25585-RFP-DST_Software_Solution_Program.pdf

HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • Procurement Services (813) 272-4327 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

November 6, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

25585-RFP-DST SOFTWARE SOLUTION PROGRAM SNS

BID BROADCAST DATE

Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 12:00:00 PM

LAST DAY FOR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 4:30:00 PM

ADDENDUM DATE

Friday, November 21, 2025

PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME

Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 4:30:00 PM

REVIEW DATE

Friday, December 12, 2025

ESTIMATED AWARD DATE

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Hillsborough County Public Schools (“HCPS”), on behalf of The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida (the “Board”), hereby issues this Request for Proposals (“competitive solicitation,” “solicitation,” or “RFP”), per Rule 6A- 1.012, F.A.C., to announce that HCPS is accepting proposals from all qualified firms or individuals interested in providing the commodities and contractual services as described in Section 1. Scope of Services.

Important Dates. The above event dates and times are subject to change. Any updates will be posted via www.myvendorlink.com.

VendorLink Technical Support. The Proposer must allow sufficient time to upload their submittal on VendorLink and is solely responsible for contacting VendorLink technical support at support@eVendorLink.com if technical difficulties arise during the proposal submission process.

Notice. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Any protest must be submitted on time to the General Manager of Procurement Services via email at contractsupport@hcps.net.

Lobbying/Cone of Silence. Per Policy 6320, Procurement: https://web.hillsboroughschools.org/policymanual/, any communication regarding an active solicitation between any HCPS employee or Board member and any third-party representative or lobbyist of that party is prohibited, effective from the time the solicitation is released until an agreement is signed by HCPS or awarded by the Board.

Federal Funding Disclosure. This solicitation is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture as part of an award totaling $500,000.00 (100%).

http://www.myvendorlink.com/ mailto:support@eVendorLink.com mailto:contractsupport@hcps.net https://web.hillsboroughschools.org/policymanual/

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 49 Request for Proposals: 25585-RFP-DST Software Solution Program SNS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 SCOPE OF SERVICES

2 PROPOSER INSTRUCTIONS

3 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

4 REQUIRED FORMS

5 COST/VALUE

6 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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1 SCOPE OF SERVICES

1.1 BACKGROUND

We are looking for an embedded software solution program to replace our current software system.

1.2 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES/BUDGET

1.2.1 Estimated Budget. HCPS’ performance and obligation to pay under the Agreement are contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Board. For protest purposes, the estimated yearly budget is $500,000.00.

1.3 AGREEMENT TERMS/RENEWALS

1.3.1 Contract Term (Quoted Project). This Contract shall commence no sooner than the first business day after Board approval or as specified in the Award letter. It shall continue until completion of the quoted project unless otherwise terminated or amended by the Parties.

1.3.2 The Agreement shall, unless otherwise terminated as provided in Clause in our General Terms and Conditions, Termination, commence on the day after Board approval and will continue for the duration of the relevant Term.

Thereafter, the Agreement shall (unless renewed or upgraded earlier) be automatically renewed for successive one-year terms of equal duration (each a "Renewal Period"), unless: (a) a Trial Term has come to an end; (b) either party notifies the other party of termination, in writing, at least 30 days before the end of the relevant Term or Renewal Period, in which case the Agreement shall terminate upon the expiry of the applicable Term or Renewal Period; or (c) as otherwise terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Clause.

1.3.3 Temporary Renewal. If HCPS needs to extend the Agreement beyond the stated renewal period(s), HCPS and the Contractor may agree to renew the Agreement for a period not to exceed 180 days.

1.4 HCPS’ CURRENT STATE

HCPS Student Nutrition Services Department has determined that our current software no longer meets the operational and technical needs required to effectively manage K–12 nutrition programs. To ensure continued program integrity, financial accountability, and student satisfaction, the district must pursue a modern, fully supported POS software suite that aligns with current operational, nutritional, and IT security standards.

