to M&B Products. To view associated documents for the most recent bid/contract, log into www.myvendorlink.com and at the Solicitations tab find the ID Number field box and type in this bid number, 017-MK-0823.

1.4 Contract Value

The value for the initial one (1) year contract period is approximately $5,000,000. This is only an estimate, and the actual amount could vary up or down. The District will not be held responsible if actual purchases are more or less than this amount.

END OF SECTION 1

https://polkschoolsfl.com/ https://polkschoolsfl.com/schoollistings/

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

SECTION 2: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

2.1 District Contact/Inquiries

The District is the sole point of contact regarding this RFP and all contractual matters related to the services described herein. All communications concerning this RFP must be addressed, in writing to:

Denise Whitaker Senior Manager, Competitive Solicitations email: denise.whitaker@polk-fl.net

Note: Responses to inquiries regarding the status of a proposal will not be made prior to posting the notice of recommended bid award.

2.2 Restrictions on Contacting the District

Upon the issuance of this RFP, all contact with the District must be made through the designated contact person noted above. The Proposer must limit communication with the designated contact to the means specified in this document. Other District employees, representatives of the District and members of the Evaluation Committee are instructed not to answer questions regarding the RFP or otherwise discuss the contents of the RFP with the proposers or their representatives. Any contacts made with other District employees, representatives of the District or members of the Evaluation Committee will be reported to the Purchasing Department. Proposers shall not, under the penalty of law, offer any gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value to any officer or employee of the District or representative of the District in connection with this competitive procurement.

Cone of Silence:

A Cone of Silence is hereby established for all competitive selection processes including Invitations to Bid (ITB), Requests for Proposal (RFP) and Invitations to Negotiate (ITN) for the provision of goods and services. The Cone of Silence is designed to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from undue influences prior to the recommendation of contract award. Pursuant to School Board Policy 6324, the District enacts a Cone of Silence that commences after the advertisement of the ITB, RFP or ITN. All provisions of School Board Policy 6324 are applicable to this solicitation. The cone of silence terminates at the time the Board acts on a written recommendation from the purchasing department or facilities department regarding contract award; provided, however, that communications are permitted when the Board receives public comment at the meeting when the recommendation is presented.

2.3 Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting and Written Questions

A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held at the District offices, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, Florida at the date and time listed in anticipated schedule of events section in this document. Prospective proposers are encouraged to attend this meeting. Question and response discussion may occur verbally at the conference; however, final and controlling answers will be provided in the form of written Addendum to the RFP (see Item 2.5 Official Responses and Addendum.

2.4 Request for Clarification, Interpretation, and Additional Information

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

Written questions concerning clarification, interpretation or additional information must be submitted at www.myvendorlink.com where this solicitation is posted. Questions must be received no later than the deadline for receipt of questions in the Anticipated Schedule of Events section of this solicitation. It is the sole responsibility of the proposer at its own risk to ensure that questions are received by the deadline. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

2.5 Official Responses and Addendum

For questions that are timely received, the District will post responses at www.myvendorlink.com, where this solicitation is posted. The District may modify the Request for Proposal by issuance of a written addendum. Addenda shall be numbered consecutively and initiated by the Purchasing Director or designee. No other person shall be authorized to make changes verbally or in writing. Any such addenda will be posted at www.myvendorlink.com, where this solicitation is posted. It shall be the responsibility of the proposer to ascertain if any addenda have been issued and to obtain all such addenda. No addendum will be issued later than five (5) calendar days prior to the date for receipt of proposals except an addendum withdrawing the request for proposals or one which includes postponement of the date for receipt of proposals. No verbal or written information which is obtained other than by information in this document or by addendum to this RFP will be binding on the District.

2.6 Conflict of Interest Statement

The proposer must disclose any contractual relationship that exists or has existed between the proposer, a predecessor organization of the proposer, or a subcontractor included in the proposer's response to this RFP, and the District. Not every prior or existing contractual relationship will constitute a conflict of interest. However, each such relationship must be disclosed. Proposer should not merely state the conclusion that no conflict of interest exists.

Proposer must disclose any existing business or personal relationship between the proposer, its principals, or any affiliate or subcontractor, and the District, or any other entity or person involved in the project that is the subject of this RFP. Failure to disclose any such prior or existing contractual or personal relationship as described in this section may result in disqualification of the proposal. The District will make the final determination regarding the existence of a conflict of interest.

