Request for Proposals:

K12 Food Distributor and Group Purchasing

Organization for the 2027-2028 School Year

RFP reference number: CIESC 112026

Proposals Due/Public Opening: 11am, Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Key Contact: Kara O’Neil; koneil@ciesc.org mailto:koneil@ciesc.org

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

On behalf of the CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Coop member school districts, The Central

Indiana Education Service Center is formally requesting proposals for K12 FOOD DISTRIBUTOR

AND GROUP PURCHASING ORGANIZATION FOR THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR. Awarded contract would be effective July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028.

Each participating vendor that accepts this RFP is to respond to all required items as directed and submit an electronic proposal via the procurement site at: https://indigo.bonfire.com.

Vendors may register for a free account and download all files associated with the solicitation by clicking on the “Register” button in the top right corner of the website.

ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE SUBMITTED ONLINE by 11am local time on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, when proposals will be publicly opened at the CIESC office, but, pursuant to Indiana law, the contents of competing proposals will not be made available at that time.

Proposals must be accompanied with the following items delivered via regular mail:

● Original Notarized Non-Collusion Affidavit

● Original Bid Signature Page

Please send these documents in a clearly marked, sealed envelope to:

CIESC

Attention: Kara O’Neil; RFP for K12 Food Distributor and GPO 3500 DePauw Blvd, Suite 2020 Indianapolis, IN 46268

If there are any questions concerning this request for proposals, please contact Kara O’Neil at koneil@ciesc.org or at 502-759-7026.

In accordance with Federal Civil Rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its

Agencies, offices, and employees, and Institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American

Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or Local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at:

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to

USDA by the following means:

● Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

● Fax: (202) 690-7442

CIESC Region 9 - K12 Food Distributor and GPO RFP 2027-2028

8/14/2026 mailto:koneil@ciesc.org http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html

● Email: SM.OASCR.INFO

CIESC is an equal opportunity employer.

CIESC REGION 9 CHILD NUTRITION COOP

● Total spent with US Foods for school year 2025-2026: $23 Million

● Currently have 156 delivery locations (All locations can be found on an Excel

Spreadsheet in the bid software)

Current Participating CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Coop Districts:

● Avon Community School Corporation

● Carmel Clay School Corporation

● Franklin Township Community School Corporation

● Franklin Community School Corporation

● Greenfield Central Community School Corporation

● Greenwood Community School Corporation

● Hamilton Heights School Corporation

● Hamilton Southeastern

● Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

● Indiana School for the Deaf

● MSD Martinsville Schools

● Nineveh Hensley Jackson United School Corporation

● Perry Township School District

● Plainfield Community School Corporation

● Sheridan Community Schools

● South Madison Community Schools

● Zionsville Community School Corporation

CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Cooperative Growth: In accordance with Indiana Department of

Education (IDOE) guidance, CIESC Region 9 Cooperative anticipates the potential for additional school districts to participate under this contract. The Cooperative reserves the right to add eligible member districts during the contract term, provided the total contract volume does not increase by more than 10% students served of the estimated 2026–2027 contract value, in accordance with applicable IDOE rules and procurement regulations. Vendors shall extend the same pricing, terms, conditions, and service levels to any eligible districts added under this provision.

CIESC Region 9 - K12 Food Distributor and GPO RFP 2027-2028 8/14/2026

SCOPE OF SOLICITATION

SERVICES REQUESTED: The CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Coop is requesting proposals from food distributors and group purchasing organizations (GPO) in the K12 school nutrition industry that will secure pricing contracts on USDA Commodities and Commercial food items for current participating CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Coop member districts as well as any future member districts that may join the coop via new district membership or existing district membership.

This partner will work with the CIESC Region 9 Coop to secure competitive pricing and meet and/or exceed all current State and Federal Procurement guidelines, regulations, and laws for

Indiana Child Nutrition Programs.

DEFINITIONS:

● Distributor: Entity responsible for purchasing, stocking, distributing, delivering, invoicing, and providing food products and related services.

● Group Purchasing Organization: Entity that negotiates or administers group purchasing arrangements, pricing, rebates, incentives, or other purchasing benefits on behalf of

School Food Authorities.

PROCUREMENT TIMELINE: The following timeline represents the anticipated procurement schedule, however, CIESC Region 9 Coop reserves the right to modify dates as needed.

RFP Issued: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 Questions Due: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Responses to Questions Issued: Friday, October 16, 2026 Proposals Due: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 11am ET Evaluation Period: November 3 - December 4, 2026 Board Approval: Wednesday, December 9, 2026 Contract Start Date: Thursday, July 1, 2027

CONTRACT DURATION: Awarded contract will be from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028.

CONTRACT RENEWAL: With the mutual agreement of the selected successful respondent, the

CIESC Region 9 Coop reserves the right to renew the prices and terms of any contract resulting from this procurement without additional competitive bidding annually for one (1) year, up to four (4) additional years not to exceed five (5) years total with the successful respondent. Such renewals would allow for the continuation of services to the CIESC Region 9 Coop and will be effective through an amendment to the original contract agreement.