1.5 WHY IS THIS NEW SERVICE NEEDED

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide a cloud, on-premise or hybrid solution specialized software program for the operation of Student Nutrition Services (SNS) for both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house services. This software must include (at minimum) the following modules: Accounting, Menu Planning, Production Records, Online Payment Processing, Inventory Management, Food/Non-Food Ordering and Receiving, Free and Reduced Meal Applications, and Centralized Kitchen Operations. The proposed system must be centralized and customizable to the HCPS Student Nutrition Services specifications and needs.

Background

HCPS is the third largest school system in Florida and the seventh largest in the United States. SNS is one of the largest school nutrition programs in the country, with more than 1,800 dedicated employees serving over 230,000 meals daily.

We have 260 school sites with their own individual license set-up in our current software system.

General Requirements

• Vendor must be compliant and have the ability to adapt and maintain compliance with local, State, and Federal (USDA) laws, policies, and regulations for K-12 Food Service operations. Guidelines, including safeguards to make sure data under records retention rules/laws cannot be deleted prior to the end of the required retention period.

• Vendor must meet privacy requirements mandated by State and Federal regulations (e.g., Family Education Rights and Privacy Act), ensuring that payment and customer information will not be passed to third parties, in addition to protecting the privacy of customer information.

• Privacy and protection of sensitive information must be ensured through encryption of transferred and stored

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 4 of 49 data.

• HCPS retains the ownership of all student data. The selected vendor must agree to and sign HCPS’s Data Sharing

Agreement documentation prior to award.

• If the proposer wishes for HCPS to sign a separate agreement with regard to any products/services listed in this

RFP, the agreement must be submitted with their proposal for review. HCPS is under no obligation to consider such agreements and will not entertain any agreement submitted after an award letter is signed.

• Vendor must be at a minimum, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant.

Credit Card Processing

Vendors submitting a proposal must partner with any 3rd company parties that support their credit card processing.

HCPS will not enter into a separate contract with a 3rd party vendor for credit card processing. Transaction fees and merchant fees are to be charged to the payer (student/parent) and will be retained by the vendor. HCPS is not to be charged for transaction or merchant fees.

On-Site Account Manager

The awarded vendor shall assign a designated on-site Account Manager (AM), specifically assigned to HCPS, to assist with the district-wide implementation of the student nutrition software system for a minimum of one (1) year. The AM shall be stationed at the SNS District Office at the distributor’s expense. SNS will provide desk space and facilities, free or charge, as may be required for adequate job performance. The AM will work in coordination with district nutrition services, IT teams, and the software provider to ensure successful deployment, configuration, testing, and training across all school sites and central offices.

• Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Verification of hardware and network readiness at each site

• Installation and configuration of software modules

• Integration with student information systems and accounting platforms

• Set up user roles, permissions, and workflows

• On-site training for cafeteria staff, district administrators, and IT personnel

• Troubleshooting and resolution of implementation issues

• Post-launch support and stabilization

Non-Cost Proposal Submission Requirements

Vendors must complete and submit Attachment ‘A’ Student Nutrition Services – Software Requirements spreadsheet with their proposal. Failure to complete and submit the non-cost software requirements spreadsheet will result in the vendor's proposal being deemed non-responsive.

Spreadsheet Instructions:

• Column ‘I’ – Proposer must enter the appropriate response code from the drop-down list for the category heading/function

• Column ‘J’ – If any response codes are 2 or 3 in column ‘I’, the proposer must explain if customization results in an additional cost

• Column ‘K’ – Proposer must respond Yes or No from the drop-down list, whether or not they can provide visual verification to HCPS during a demonstration

Price Sheet Requirements

Vendors must complete and submit Attachment A and the Price Sheet with their proposal. Failure to complete and submit the price sheet will result in the vendor's proposal being deemed non-responsive.

IT, Network, Security, Data, and Disaster Recovery Requirements

• The system shall operate in a FERPA-, HIPAA-, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-compliant environment and state cybersecurity mandates

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• The system shall support role-based access control (RBAC) and integrate with HCPS single sign-on (SSO) via Azure AD or equivalent.

• The system shall encrypt all data in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher) and at rest (AES-256 or higher).