2.7 Receipt of Proposals

All submissions must be transmitted electronically at www.myvendorlink.com. It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to ensure that their proposal is submitted through VendorLink no later than the time and date indicated in the RFP or as amended in the form of a written addendum issued by the Purchasing Department. The vendor is responsible for allowing adequate time to upload their submittal on VendorLink. If technical difficulties arise during submission of the proposal, it is the vendor’s responsibility to contact VendorLink technical support at support@evendorlink.com. The District shall not be responsible for delays caused in any occurrence. Submittals sent by mail, facsimile, electronic mail, telephone, or any other means not specified herein will not be accepted. Acceptable file formats for upload are Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx), .pdf or .ZIP file formats. Printing must be enabled on all files submitted.

2.8 Anticipated Schedule of Events (Subject to change as conditions may dictate)

Activity Date Broadcast RFP at www.myvendorlink.com 01/09/2026 Non mandatory pre-proposal meeting, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 01/15/2026, 9:00AM http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ mailto:support@evendorlink.com

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

Deadline for receipt of questions at www.myvendorlink.com 01/22/2026, 3:00PM Release of responses to questions (on or about), at www.myvendorlink.com 01/26/2026 Deadline for electronic receipt of proposals at www.myvendorlink.com 02/02/2026, 3:00PM Proposal Opening 02/02/2026, 3:00PM Deadline for receipt of samples, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 02/12/2026, 3:00PM Evaluation Committee Meeting, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 02/16/2026, 9:00AM Final presentations, if necessary, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 02/23/2026, 9:00AM Evaluation Committee Meeting, 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 02/23/2026, 5:00PM Post Notice of Recommendation of Award at www.myvendorlink.com 02/24/2026 Approval of recommendation of award board/superintendent 03/24/2026 Contract Start 08/01/2026

Public notice of Proposal Opening will be posted at www.myvendorlink.com and occur in TEAMS.

Only names of respondents will be provided at proposal opening. Pricing and other contents of proposals will be disclosed as noted in Section 119.071(1)(b), F.S. and Section 286.0113, F.S.

Public notice of Evaluation Committee Meetings will be posted at www.myvendorlink. Public Meetings occur at 1915 S. Floral Avenue, Bartow, Florida 33830.

Individuals interested in attending must register in person, present a photo id, and receive a visitor badge. For ADA assistance, contact the Office of Equity and Compliance, 863-534-0781 at least 3 business days before the meeting.

If the time allotted to make the selection of contractors as stated above proves to be insufficient, the posting of the Notice of Recommended Bid Award and the Superintendent (or Board) approval date could both change. It is the vendor’s responsibility to continue to monitor www.myvendorlink.com or contact the purchasing department for more specific information as to when the notice will be posted.

END OF SECTION 2

SECTION 3: SCOPE OF SERVICES

3.1 Scope of Services

The scope of this request for proposal is to award a contract to qualifying vendor(s) defined as a dairy manufacturer, provider, or dealer/distributor, established as a proposer, and deemed responsive and responsible through our open and competitive proposal process. Vendors will be awarded this contract based on the proposal and responders demonstrated ability to meet the expectations of RFP and demonstrate the highest valued solutions overall which meet or exceed the current and future needs and requirements within the scope of this RFP.

3.2 Specification and Bid Form

The specification and bid form must be downloaded, completed electronically, and included with proposal submission at www.myvendorlink.com.

3.3 Pricing

Proposal must include Specification and Bid Form with required items completed. Group A requires brand, product code, unit price, dealer’s fixed fee per unit, for items 1-4. Initial prices shall be firm for 30 days after the Board approval of recommended proposal. Price adjustments must be presented in writing to Polk County Public Schools, Food and Nutrition Services Operations Team by the 25th of the month preceding the month in which the change http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink/

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute will occur. Any changes in prices must be accompanied by an appropriate copy of the Florida Fluid Milk Report, the Federal Milk order, or other pre-approved price change announcement.

Suppliers must submit conversion calculations 6 Request for Proposal on Dairy – Food Service, SDMC No. 23-0042-BS showing manner of arriving at the amount of the charge. Allowances will be made to the District for occasional add-on escalation of raw milk prices by dairy farmers, which are over and above the price escalation source cited, provided such increases are fully substantiated. Price increases on dairy products other than fluid milk will be calculated using conversion formula pricing factors relative to the conversion of raw milk to finished products.