TIMELINE: All proposals MUST be submitted online at: https://ciesc.cooppurchase.com by

11am local time on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

PUBLIC OPENING: Proposals will be publicly opened via Zoom at 11am local time on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, but, pursuant to Indiana law, the contents of competing proposals will not be made available at that time. The name of proposing vendors will be read.

ANTICIPATED AWARD: It is CIESC’s intent to make ONE award to the vendor offering the most advantageous proposal that best meets the requirements outlined in this solicitation. CIESC does reserve the right to make multiple awards if it is determined that it would be in the best interest of the districts. All awards are subject to the approval of The Governing Board of the

Central Indiana Educational Service Center. The successful vendor(s) will be notified of award via a Letter of Award from the CIESC Governing Board. By submitting a proposal, the incumbent vendor agrees to continue to provide the same level of service to CIESC Region 9 Coop districts during any transition period should they not be awarded the new contract.

EXCLUSIVITY: CIESC anticipates considerable activity resulting from this RFP award, however districts will make a best effort to commit to 90% purchases of like products. CIESC does not guarantee usage; usage depends on the actual needs of the districts. Given current supply chain complexities, CIESC reserves the right to do a separate solicitation for a secondary distributor, if necessary, to meet the needs of the districts and be in compliance with federal and state procurement policy.

QUANTITIES: All quantities listed are estimated usages based on historical data (School Year

2025-2026) or best estimates. These quantities are used for evaluation of the proposals only.

No guarantees are made to the actual quantities to be purchased as they may be higher or lower.

NEW PRODUCTS: New products approved by CIESC Region 9 Coop through the product evaluation process shall be added to the bid at any time during the bid process as long as competitive pricing is secured.

PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACT ITEMS: Upon award of the contract, the products will be purchased and paid for by the participating CIESC Region 9 Child Nutrition Coop member districts.

ACCEPTANCE OF RFP TERMS: A proposal submitted in response to the RFP shall constitute a binding offer. Acknowledgement of this condition shall be indicated by the autographic signature of the vendor legally authorized to execute contractual obligations. It is assumed by the vendor’s response that it acknowledges all terms and conditions of this invitation for an offer. Vendors shall clearly identify any variations between its proposal and the CIESC RFP.

Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance, except as outlined or specified in the RFP.

WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL: No proposals may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) calendar days following the due date of such proposals.

UNRESPONSIVE VENDORS: Proposals from unresponsive vendors will not be accepted.

Vendors having a history of inconsistent service and unreliability will not be considered by the

CIESC Region 9 Coop to be a responsible proposer.

MODIFICATIONS: Modifications, additions, or changes to the terms and conditions of this RFP may be a cause for rejection of a proposal.

OPEN AND FREE COMPETITION: All CIESC procurement transactions shall be conducted in a manner that provides maximum open and free competition consistent with applicable federal and state procurement requirements, including 2 CFR Part 200 and applicable USDA regulations.

QUESTIONS: Questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted IN WRITING via e-mail to Kara

O’Neil (koneil@ciesc.org) no less than ten (10) business days prior to the due date for proposals.

CIESC Region 9 Coop reserves the right to request additional information from any vendor if deemed necessary for evaluation following the opening of proposals.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:

1. CIESC will consider proposals from vendors meeting the minimum qualifications as outlined in the RFP.

2. The vendor signing and submitting the proposal must be authorized by and capable of binding the supplier(s) represented. The vendor shall be fully and ultimately responsible for the provision of all products and services per the requirements of the RFP.

3. The vendor shall be the sole point of contact for all questions, problems, and warranty issues that may result from this proposal. The failure of suppliers to act in no way relieves the full responsibility of the respondent for all requirements under this RFP.

4. Proposal prices shall remain firm where indicated from the opening of this proposal through the completion of an awarded contract, unless otherwise specified.

REVIEW AND AWARD PROCESS: In order to allow CIESC the opportunity to evaluate each proposal thoroughly, CIESC requires that any response to this solicitation be valid and irrevocable for sixty (60) days after official opening date and time.

CIESC reserves the right to ask for presentations from any respondent regarding its proposal.

Presentations will be made at the CIESC office at the full expense of the respondent. CIESC asks that all respondents leave Friday, November 20, 2026, available for possible presentations.

The CIESC Region 9 Coop reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to clarify items in a proposal, and to waive errors or corrections in a proposal. CIESC reserves the right to reject the proposal of any respondent who has previously failed to perform similar contracts with CIESC member school districts satisfactorily. The winning proposal will be recommended to the

Governing Board of the Central Indiana Educational Service Center for final approval.