• The system shall maintain detailed audit logs of all data changes and user activity.

• The system shall perform automated nightly backups with off-site redundancy and a retention policy of not less than 30 days.

• Backups shall include all databases, configuration settings, and transactional data necessary to restore full system functionality.

• The vendor shall provide a documented disaster recovery and business continuity plan with a recovery time objective (RTO) ≤ 24 hours.

• The system shall integrate with the HCPS’s Student Information System (SIS) and financial ERP.

• The vendor shall maintain SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, or equivalent security certifications and provide current attestation reports annually

• HCPS reserves the right to audit the vendor’s security and compliance measures or to request a third-party verification.

• Conduct at least one annual DR test and provide written confirmation of test completion and results to HCPS upon request.

• The vendor shall notify HCPS of any planned changes to infrastructure, hosting provider, or data center location that may affect security, redundancy, or compliance.

Data Ownership, Access, and Portability

• All data, metadata, reports, configurations, and custom business logic developed for or by HCPS under this agreement shall remain the sole property of HCPS.

• The vendor shall not use, sell, or disclose HCPS data for any purpose other than fulfilling contractual obligations without written consent from HCPS.

• HCPS shall have full administrative access to its data and all associated reports at all times, including during outages, migrations, or contract transitions.

• The vendor shall provide tools or APIs that allow HCPS to export all data in a non-proprietary, structured format (e.g., CSV, XML, JSON, SQL) suitable for import into other systems.

• HCPS shall retain perpetual rights to use all exported data and any system configurations or custom logic created during the term of the contract.

• Upon contract termination or expiration, the vendor shall:

o Provide HCPS with a complete export of all data, configurations, and business logic within thirty (30) calendar days (including table layouts and schemas) o Certify in writing that all HCPS data, including backups and archives, has been securely deleted from the

Vendor’s systems following successful transfer.

Data Conversion

The vendor shall provide comprehensive data conversion services to migrate existing student nutrition program data— including student eligibility, meal counts, inventory records, menu planning, and point-of-sale history—from the current system to the proposed solution. The vendor must ensure data integrity, accuracy, and continuity, and provide a detailed conversion plan including timelines, validation procedures, and post-conversion support. The awarded vendor will be responsible for the migration of data from the current system, which may include, but is not limited to:

• Student eligibility and enrollment records

• Historical meal counts and transactions

• Menu planning and nutritional analysis

• Production Records

• Inventory Records

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Data Security and Breach Notification

The Vendor shall implement and maintain industry-standard administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect all student, teacher, and school data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

In the event of a data breach involving any personally identifiable information (PII), the Vendor shall:

• Notify HCPS Student Nutrition Services within 24 hours of discovery.

• Provide a detailed incident report within 72 hours, including:

1. Nature and scope of the breach

2. Types of data affected

3. Number of individuals impacted

4. Timeline of events

5. Mitigation steps taken

• Cooperate fully with HCPS’s investigation and any third-party forensic analysis.

• Provide affected individuals with identity protection services for a minimum of 12 months, at no cost to the

HCPS.

• Cover all costs associated with breach notification, remediation, and regulatory compliance.

• Maintain cyber-liability insurance of not less than $2 million per occurrence and provide proof of coverage.

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

1. The vendor shall guarantee system uptime of at least 99.5%, excluding scheduled maintenance agreed upon in writing at least five (5) business days in advance.

2. Provide 24/7/365 monitoring of system health, network availability, and critical services.

3. Support response times shall meet or exceed the following minimum standards:

o Critical (System down): Response within 1 hour. Resolution or workaround within 4 hours.

o High (Major functionality impacted): Response within 2 hours. Resolution within 8 hours.

o Medium (Limited functionality): Response within 4 hours. Resolution within 24 hours o Low (Minor issue): Response within 1 business day.

Failure to meet SLA standards may result in service credits or other remedies as defined in the final contract.

1.6 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Demonstration

During the evaluation process, HCPS may request all proposers meeting the minimum requirements and competitive range to present their product in a demonstration, either in person or online.