Escalator Pricing:

Contract pricing shall be subject to monthly escalator adjustments tied directly to changes in the published FMO Class 1 price in the Florida Fluid Milk Report. Vendors shall submit monthly price quotes based on the applicable report for the month of delivery. Price increases or decreases shall be limited strictly to the net change in the FOM Class 1 price, plus any fixed, pre-approved markup identified in the vendor’s proposal. All escalator adjustments must be supported by documentation, including a copy of the applicable Florida Fluid Milk Report and a detailed calculation demonstrating the pricing change. Once approved, pricing shall remain fixed for the entire delivery month. No escalator adjustments shall be permitted outside of this index or without prior written approval by the District.

Federal Milk Order (FMO):

The Federal Milk Order price is the minimum regulated priced paid to the dairy producers for fluid (Class 1) milk, as established under the Federal Milk Marketing Order system administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The applicable FMO Class 1 price is published monthly and reflects regional market conditions, including location differentials. For this solicitation, the FMO Class 1 price as reported in the Florida Fluid Milk Report shall serve as the base pricing index for all fluid milk products in Group A.

3.4 Samples

The respondent must provide product samples at no charge. Samples must be identified with the Respondent’s name, solicitation number and title, and product name. Submit 1 case per SKU with temperature below 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Samples must be delivered to 1915 S.

Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830 by the deadline in anticipated schedule of events section.

Unused samples will be returned to the Respondent when said request is included in the submittal. Unused samples will be returned at the Respondent’s risk and expense. The successful Respondent’s samples may be retained until all terms of the purchase order or contract have been fulfilled. Failure to deliver required samples or to identify samples clearly as indicated may be cause of the rejection of submittal.

3.5 Additional Items

If during the contract period new commodities are needed and not listed in this bid, the District may evaluate new commodities offered by the awarded vendor. The District may evaluate and add approved items to this contract if determined that it would be in the best interest of the District. Additional items and pricing must be approved by the Nutrition designee and Purchasing designee before the items may be added to the contract. The pricing of these items shall be firm.

END OF SECTION 3

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

SECTION 4: DELIVERABLES

4.1 The Proposer will be required to provide the following deliverables:

1. Direct Delivery of Food Items: Proposer must bid on all items in Group A and meet product specifications for each item. Failure to bid on all items in Group A or meet specifications may disqualify the vendor for the award. Group B includes optional items and may be awarded to the vendor awarded Group A, at the discretion of the District.

2. Delivery fees: Specification and Bid Form pricing must include all shipping costs, delivery inside the facility, and rotation of product in coolers at site specified on the order. There shall be no fuel surcharges during the term of this contract.

3. Regular School Year: The School Nutrition District Office must approve all delivery schedules, prior to the first delivery. The awarded vendor will provide a written delivery schedule four (4) weeks prior to the beginning date of the contract. A school calendar and school maps will be provided to the awarded vendor upon award.

4. Holidays and Closings: When a school holiday falls on a scheduled delivery day, deliveries shall be made on the next school day, or the prior school day.

5. Summer School: During summer school, deliveries may be required in a shorter delivery window (7:00 AM to 12:00 PM), depending upon the number of sites open and their hours of operation. A list of school sites open during the summer will be provided to the awarded vendor three (3) weeks prior to the opening date of summer school deliveries. During summer school, open school sites will require one delivery per week.

6. Ordering: Awarded vendor is responsible for receiving and reviewing site orders;

coordinating the ordering and delivery of all orders to individual school sites; handling all invoice discrepancies and managing day-to-day delivery issues. The awarded vendor must be able to receive orders electronically, either web-based or proprietary-ordering system. The vendor is responsible for tracking orders to ensure that all school sites have placed orders. Proposers that are not currently able to receive electronic orders will be required to obtain this level of computerization before the first orders.

7. Delivery Days: Milk products are to be delivered to the designated kitchen area Monday through Friday according to a set schedule established with the awarded vendor and the Food and Nutrition Department prior to the first delivery. All deliveries shall be made during approved hours of the school day and placed in the designated refrigerated storage area at each site. Schools must have milk delivery at least every other day or meet the needs of the site’s storage and service demands.