PROTEST PROCEDURES: Proposers whose proposal has been timely filed and who is aggrieved by the award of a contract to another offeror may appeal the decision by filing a written notice of appeal. The notice must be filed within ten (10) business days of the date of award of the contract, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal state holidays. The notice of appeal must clearly and fully identify all the issues being contested by reference to the page, and section of the solicitation document and/or award of contract. An appeal will be heard by the designated

CIESC Region 9 Coop members unless the petitioner is not an aggrieved party, or a prior request by the same petitioner relating to the same contract award has been granted, or the request is capricious, frivolous, or without merit. The burden of proof lies with the petitioner. The evidence presented must specifically address and be limited to one or more of the following:

1. Violation of State or Federal law;

2. Irregularities creating fundamental unfairness; or

3. Arbitrary or capricious award.

The CIESC Region 9 Coop members will provide a written response within ten (10) business days after hearing the appeal and shall be the final decision on the matter.

INCURRING COSTS: CIESC Region 9 Coop is not liable for any cost incurred by offerors prior to issuance of a procurement document.

PIGGYBACK PROCUREMENT & GROWTH: The resulting contract is intended for use by participating CIESC Region 9 Coop member School Food Authorities. Eligible participating SFAs may utilize the contract to the extent permitted by applicable federal, state, and local procurement requirements and the governing documents of the cooperative.

VENDOR REQUIREMENTS

RESPONSIBLE VENDOR:

1. Years in Business: Vendors responding to this RFP must have been in continuous operation supplying food service products and/or supplies to K–12 school districts within the State of Indiana for a minimum of three (3) complete, consecutive years immediately preceding the proposal due date. Vendors shall demonstrate this experience by providing references from Indiana K–12 school district customers served during this period.

2. Financial Stability: Vendors responding must have a sound and adequate cash flow as of the proposal opening date specified herein and be capable of accepting payment for products delivered within a period of up to 30 to 45 calendar days after invoicing. CIESC reserves the right to request financial information from the respondent or other sources to evaluate the financial stability of the proposing vendor. Rejection of any respondent based upon the financial stability of its organization shall be solely a CIESC participating member decision, and such decision shall be final and conclusive.

EXPECTATIONS OF VENDOR:

1. Administrative Services: Assist in managing the USDA Foods diversion process, provide all member school districts with excellent customer service, training, communication, and required reports. Vendor will monitor and manage commercial and USDA Foods purchasing processes in accordance with program procurement requirements.

2. Distribution Services: In the capacity of USDA Foods and commercial distribution, vendor will provide broadline distribution including ordering, storage, delivery, and electronic tracking. All CIESC Cooperative districts will be serviced out of the same distribution center.

3. Tracking Capabilities: Provide an electronic method to keep track of orders, rebates, deliveries, invoices, and quarterly reports.

4. Online Capabilities: Provide contracts, technical information, online catalogs, shopping lists, pricing, nutritionals, CN labels, and Buy American documentation. and product specifications via website.

5. System Integration: Ordering platform must be automated to communicate with K12

Foodservice and ProcessorLink systems on a regular basis.

6. Dedicated K–12 Support Team

The Vendor shall provide a dedicated K–12 support team assigned to support CIESC

Region 9 Cooperative participating member districts throughout the contract term. The assigned team shall include personnel with demonstrated experience supporting K–12

Child Nutrition programs, with preference given to personnel with direct experience supporting Indiana school food authorities. Personnel shall have a strong working knowledge of school nutrition operations, USDA Child Nutrition Program requirements, procurement, USDA Foods and commodity programs, rebates, pricing, ordering, distribution, and applicable state and federal requirements.

The Vendor shall demonstrate that assigned personnel have knowledge and experience with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) School and Community Nutrition requirements, policies, procedures, and resources, including requirements applicable to school food authorities participating in USDA Child Nutrition Programs and cooperative purchasing. Personnel supporting CIESC Region 9 shall be knowledgeable of

Indiana-specific procurement requirements, USDA Foods processes, and other applicable IDOE requirements necessary to effectively support participating districts.

The Vendor shall maintain continuity and stability of the assigned K–12 support team throughout the contract term. The Vendor shall make reasonable efforts to retain assigned personnel and shall not routinely rotate or replace staff responsible for supporting the Cooperative and its participating districts.

Any proposed change to key assigned personnel shall be communicated to CIESC in advance, when reasonably possible, and the Vendor shall provide qualified replacement personnel with comparable or greater K–12 and Indiana-specific experience and knowledge. Replacement personnel shall receive appropriate training and a documented transition prior to assuming responsibility for Cooperative accounts to ensure continuity of service.

The Vendor shall identify the personnel assigned to the Cooperative, their roles and responsibilities, years of foodservice experience, years of K–12 Child Nutrition experience, years of Indiana K–12 experience, and experience working with or in accordance with IDOE School and Community Nutrition requirements as part of its proposal. The Vendor shall also identify the management structure and backup personnel available to support the Cooperative when assigned staff are unavailable.