Implementation

HCPS requires that the vendor provide both the software and implementation services for this project. Implementation should follow the best practices for a K-12 school nutrition solution implementation. The vendor is expected to develop the best practice project timeline with SNS and identify project milestones. Phases are subject to change and/or being further divided at the discretion of SNS. HCPS expects vendors to follow an approach that reduces risk, ensures a high-quality implementation, moves at a rapid pace, and is strategically planned to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Proposed Implementation Timeline

Phase I – Back-Of-House

Install, set-up, configuration, and implementation of the back-of-house modules/features to include:

• Menu planning, nutritional analysis, recipes, and production records

• Centralized inventory management, ordering, and receiving

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Phase 2 – Front-Of-House

Install, set-up, configuration, and implementation of the front-of-house modules/features to include:

• Point-Of-Sale

• Free and Reduced Application Management

• Online payment processing

Phase 3 – Centralized Kitchen

Install, set-up, configuration, and implementation of the centralized kitchen modules/features to include:

• Menu plan ordering and inventory modes for finishing and ready to serve (satellite sites)

Overview of Software Requirements

Point-Of-Sale (POS)

Functional Requirements

• The system shall process student, staff, and visitor transactions with real-time balance updates.

• The system shall support offline operation with automatic synchronization once connectivity is restored.

• The system shall provide secure logins with role-based permissions for cashiers, managers, and administrators.

• The system shall allow customizable pricing structures and automatic application of eligibility-based meal rates.

• The system shall generate end-of-day, deposit, and reconciliation reports per site.

• The system shall support multiple payment types, including cash, check, prepaid accounts, and online payments.

• The system shall maintain an auditable transaction log for all activity.

Integration / Compliance

• The system shall integrate with the Free & Reduced module for automatic eligibility updates.

• The system shall comply with USDA meal counting and claiming regulations.

Free & Reduced (F & R) Applications

Functional Requirements

• The system shall support both online and paper applications for meal benefits.

• The system shall perform automated eligibility determination and income verification.

• The system shall import Direct Certification data from state or federal sources.

• The system shall automatically update student eligibility status in the POS and reporting modules.

• The system shall generate parent notification letters via mail, email, or text.

Compliance / Security

• The system shall comply with USDA 7 CFR Part 245 and maintain historical records for audit review.

• The system shall encrypt all personally identifiable information (PII) in storage and during transmission.

Menu Planning & Nutritional Analysis Functional Requirements

• The system shall allow creation and scaling of recipes using USDA-approved ingredients.

• The system shall calculate full nutrient profiles and meal-pattern compliance for each menu plan.

• The system shall support allergen tracking, dietary accommodations, and ingredient flagging.

• The system shall forecast planned meals, generate production needs, and compare nutrient totals by grade group.

Integration

• The system shall integrate with the Inventory, Production, and Procurement modules to streamline forecasting and ordering.

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Production Records

Functional Requirements

• The system shall generate daily and weekly production records directly from approved menus.

• The system shall record planned versus actual quantities prepared, served, and wasted.

• The system shall support electronic signatures for verification and accountability.

• The system shall accommodate batch production and yield adjustments for central kitchens or school sites.

Reporting

• The system shall generate USDA-required production and participation records.

Inventory Management

Functional Requirements

• The system must be capable of both periodic and perpetual inventory.

• The system shall track inventory by site, storage location, lot, and expiration date.

• The system shall support barcode scanning for receiving, transfers, and counts.

• The system shall automatically deduct inventory based on production and POS usage.

• The system shall calculate reorder points and generate replenishment or purchase requests.

Integration

• The system shall integrate with Central Kitchen, Menu Planning, and Procurement systems for real-stock control.

1.7 PRICE/RATE PROVISIONS

All prices, costs, fees, and charges offered herein shall be firm against any increase for the initial term of the Agreement, unless mutually agreed upon or as stated otherwise in this solicitation or its addenda. The Contractor is responsible for notifying Procurement Services at least 60 days before any anticipated price changes. Any request for changes requires the submittal of bona fide manufacturer's documents, including but not limited to Producer Price Index information, Consumer Price Index for the affected market, industry, commodities, and/or manufacturer’s price list. Surcharges are disallowed unless the above conditions are met. HCPS reserves the right to accept or reject, within 30 days. If HCPS denies the request for a price change, said items will cease to be ordered.

