1 OFFICIAL NEW Bid Invitation Distributors 25-26 LOT1.docx (1).pdf

2025-2026 OFFICIAL DISTRIBUTOR INVITATION

NEW NCPA IFB/CONTRACT

Orange County Schools March 17, 2025

OCS-SNS002 2025-2026

This invitation is issued to Distributors with interest in submission of a NEW CONTRACT for the procurement and delivery of products by LOT(S) as listed for federally funded Child Nutrition programs operating in our School District. The awarded contract becomes the FIRST YEAR of a contract with the potential of four – one-year renewals provided Vendor and School District agreement terms are accepted.

BID QUESTIONS – SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTACT

Name: Sara Pitts E-Mail: sara.pitts@orange.k12.nc.us Phone: 919-732-8126

BID OPENING DATE: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

LOCATION: McKimmon Center NC State University Campus - 1101 Gorman Street, Raleigh, NC 27695

BID DISTRIBUTION: 9:30 am – 9:59 am

• After signing in, Distributor representatives will place Official Bids on Zone tables.

• Zone Co-Chairs will deliver to the districts. Any mailed bids will be distributed.

• At 10:00 a.m. meeting room doors are closed for the Official Bid Opening.

• Bid Packet Delivery to school districts is complete.

TIME OF BID OPENING: 10:00 a.m.

DISTRIBUTORS SUBMITTING NEW IFB/CONTRACT BIDS:

• Information needed to complete this bid is found in the attached Distributor Checklist, Distributor New Bid Documents, Attachments, Official IFB/Contract and Official Bid Spreadsheets. The 2025-2026 New Bid Certification and Agreement details the required documents. Please use the Distributor Checklist to track progress!!

• Distributors submitting five (5) or more NEW NCPA School District Bids for LOT 1 (Groceries), LOT 3 (Supplies), LOT 4 (Produce) and LOT 6 Beverages, ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THE OFFICIAL NCPA BID OPENING ON MAY 13, 2025.

The Distributor (or designee) delivering bid documents must sign in at the McKimmon Center NCPA Registration Desk prior to 9:30 a.m. Distributors will place sealed bids on Zone tables located in the auditorium. The NCPA Zone # is found at the top of the Bid Certification and Agreement form. PLEASE WRITE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NAME

AND ZONE NUMBER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SEALED BID ENVELOPE.

• Distributors submitting five (5) or less NEW NCPA School District Bids for LOT 1 (Groceries), LOT 3 (Supplies), LOT 4 (Produce) and LOT 6 Beverages, may mail documents to Leann Seelman to arrive no later than 5:00 pm on May 9, 2025. Place the bid documents and bid spreadsheets in a sealed envelope labeled with the school district name and zone number. Place sealed bid envelope inside of a mailer envelope addressed to:

Leann Seelman, NCPA Consultant

C/O Enter the School District or Co-Op Name

3006 Pinecrest Drive Greenville, NC 27858

➢ It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to assure a mailed bid is received by the deadline, no exceptions. It is highly recommended Distributors mailing bids use a delivery service that offers mail tracking, but PLEASE DO NOT require a signature for delivery as the address above is a residence and availability for signature is not guaranteed. Send an email to leann.seelman@dpi.nc.gov after mailing the bid package and receipt of your package will be verified via return email.

• ALL DISTRIBUTORS (ATTENDING THE BID OPENING, OR NOT, ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE NCPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH A DIGITAL MASTER COPY BY LOT OF THE DISTRIBUTORS 2025-2026 BID SHEET PRICING AS PROVIDED TO NCPA MEMBERS. Email a copy of the 2025-2026 Master Distributor Bid Pricing by Lot to Cindy Hobbs (Cindy.hobbs@dpi.nc.gov) and to Leann Seelman (leann.seelman@dpi.nc.gov) no earlier than 7:00 am and no later than 10:00 AM ET May 13, 2025. The Subject Line Should Read: (Distributor Name) 2025-2026 Master Bid Documents.

• Produce Distributors Only: On Flash drive, save Master Pricing along with Annual Contract/Weekly pricing Supplier contracts and invoices as detailed in 11.1-11.1.1 of the IFB Contract. Email a copy of the 2025-2026 Master Distributor Bid Pricing and include the Annual Contract/Weekly pricing Supplier contracts and invoices to Cindy Hobbs (Cindy.hobbs@dpi.nc.gov) and to Leann Seelman (leann.seelman@dpi.nc.gov) no earlier than 7:00 am and no later than 10:00 AM ET May 13, 2025. The Subject Line Should Read: (Distributor Name) 2025-2026 LOT 4 Master Bid Documents. The NCPA Board of Directors uses the new bid pricing to conduct the required Pre-Award Bid Audit immediately after bid opening.

• Specifications for Distributor Bid Products may be provided, including the Buy American (BA) and Allergen Information, with NEW or RENEWAL bid packages, but no later than June 1 of the contract year. NOTE: USDA requires BA only for products that are part of the school meal components: meat/meat alternate, grains, fruits/vegetables and fluid milk.

BID OPENING PROCEDURES:

• Required (1) bid signatures and (2) evidence of contract language changes are reviewed by the School District representative at the opening. These are non – negotiable contract requirements and will result in immediate bid disqualification.

• A School District representative may appoint a designee to receive and open bids on their behalf. In emergency situations, a NCPA Board of Directors member may receive/open/announce bottom line bid tabulations on behalf of an absent member.

• Only Bid Totals and the Apparent Preliminary Bid winner will be announced at the Bid Opening.

• Absolutely no open discussion or questions will be allowed regarding the bid procedures or bid language at the Opening.

• Distributor questions pertaining to such shall be put in writing and delivered to Leann Seelman or Cindy Hobbs, Procurement Consultants, for clarification by the NCPA Board of Directors. Official clarification will be e-mailed to all vendors and Alliance members after the Official Bid Opening.

ACTIONS REQUIRED PRIOR TO SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCEMENT OF BID AWARD

mailto:Cindy.hobbs@dpi.nc.gov mailto:leann.seelman@dpi.nc.gov mailto:Cindy.hobbs@dpi.nc.gov mailto:leann.seelman@dpi.nc.gov

• The NCPA Audit Committee will complete and approve the Distributor Pre - Bid Award Audit. Any change in unit price due to the audit will be sent to the School District for correction to the line extension and to the bottom-line dollar amount of the bid.

• Distributor bid tabulations by line items are reviewed, corrected and Distributor Bid Total is verified by the School District or Co-Op. Mathematical errors made by the Distributor are reported by the School District to the vendor in writing (e-mail) and corrected.

• Recommended Award Letter is sent from the School District to ALL Distributors submitting bids noting the verified bottom line bid totals from each bidder.

• The Official Bid Certification and Agreement page is signed by School District/Co-Op Representative after local approval. One copy is filed by the School District (Co-Ops should provide copies to all school district members) one copy is mailed to Awarded Distributor.

• Final Official Notification of bid award is the issuance of a Purchase Order to the Awarded Vendor.

BID QUESTIONS – SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTACT

Name: Sara Pitts

E-Mail: sara.pitts@orange.k12.nc.us

Phone: 919-732-8126