Dedicated K–12 staff shall be knowledgeable, responsive, and capable of providing timely and accurate support, reporting, rebate management, issue resolution, and operational assistance to participating districts throughout the contract term.

7. Communication:

The Vendor shall provide clear, timely, accurate, and relevant communication to CIESC

Region 9 Cooperative and participating school districts. Communication shall be purposeful and focused on information that directly impacts the Cooperative’s operations, contracted products, pricing, service levels, deliveries, inventory, ordering, or other matters requiring district awareness or action.

a. The Vendor shall establish a communication plan specific to CIESC Region 9 that identifies the primary communication contacts, methods of communication, expected response times, and escalation procedures.

b. Routine communications shall be consolidated when practical and shall avoid unnecessary or non-essential communications that do not directly impact CIESC

Region 9 or require action by participating districts. Communications to districts shall be specific to CIESC Region 9 shall be clearly identified and shall not be combined with information intended for other cooperatives.

c. The Vendor shall provide proactive communication when an issue may affect product availability, order fulfillment, deliveries, pricing, contract compliance, or other services provided under this agreement. Communication shall occur as soon as the Vendor becomes aware of the issue and, when possible, prior to the scheduled delivery or other affected service.

d. For recurring or significant service issues, the Vendor shall communicate the cause of the issue, the immediate action being taken, the anticipated resolution, and any additional steps necessary to prevent the issue from recurring.

e. The Vendor shall provide a clear escalation process for unresolved issues and identify the appropriate contact responsible for resolution. CIESC Region 9 shall not be required to repeatedly identify or escalate the same issue in order to obtain a response or corrective action.

f. Communication regarding stockouts shall include, at a minimum, the affected product, reason or known cause of the stockout, expected duration, available alternatives, and the Vendor’s plan to restore product availability. Recurring stockouts shall be reviewed with CIESC Region 9 as part of the Vendor’s corrective action and continuous improvement process.

g. The Vendor shall participate in communication and performance reviews with

CIESC Region 9, including Quarterly Business Reviews, as required under this RFP.

The Vendor shall be prepared to discuss communication effectiveness, recurring issues, root causes, corrective actions, and opportunities for improvement.

8. Audits: Provide the capability for certified public accountants to audit the qualified

GPO/Distributor on behalf of CIESC once contracts are issued.

9. Incentives/Rebates: The Vendor shall identify, administer, and maximize all applicable manufacturer incentives, rebates, promotional savings, discounts, allowances, credits, and other financial benefits available to participating CIESC Region 9 Cooperative districts. All applicable savings shall be passed directly to the participating districts, with credit-off-invoice as the preferred method; rebate checks are also acceptable. Vendor should clearly distinguish between guaranteed incentives and performance-based incentives.

a. Dedicated Rebate/Incentive Representative: The Vendor shall designate a dedicated rebate/incentive representative to manage the program, ensure the timely and accurate processing of all rebates and incentives, resolve discrepancies, and serve as the primary point of contact for CIESC Region 9.

b. Full Transparency and Calculation Methodology: The Vendor shall provide complete transparency regarding all rebates, incentives, discounts, allowances, credits, and promotional savings available under the contract. For each rebate or incentive, the Vendor shall clearly identify:

● the manufacturer or program providing the rebate or incentive;

● the products or purchases eligible;

● the rebate amount, percentage, or calculation methodology;

● the specific sales or volume basis used to calculate the rebate;

● any thresholds, tiers, exclusions, eligibility requirements, or conditions;

● the period during which purchases qualify;

● whether the rebate is guaranteed or volume-dependent; and

● the method and timing by which the rebate will be credited or paid to the participating district.

c. Calculation Detail: Rebate reports shall show sufficient detail for CIESC Region

9 and participating districts to independently reconcile the rebate calculation to actual purchases. The Vendor shall provide the applicable calculation or supporting detail, including the qualifying purchase amount or cases, applicable rebate rate or tier, and resulting rebate amount. A lump-sum rebate amount without supporting calculation detail shall not be considered sufficient.

d. Rebate Reporting: The Vendor shall provide accurate electronic rebate reports for each participating district detailing, at a minimum, rebates earned, rebates calculated, rebates applied or paid, calculation period, qualifying purchases, rebate rate or methodology, and any outstanding or pending claims. Reports shall be provided in a format suitable for reconciliation, review, and audit purposes.

e. Timing and Payment: The Vendor shall establish and clearly communicate a rebate calendar identifying the applicable reporting period, calculation date, claim submission date, expected payment or credit date, and final reconciliation date for each rebate or incentive program. Rebates shall be processed and returned to participating districts within the timeframe established in the contract. Any anticipated delay shall be communicated to CIESC Region 9 in advance and shall include the reason for the delay and the expected resolution date.

f. Changes to Rebate Programs: The Vendor shall notify CIESC Region 9 of any changes to applicable rebate or incentive programs, including changes to rebate amounts, calculation methodology, eligibility requirements, thresholds, qualifying products, or payment terms. No rebate or incentive available to participating districts shall be omitted from reporting.

g. Discrepancies and Reconciliation: The Vendor shall promptly investigate and resolve any discrepancies identified by CIESC Region 9 or a participating district.