8. Delivery Timeframes: During the regular school year, elementary and high school deliveries shall be completed between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.; middle school deliveries shall be completed between 7:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

9. Newly constructed schools and optional delivery sites may be added to this RFP as required after the award is made.

10. Delivery Schedule Changes: The School Nutrition Department will inform the awarded vendor in advance of changes in delivery locations, to include additional delivery sites, during the contract. Delivery schedule changes requested by awarded vendor must be submitted in writing, at least two weeks in advance, to the Nutrition Department for approval prior to implementation.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

11. The awarded proposer shall ensure delivery of all dairy products within the appropriate temperature range. The temperature of the milk is not to be higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower than 32 degrees Fahrenheit at any time. All eight (8) ounce milk containers shall be packaged in gabled cartons and delivered in clean milk crates. The Food Service Manager shall reject delivery if the above specifications are not met. Milk that does not meet the set temperature standards shall be refused. The awarded proposer shall schedule a re-delivery to the affected school on the next business day, replacing the number of cases that failed temperature requirements. All containers are to be free of soil at the time of delivery. Milk is required to be delivered in clean crates or cardboard boxes.

If products are delivered in corrugated cardboard boxes, they should be clearly labelled with product description. All eight (8) ounce containers must be cardboard gable cartons, and all containers shall be properly sealed and free from leaks.

12. Orders are not to be delivered before the School Nutrition Services Manager or designated representative arrives at the school unless otherwise approved by School Nutrition District Department. Products may not be left on loading docks before school hours. Excessive late deliveries may be cause for contract cancellation.

13. All delivery personnel, i.e. drivers and helpers, must sign in and out on the “Visitor’s Log” in the cafeteria at each school site at the time of delivery. Drivers and their helpers shall deliver merchandise into designated areas at each school.

Special or intermediate deliveries will be required if any bid item is out of stock or the vendor fails to deliver the product on a regular scheduled delivery; in that case re-delivery shall be made within 24 hours. If the vendor delivers an unsatisfactory product that is returned for credit, re-delivery shall be made within 24 hours. Food and Safety Recalls

Ensuring the safety of the food supply is critical for Polk County Public Schools.

Manufacturers, processors, and distributors are expected to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding recalls. The proposer should have a process in place to effectively respond to product recall which should include the following objectives:

Provide accurate and timely communication to Polk County Public Schools regarding a food recall.

Ensure that unsafe products are removed from school sites in an expedient, effective and efficient manner.

Streamline the process for reimbursement for recalled products.

Proposal must include a contact person who is responsible for handling food/product recalls and a summary of how food/product recalls will be handled

14. Delivery Equipment: All items delivered to school nutrition operations shall be delivered in clean refrigerated vehicles. The internal temperature of the vehicle shall not exceed 40 degrees F. Proposers should know that all delivery sites do not provide state-of-the-art unloading and food handling facilities. Some sites, in fact, may fall short of normal standards. Most schools do not accommodate trailer rigs at dockside.

15. No Substitutes: The code numbers on the items being delivered shall be the same as the codes preapproved if requested during the contract period. An emergency substitution may be permitted if it has been approved by the Senior Coordinator of School Nutrition or

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute the Director of Purchasing. Approval for substitution must be received before a substitute delivery is made. The substitute product must be of equal or better quality than that of the proposed item awarded.

16. Delivery Tickets: At the time of delivery to each location, the delivery person shall leave or email one copy of the delivery ticket, properly signed by an authorized Polk County Public Schools employee (receiver). Delivery ticket must show the amount of each item with proposal prices listed and extensions accurately computed. Variations from norm, i.e., shortages, damages, etc., shall be noted on each ticket by the designated school receiver and initialed by both the delivery personnel and school receiver. Items delivered in damaged or unsafe conditions, or substitute items not previously approved or ordered shall be refused.

17. Competition with PCPS School Nutrition Services Program: During the school day, the awarded vendor will agree not to sell or furnish any products free of charge to any club or organization connected with the school until one hour after the last serving period. It is also agreed that any products sold to any club or organization during the times permissible will be sold at a price equal to or greater than the prices established by this contract. Violation of this clause may result in immediate discontinuation of services for the remainder of the contract period.

18. Invoicing: Each proposer must have the ability to submit monthly statements and invoices in multiple formats. Formats include but are not limited to, csv, excel, pdf. to expedite payment.