The Vendor shall provide supporting documentation and a written explanation of the discrepancy, corrective action taken, and any additional rebate or credit owed.

h. Regulatory Compliance: In accordance with 7 CFR 210.21, all discounts, rebates, allowances, and incentives applicable to purchases under this contract must be fully disclosed and returned to CIESC Region 9 Cooperative member districts for the benefit of their nonprofit food service accounts within the timeframe established by the contract and applicable regulations.

10.Records: Retain all books, records, and other documents relative to the contract agreement for five (5) years after final payment, or until audited, whichever is sooner.

The CIESC authorized agents, State Agency, and/or USDA auditors shall have full access to and the right to examine any of said materials during said period.

11.Product: All products must be inspected and labeled according to the US Government

Standards and shall meet the requirements of the State with respect to quality and wholesomeness.

12.Buy American: Adhere to “Buy American” as outlined in USDA Food and Nutrition

Service Procurement Article 210.21.

13.Out of Stock Process: The Vendor shall notify participating districts prior to the scheduled delivery when an item is temporarily out of stock. Substitutions may only be provided with district approval and must be of equal or greater quality, meet the required product specifications and nutritional requirements, and be offered at or below the awarded bid price. The Vendor shall provide all applicable product documentation, including nutritional information, product specifications, and CN Label and/or Product

Formulation Statement (PFS), when applicable, for district review prior to delivery.

Recurring stockouts are monitored, reported, and addressed to minimize disruption and to CIESC Region 9 districts operations.

14.Special Order Process: Provide districts with a way to know if an item is only available through special order. Vendor must indicate typical lead times for all special-order items.

15.Service Level: The Vendor shall maintain a minimum average fill rate of 98% on original orders placed by CIESC Region 9 participating districts, excluding approved substitutions.

The Vendor shall monitor and report fill rate performance to CIESC Region 9 on a quarterly basis. Fill rate shall be calculated based on the percentage of ordered cases successfully fulfilled as originally ordered. The Vendor shall provide documentation supporting reported fill-rate performance and shall implement corrective action when performance falls below the 98% minimum standard. If the Vendor's average fill rate falls below the 98% minimum performance standard, the Vendor shall provide CIESC Region

9 with a written corrective action plan identifying the cause of the deficiency, steps to improve performance, and a timeline for returning to the required 98% minimum standard.

16.Reports The awarded Vendor shall provide quarterly and annual sales reports detailing the total gross dollar volume of all products and services purchased under this contract, separated by participating district, with a consolidated report submitted to CIESC.

Additional reports may be requested throughout the contract term. Monthly price reports shall be provided for items not held at a fixed contract price to identify price fluctuations. Quarterly reports shall also include key performance metrics, including fill rate (without substitutions, with supporting documentation), on-time delivery percentage, and order accuracy percentage. The Vendor shall participate in Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with CIESC to review performance metrics, service levels, rebate activity, supply chain issues, continuous improvement initiatives, and contract compliance.

17.Administrative Fee The awarded Vendor shall pay CIESC an administrative fee of $0.20 per delivered case quarterly, under the Agreement. The administration fee is a Vendor obligation and shall not be separately charged to, passed through to, or recovered from participating School Food Authorities through surcharges, fees, or increased contract pricing. The administrative fee shall remain unchanged during the initial contract term and any renewal period unless a modification is expressly authorized under the RFP, Agreement, and applicable procurement requirements. Vendor shall provide CIESC with a quarterly report identifying cases delivered by participating School Food Authority.

CONTRACT PRICING:

1. The vendor will be required to hold all bid prices firm during the term of the contract that the vendor designated to be firm for a year, however, since the solicitation is being requested so far in advance of the actual contract start date, the awarded vendor will have an opportunity to adjust any pricing for the items in the market basket that the vendor indicated they would hold firm to reflect any documented increase in costs from manufacturers or updates to existing contracts with manufacturers.

2. Items the vendor does not designate to be firm will have monthly opportunities to adjust pricing to reflect market conditions and maintain competitiveness. Fixed fees for these items are not subject to change through the completion of this contract.

3. The vendor shall offer (invoice) to participating districts, in accordance with State of

Indiana statutes and/or its agency’s regulations, all reductions in pricing offered to the successful respondent by its suppliers for items priced and sold to participating districts by the vendor under this contract.

4. Request for a price increase on specific products or adjustments in the market basket to pass on manufacturer increases must be submitted thirty (30) days prior to the annual renewal date. Justification for any adjustment shall be in writing and be accompanied by the appropriate documentation. Any escalation that exceeds the Consumer Price Index

(CPI) per contract year may be rejected unless market forces can be documented. New fixed prices shall apply to the contract upon approval from CIESC. Price reductions may be applied at any time during the contract of this RFP.

5. Vendor may petition for an increase based on an emergency created by unusual market conditions on items that were indicated to be held firm. Petitions for increases shall be received by CIESC a minimum of 15 days prior to the effective date. Petitions for increases shall be based on the cost of the product only from the manufacturer.

Approval or rejection of requested increases will be based on third party market bulletins.

6. Vendor agrees that the cost for any item bid on this contract will be uniform for all qualified participating CIESC member districts. If the cost is lowered for any school corporation for any reason, the cost will be lowered at the same time for all school corporations for the same reason.

7. All bid prices must include ALL charges for packing and transporting to ALL of the individual schools in each participating CIESC district.

8. If an awarded commercial item is available at another warehouse or distribution center within the vendor’s network, the vendor shall utilize available inventory within its distribution network before sourcing the item through a manufacturer direct shipment.

The vendor shall not charge participating districts additional shipping, direct-ship, transfer, or other fees for fulfilling the item from another vendor warehouse or distribution center.

9. Prices will not include Federal Excise Tax, Transportation Tax, or State Sales Tax as these taxes do not apply to purchases by the participating school districts.

10.During the term(s) of a contract awarded under this solicitation, additional purchases of goods not included in this solicitation list and resulting awarded contract may become necessary and benefit the program. Both parties agree that the aggregate value of added purchases during each year of the contract, if renewable, shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the estimated value of the contract. The total value of the contract must be agreed upon and the dollar value listed in every contract and contract renewal.

Such additions may be included in the awarded contract list during the contract renewal through a contract amendment, and the total contract value adjusted accordingly. For each contract renewal, the total actual value of the contract in the preceding year and the additions made during the contract term will be the basis for determining the maximum amount (not to exceed 10%) of additional goods that will be allowed during the next contract renewal year.

ORDERS AND PAYMENT:

1. Ordering: Each participating school corporation shall issue its own purchase orders directly to the Vendor, including applicable product, quantity, delivery, and school-specific instructions. All orders from participating CIESC Region 9 Cooperative school districts shall be submitted directly to the Vendor.

2. Order Submission: The Vendor shall accept purchase orders through the ordering methods established and approved for the participating school district, which may include mail, fax, email, verbal orders, or an e-procurement software program.

3. Payment: Each participating school corporation shall be responsible for payment directly to the Vendor for products ordered and received, in accordance with applicable Indiana

State Board of Accounts requirements and the payment terms established under the contract.

4. Invoice Accuracy and Credits: The Vendor shall provide accurate invoices and statements that clearly reflect products purchased, applicable pricing, credits, adjustments, and payments. Credits that have already been applied or otherwise accounted for shall not continue to appear as outstanding or unapplied credits on subsequent statements. The Vendor shall promptly correct invoice or statement discrepancies identified by a participating district and provide supporting documentation upon request.

5. Credit Application and Reconciliation: The Vendor shall maintain a process to ensure credits are accurately applied to the appropriate district account and invoice. Credits shall be clearly identifiable to the original invoice, order, or transaction, when applicable.

The Vendor shall promptly research and resolve discrepancies involving unapplied, duplicate, missing, or incorrectly applied credits.

DELIVERIES:

1. FOB Destination: All orders placed over the Vendor’s minimum order level shall be FOB destination. All costs associated with delivery shall be borne by the Vendor for orders over the minimum order level.

a. Exception: The School Corporation agrees to pay expedited shipping costs when specifically requested by the School Corporation. All expedited shipping costs must be pre-approved by the School Corporation prior to delivery.

2. Payment: No COD orders will be accepted.

3. On-Time Delivery: The Vendor shall maintain a minimum 95% on-time delivery rate, unless otherwise agreed upon with a participating SFA.

4. Delivery Responsibility: The Vendor shall remain fully responsible for all deliveries and shall ensure that any carrier or subcontractor complies with all applicable contract requirements.

5. Shipping Errors: Shipping errors shall be corrected at the Vendor’s expense. If a Vendor ships a product that was not ordered, the Vendor shall be responsible for return shipping at the convenience of the participating district.

6. Delivery Scheduling: The Vendor shall coordinate delivery schedules with each participating district and make deliveries according to established district delivery schedules and windows. The Vendor shall make reasonable efforts to avoid deliveries during student arrival, dismissal, meal service, and other scheduled activities that may interfere with district operations.

7. Delivery Completion & Staff Impact: Deliveries shall be completed within a reasonable amount of time based on the size and scope of the delivery. The Vendor shall ensure that delivery procedures do not routinely require district food service staff to remain beyond their normal scheduled work hours solely to receive, unload, and put away product or result in unnecessary staffing or overtime costs.

8. Delivery Delays: The Vendor shall provide timely notice to the district when a delivery is expected to arrive outside of the established delivery window or when a significant delay may affect district operations or staff schedules. The Vendor shall communicate the expected arrival time and work with the district to determine an appropriate resolution.