19. Payment: Dairy products require delivery every other day and shall be paid Net 30 days from receipt of invoice and Proof of Delivery. Vendor will provide electronic invoices for deliveries from the prior day. One for the manager and one for accounting. Daily invoices shall have summary page with grand total and corresponding proof of delivery for each site delivery. The invoice shall be submitted the day after delivery via e-mail to:

brenda.smith01@polk-fl.net

20. Exchanges and Credits:

The awarded proposer shall give credit or exchange the container found within two days of delivery to be sour, leaking, or damaged.

Vendor must ensure that delivered milk will not have expiration dates that would expire during school holidays.

The awarded proposer will give prompt and full credit for all products found to be damaged or not to conform to these specifications. Credit may be given in two ways: a) A signed credit slip with an appropriate deduction appearing on the next billing statement. b) Additional new “in-kind” product in an amount of compensation for all damaged or “out of specification” products.

21. Reporting Data: Each month, the awarded vendor shall email a summary report to the Sr.

Coordinator. This report shall include quantity and price per item sold during each month

END OF SECTION 4

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

SECTION 5: PREPARATION OF PROPOSALS AND REQUIRED CONTENT

5.1 Proposal Preparation

To ease comparability and enhance the review process, proposals must be organized in the manner specified below. Failure to provide the required information will affect the evaluation of the proposal and may be grounds for disqualification. Responsive proposals should provide straightforward, concise information that satisfies the requirements noted within this RFP. Color displays and the like are neither necessary nor desired. Emphasis should be placed on skills and experience that respond to the needs of the Board, the requirements of this RFP and completeness and clarity of content.

5.2 Required Information and Format

Proposers must provide the required information in the following order and format. It is required that the original proposal along with a redacted copy (if applicable) in useable format (e.g.

Word, Excel) be submitted through VendorLink. The Required Response Form (see page 5) must be signed by an officer or agent of the proposing firm who is empowered to contractually bind the firm. Proposals shall be valid for 90 days from the day after the deadline for receipt of proposals. Failure to provide the required information will affect the evaluation of the proposal and may be grounds for disqualification.

5.3 Response Organization

Include a Table of Contents for clear identification of the material by tab number as listed below. The proposal shall include the following information and consist of the following sections labeled:

Tab 1-General Submittals This is a compliance section and, as such, carries no evaluation points.

a. Letter of Transmittal: Proposer shall include the following:

• Proposer’s Name

• Submission date

• Primary Contact name

• Contact phone number

• Contact email address

• Proposer’s address

b. Submittals: Completed forms should be submitted with the electronic proposal packet and must be received prior to award.

1. Required Response Form: Reference page 5 of this RFP. Complete the form as provided, sign and include with your submittal. Any modification or alteration to this form shall not be accepted. The enclosed original Required Response Form is the only acceptable form

2. Addendum Acknowledgment Form: Complete, sign, date and include with proposal submission. If applicable, this is acknowledgement of addenda.

3. Statement of Affirmation and Intent: Proposer should complete, sign and date, and submit the Statement of Affirmation and Intent. Appendix A must be on file prior to award.

4. Conflict of Interest Statement: Proposer should read, sign and date, and submit the Conflict of Interest Statement. Appendix B must be on file prior to award.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

5. AD-1048 Form, US Department of Agriculture, Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions:

Following the form instructions, review, complete, sign, date and include with proposal submission.

6. AD-1049 Form, Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative I – For Grantees Other Than Individuals: Following the form instructions, review, complete, sign, date and include with proposal submission.

7. Buy American: Review, sign, date and include with proposal submission.

8. Certification of Independent Price Determination: review, sign, date, and include with proposal submission.

9. Non-Collusive Affidavit: Review, complete, sign, date, notarize, and include with proposal submission.

10. Specification and Bid Form, complete and include with proposal submission.

11. Public Records: Per Section 7, General Terms, Conditions and Information, 7.6 Public Records: All responses to this RFP are subject to release as public records consistent with Chapter 119 Florida Statutes. Proposers should insert a statement that all content in the proposal is releasable. Florida law exempts trade secret information from production in response to a request for copies of government documents. If you believe any portion of your proposal response contains information that is not subject to release under Florida law, you should specifically identify the information you believe is exempt from release and the specific statutory authority that covers the asserted exemption under this Section of Tab 1. See Section 7.6.

If there is no statement submitted for this Item c. under Tab 1, it is assumed that your proposal does not contain any information not subject to release. Your proposal will be released in its entirety upon request without further notice.