9. Delivery Performance: The Vendor shall monitor delivery performance, including on-time delivery, adherence to established delivery windows, and recurring delivery issues. The Vendor shall take corrective action when delivery performance does not meet contract requirements or established district expectations.

10.Recovery Deliveries: The Vendor shall have a process for recovery deliveries when products are missed, shorted, damaged, or otherwise not delivered as scheduled.

Recovery deliveries shall be made within a reasonable timeframe based on the district’s operational needs. The Vendor shall communicate the recovery plan and expected delivery time to the affected district.

11.Delivery Vehicles & Food Safety: The Vendor shall comply with 410 IAC 7-21 regarding deliveries. Delivery vehicles shall be clean and capable of maintaining appropriate temperatures for refrigerated and frozen products. Before shipping any product, the delivery vehicle shall be checked for cleanliness. If the truck is not clean or cannot maintain the proper temperature for any refrigerated or frozen items, another delivery vehicle must be used. All food products shall be kept separate from any toxic chemical or non-food items. Chemicals shall not be stored on top of food or transported in a manner whereby food products may become contaminated.

12.Delivery Coverage: The Vendor must be capable of providing delivery services throughout the State of Indiana in accordance with participating districts’ established delivery schedules and contract requirements.

VENDOR EMPLOYEE CONDUCT:

1. Successful vendor is responsible for their employees while on CIESC Member School

District property.

a. Vendor will be responsible for all damage or injury to existing facilities, equipment, property, or persons caused by the vendor’s employee.

b. Vendor’s personnel shall conduct themselves in a respectable and courteous manner while performing duties at any of the CIESC Member School District’s property. Each CIESC Member School District reserves the right to deny access to any of the vendor’s employees at any time for any reason in the sole discretion of the CIESC Member School District. Each Member School District also has the right to request an alternate employee of the vendor.

2. Vendor shall conduct background checks for its employees who will have regular contact with CIESC Member School Districts, including but not limited to contract representatives and delivery personnel, in accordance with the individual CIESC Member

School District background standards.

a. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that no persons who have failed to clear background checks in accordance with any CIESC Member School District standard(s) will perform any work for the CIESC Member School District.

Violation of this provision will be grounds for immediate termination of the contract with or without notice.

b. Vendor shall not knowingly send any employee, agent or subcontractor personnel who is a registered sex offender or who has a criminal conviction on his/her background check records of sexual abuse to any CIESC Member School

District location, building or property. Vendor shall make periodic criminal history record inquiries as authorized by law. Violation of the requirements contained in this provision will be grounds for immediate termination of the contract with or without notice.

3. Delivery personnel shall be appropriately dressed in clearly recognizable vendor name, logo, or identity tag visible.

4. Vendor’s personnel are forbidden to possess/consume/or be under the influence of alcohol, use tobacco, e-cigarettes, or vaping products, possess/use/be under the influence of unauthorized controlled substances or possess/use weapons/firearms when on CIESC Member School District property pursuant to applicable federal, state, and local laws or policies.

5. Vendor will furnish a complete list of all employees working on CIESC Member School

District property upon request. Vendor will notify the Child Nutrition Manager of a change prior to new personnel coming to any CIESC Member School District property.

6. Vendor personnel will perform work without unnecessarily interfering with CIESC

Member School District activities. Vendor will take precautions necessary to protect persons or property against injury and/or damage that may occur because of the fault or negligence of their employee.

7. The employment of unauthorized workers by the vendor is considered a violation of

Federal and State Law. If the vendor knowingly employs unauthorized workers, such a violation shall be cause for termination of the awarded contract.

8. Vendor acknowledges that it shall not fulfill this contract in any part by use of a person who is barred by any state, local, or federal law from being on CIESC Member School

Districts’ property at any time.

EVALUATION

Proposals will be evaluated by each CIESC Region 9 School District based upon the following selection criteria:

2027-2028 CIESC Region 9 - K12 Food Distributor and Group Purchasing Organization RFP Evaluation CRITERIA EVALUATION-Points Possible

Program Value

● Market Basket Pricing

● Fees & Case Markup Structure

● Incentive & Rebate Program

Benefits of Firm May include but not limited to:

● Experience

● Staffing

● Customer Service, Communication & Issue Resolution

● References/Past Performance

● Distribution Center

● Value-Added Services

● Modernization / Technology

Firm Operations-Order & Delivery May include but not limited to:

● Fill Rate

● Stock Out Process

● Order Lead Times

● Order Guides

● Minimum Order Amount

● Special Order Process

● Delivery Consistency (Staff/Time)

Firm Operations-Online Capabilities May include but not limited to:

● Order Tracking Methods & Reporting

● Order Process

● Invoices/Statements

● Nutrition/Allergen/CN/PFS Information

● Buy American

● Additional Nutrition Software

Firm Operations- Commodities May include but not limited to:

● Commodity Manager

● Software systems

● Accuracy credit off invoice

● Reporting

● Commodities year round

● Coop commodity separate bid

Policies/Procedures May include but not limited to:

● Pricing Methodology & Management

● Pricing Audits

● Notification of Credits/Recalls/Out of Stocks

● Product Changes

● Payment Terms

● Requested Reporting

● Background Check Policy

● New Items at meetings

Procurement/Slotting May include but not limited to:

● Procurement Documentation

● Stocking/Slotting Requirements

● New requested inventory items/process/slotting

Exceptions to Terms 10

TOTAL 155

Please note that any past failure to meet any minimum quality or performance expectations on any product or service will be sufficient cause to reject your proposal regardless of the evaluation weighting.

VENDOR RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Vendors must include the following items in their proposal:

● Program Value:

○ Market Basket Pricing Worksheet

○ Full Item List Worksheet

○ Fixed Case Fee Worksheet

○ Scenario 1 Worksheet

○ Scenario 2 Worksheet

● Answers to all questions listed below

● USDA and Federally required procurement forms

○ Included in the Contract Terms and Required Forms File

PROGRAM VALUE: Market Basket Worksheet

CIESC Region 9 Coop’s market basket represents approximately 75% of the total estimated dollar value of the contract to be awarded. All quantities listed in the market basket and categories are estimated usage based on historical data (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026) of current member districts. These estimates are used for evaluation of the proposals only. No guarantees are made to the actual quantities to be purchased as they may be higher or lower.

Vendor shall provide pricing by filling out all sections of the proposal sheet via the CIESC RFP

Site. Vendor shall not include any administrative, delivery, fuel, handling, service, case, or other fees in the market basket unit prices unless specifically requested in the worksheet.

● Prices submitted should reflect item price for the week of October 5, 2026

● Pricing can be from national or local contracts

● Pricing should not include any service fees or case markups

● USDA commodity pass through amounts should be captured in the USDA Commodity

Item-NOI Pass Through Amount Column

● Alternates are allowed, but all proposed products must be domestic as defined by USDA for the National School Lunch Program

○ Specifications should match the listed item as closely as possible

○ If an alternate product is submitted, samples may be requested to test against specified item

PROGRAM VALUE: Full Item Worksheet

This tab includes the entire list of items the CIESC Region 9 Coop purchased in the 2025-2026 school year. Please respond to the 3 questions included on this sheet as part of your proposal.

PROGRAM VALUE: Case Fee Markup Worksheet

The case fee markup tab includes a list of categories of products that the CIESC Region 9 Coop is asking vendors to provide their case fee markup that would apply to all districts in the coop. All fixed fees must remain the same for the duration of the contract.

PROGRAM VALUE: Scenario Worksheets

The two scenario worksheets provide a standardized purchasing scenario for vendors to complete using the assumptions provided. Vendors are expected to provide full transparency by disclosing all rebates, incentives, discounts, allowances, credits, and other financial benefits applicable to the scenario, including any applicable thresholds, exclusions, or conditions.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESPONDENTS

Please ensure your proposal includes detailed responses to the questions below:

BENEFITS OF THE FIRM

1. The name, address, phone number, and email address for the authorized agent submitting the proposal.

2. Description of vendor including:

a. Vendor size/history

b. Scope of clients serviced and members

c. Annual dollar amount of current contracts negotiated

d. Organizational chart

3. Describe your firm's experience serving Indiana K–12 school nutrition programs:

including the size and scope of your K–12 customer base, years serving K–12 customers, approximate annual K–12 sales volume, number of K–12 districts served, and organizational structure supporting K–12 customers.

4. Identify the specific personnel who will be assigned to CIESC Region 9 and describe each individual's role, responsibilities, backup coverage, and primary point of contact responsibilities. Include but not limited to:

a. Customer service

b. Account management

c. Pricing

d. Rebates

e. Commodities, K12, Processor link, PrimeroEdge

f. Delivery

g. Stockouts/substitutions

h. Reporting

5. Describe your customer support and escalation model for CIESC Region 9, including expected response times for routine questions, urgent operational issues, order concerns, delivery issues, shortages, pricing discrepancies, and emergencies. Identify support hours, escalation levels, backup coverage, and after-hours support. (e.g., evenings, weekends, or 24-hour support).

6. Provide at least five Indiana K–12 school district references that can be contacted to evaluate your firm's performance and service under comparable food distribution or

GPO contracts. For each reference, provide district name, contact name/title, phone/email, length of service, annual approximate volume, and a brief description of services provided.

7. All CIESC Cooperative districts will be serviced out of the same distribution center.

Identify the distribution center that will service CIESC Region 9, including facility name, address, ownership/operation, approximate capacity, geographic service area, and the

CIESC Region 9 districts it will serve. Describe how the facility supports inventory availability, delivery reliability, and service continuity.

8. Rebates, Incentives, Discounts and Other Financial Benefits: Identify all rebates, allowances,…