Please note that details of proposals, including confidential or proprietary information or alleged trade secrets, except for a vendor’s financial statements (when such statements are required in the solicitation), may be disclosed at a public meeting.

12. Foreign Countries of Concern Affidavit: Proposer must review, sign, date, notarize and include with proposal.

13. Use of Coercion for Labor and Services: Proposer must notarize, complete and sign the affidavit.

14. Certificate of Insurance: Proposer should include the required certificate of insurance with proposal and it must be on file prior to contract start date.

15. Submittals Checklist: Proposer should complete and submit the Submittals Checklist.

c. Additional Documentation.

Tab 2 – Experience, Qualifications and References

a. The proposer shall have been in business providing the required goods and services herein for a minimum of three (3) years and shall provide proof along with the proposal (including but not limited to articles of incorporation, business tax receipts…). Failure to provide said proof may be grounds for rejection of proposal. Proposers must prove validity of the stated

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute documents to be in effect at the time of proposal due date. The district will not award on assumptions that a granting of a license will occur at a future date.

b. Provide a minimum of three (3) of Proposer’s current school district references, excluding The School District of Polk County, Florida references and largest district served preferred.

Include only references for services provided in the previous three (3) years. Complete your portion of Reference Request Form, forward to your three (3) references with instructions to complete the Reference Request.

c. The District reserves the right to contact all references and to obtain, without limitation, information on the proposer’s performance on the listed jobs. The District may utilize other reference information on a proposer’s capability to determine performance history.

Negative references, in the District’s sole discretion, may be cause for disqualification of proposer.

Tab 3 – Services and Project Approach

a. Outline role and responsibilities of Distributor personnel to service the District’s account.

b. Key Contact. Indicate the name, address, title/position, email address, telephone number of the proposer’s representative who will be the District’s key contact in connection with this RFP.

c. Describe available payment options, including automated payment processes/systems, if any.

d. Describe process for handling credits.

e. Describe process for handling product recalls.

f. Describe process for handling proprietary or special order commodities.

g. Describe plan to communicate market changes to District.

h. Provide a sample agenda for a business review with the District, including frequency of reviews.

i. Outline training programs available to District personnel.

j. Provide an overview of additional services that may be beneficial to the District.

Tab 4 - Ordering and Delivery Procedures

a. Describe order system, to include:

1. Detailed description of the direct order entry system including any features which may be beneficial to the District; such as customizable order guides by school.

2. Timeline for order placement and changes.

3. Process for District notification and handling of shortages or substitutions.

4. Preferred alternate ordering options in the event of a power or computer outage.

5. Emergency support to service the District in the event of an emergency, such as food loss or natural disaster.

b. Describe delivery process, to include:

1. Detailed description of delivery process.

2. Plan for determining route schedule.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

3. Plan to respond promptly to problems with deliveries.

4. Policy regarding deliveries outside of normal operating hours.

Tab 5 - Reporting Services

a. Provide a sample monthly price and usage report for the following:

1. Monthly usage for each item delivered

2. Product description, pack, brand name, total quantities purchased

3. Individual cost and total extended cost for each item delivered

4. Excess inventory

5. Slow moving items

6. Delivery performance

b. Describe how reports are obtained, ex. run by district personnel or provided by distributor.

c. Provide additional sample reports that may be beneficial to the District.

d. Define how ‘Out of stock” is calculated.

Tab 6 – Total Price

a. Bidder should use the original Specification and Bid Form provided and enter information only in the spaces where a response is required. Any modifications or alterations to the original bid documents by the bidder, whether intentional or otherwise, will constitute grounds for rejection of a bid.

Tab 7 - Inventory Management

a. Provide overview of forecasting procedures to include:

1. Calendar days required for forecasting of 4-week menu cycle items.

2. Calendar days required for new product request.

3. Calendar days required for notification when a product will no longer be purchased.

b. Describe process for monitoring product quality, including expirations dates.

c. Describe process for communicating and resolving slow-moving inventory with the District.

d. Provide a sample fill report for a Florida School District of 80,000 students or larger.

1. Define how fill rate was calculated.

2. Indicate where out of stock is due to vendor production issue and provide documentation.

Tab 8 – Additional Information

a. Since data not specifically required must not be included in the foregoing proposal Tabs, give any additional information considered essential to the proposal under Tab 8 entitled “Additional Information”. This tab is left to the Proposer’s discretion and may include additional experience and qualifications. However, the Proposer should limit materials

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute included here to those that will be helpful to the District in understanding the services provided in this RFP.

b. If there is no additional information to present, state in this Tab “There is no additional information that we wish to present.”

END OF SECTION 5

SECTION 6: EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

6.1 Evaluation Process

Written proposals will be evaluated by an Evaluation Committee comprised of representatives from the District and others determined by the District. Purchasing Department personnel and others as determined by the District, will participate in an advisory capacity only.

The Evaluation Committee will assign points in the evaluation and recommendation process in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria listed in Item 6.2 below. There is a total of 100 points possible in this section.

Proposers are cautioned to provide their best offer initially and should not withhold any information from the written response in anticipation of presenting the information orally, since oral presentations (presentations/interviews) may not be solicited from all proposers.

Before recommendation of award, the Evaluation Committee reserves the right to interview any, all or none of the proposers and to require a formal presentation/interview with the key people who will administer and be assigned to work on the contract before recommendation of award.

If the Evaluation Committee decides to interview proposers, then the criteria listed in Item 6.5 below will be utilized. The Evaluation Criteria will be added together, i.e. the scores from the Item 6.2 criteria will be added to the scores from the Item 6.5 criteria (if the Evaluation Committee decides to interview). If the second set of criteria is utilized, there is a potential final scoring of those interviewed of up to 150 points (100 points (Item 6.2) plus 50 points (Item 6.5)).

The Evaluation Committee reserves the right to:

• Short list proposals for further consideration/interviews;

• Request presentations/interviews from short listed proposers or from all proposers;

and/or

• Ask questions during the oral presentation/interview for the purpose of clarification of information provided during the presentation/interview.

Proposers providing additional information requested by the District shall not submit in their response any information that will alter or change the terms and conditions of their original proposal. A vendor’s past performance may be used in the evaluation process.

The District reserves the right to negotiate further terms and conditions, including pricing with the highest ranked proposer(s) in the event of a multiple vendor award. If the District cannot reach a mutually beneficial agreement with the first selected proposer(s), the District reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the next highest ranked proposer(s) and continue this

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute process until agreement is reached.

Decisions on finalists and specific interview times (if necessary) will be released per the anticipated schedule of events section in this document. All respondents should be prepared to participate in finalist presentations/interviews as scheduled by the District. Those who participate in the presentations/interviews shall be knowledgeable in all aspects of the proposal and able to answer all questions.

The Evaluation Committee in conjunction with the Purchasing Department will prepare and submit an agenda item to the School Board, Polk County, Florida.

The recommendation of award will be made to the School Board. The recommendation of award of the RFP will be posted for review by interested parties at www.myvendorlink.com and will remain posted for a period of at least 72 hours.

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any informalities, defects or irregularities in any proposals received.

6.2 Written Proposal Evaluation Criteria

The Evaluation Committee shall score and rank responsive proposals. The evaluation factors will be limited to the criteria listed in the table below:

Evaluation Criteria-Written Proposal Point Value General Submittals (Tab 1) Pass/Fail Experience, Qualifications and References (Tab 2) 5 Services and Project Approach (Tab 3) 20 Ordering and Delivery Procedures (Tab 4) 25 Reporting Services (Tab 5) 10 Total Price (Tab 6) 20 Inventory Management (Tab 7) 20 Additional Information (Tab 8) 0 Total Points Available 100

6.3 Calculation of Evaluation Score

Each Evaluation Committee member shall determine which of the following descriptions applies to each of the foregoing Proposal evaluation criteria:

• EXCELLENT (1.0): Of the highest or finest quality; exceptional; superior; superb; exquisite;

peerless.

Proposer provided information for a given criteria that satisfied the requirements and described specifically how and what will be accomplished in such a manner that exhibited an exceptional and superior degree of understanding, skill, and competency, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The facts included in the narrative description (including all supporting documentation, diagrams, drawings, charts and schedules, etc.)

demonstrated the Proposer’s ability to perform and deliver far beyond expectation.

• VERY GOOD (0.8): To a high degree; better than or above competent and/or skillful.

PUBLIC RECORDS: Any material submitted in response to this Solicitation will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statute. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth in this RFP document. A Vendor’s response to this solicitation shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, Florida Statute

Proposer provided information for a given criteria that satisfied the requirements and described specifically how and what will be accomplished in such a manner that exhibited a very high degree of…