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2 PROPOSER INSTRUCTIONS

This solicitation will comply with all applicable HCPS policies and federal, state, and local laws and regulations. HCPS reserves the right to qualify proposals that HCPS deems to meet the qualifications listed in this solicitation. HCPS, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to cancel, recall, or reissue all or parts of this solicitation, to reject any proposal, to waive any formality and irregularity, or to re-advertise the identical or revised specifications. HCPS may investigate the qualifications of any proposer under consideration, require confirmation of information furnished by a Proposer, and require additional evidence of qualifications to perform the services described in this solicitation. This solicitation does not obligate HCPS to enter into a contract or reimburse any Proposer for costs incurred in preparing and submitting a proposal or anticipating a contract. Furthermore, HCPS may:

• evaluate the Proposer’s past performance with HCPS and other customers or

• reject any or all proposals; or

• issue a subsequent solicitation for the same commodities and services or

• cancel the entire solicitation; or

• remedy solicitation errors; or

• reduce the scope of services (if deemed in HCPS’ best interest and at HCPS’ sole discretion); or

• appoint an evaluation committee to review the proposals; or

• seek the assistance of technical experts to review the proposals or

• approve or disapprove the use of subcontractors and suppliers; or

• award a contract to one or more (or none) of the proposers; or

• accept other than the lowest-priced proposal; or

• waive informalities and irregularities in the Proposals; or

• award a contract without discussions or negotiations; or

• Disqualify proposals upon evidence of collusion with intent to defraud or other illegal practices by a proposer.

2.1 DEFINITIONS.

The following terms shall have the following meanings.

2.1.1 Addenda/Addendum. HCPS written or graphic instruments posted to www.myvendorlink.com before the solicitation opening date to supersede or modify this solicitation by addition, deletion, correction, or clarification.

2.1.2 Agreement. Unless a separate document is provided for signature by the Parties, the Agreement shall include this solicitation, attachments, appendices, all related addenda, and answers to questions via www.myVendorLink.com, the Proposal, all mutually agreed-upon amendments, and subsequent renewals covering the provision of commodities and services as outlined herein.

2.1.3 Commodities. Commodities shall mean any of the various supplies, materials, goods, merchandise, food, equipment, information technology, and other personal property, including a mobile home, trailer, or other portable structure that has less than 5,000 square feet of floor space, purchased, leased, or otherwise contracted for by HCPS.

2.1.4 Contractor. The Contractor shall mean any business entity awarded by the Board or approved by HCPS’ Procurement Services Department under a Proposal submitted by that organization in reply to this solicitation.

2.1.5 Default. The omission or failure to fulfill a duty, observe a promise, discharge an obligation, or perform as agreed.

2.1.6 Florida Statutes. The codified, statutory laws of the State of Florida.

2.1.7 Procurement Officer shall serve as the primary HCPS representative for this solicitation.

2.1.8 Proposer. The Proposer shall include a vendor that submits a proposal in response to this competitive solicitation.

2.1.9 Renewal. A contract renewal extends or continues an existing contractual agreement between the parties beyond the original expiration date.

2.1.10 Request for Proposals (“RFP”). A written solicitation for competitive sealed proposals. The request for proposals is used when it is not practicable for HCPS to specifically define the scope of work for which the commodity, Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 10 of 49 group of commodities, or contractual service is required and when HCPS is requesting that a responsible vendor propose a commodity, group of commodities, or contractual service to meet the specifications of the solicitation document.

2.1.11 Responsible Proposer/Bidder. A supplier with the integrity and reliability, as well as the financial and technical capacity to perform the requirements of the solicitation and subsequent contract.

2.1.12 Responsive Proposal/Bid. A bid, proposal, or offer that fully conforms in all material respects to the solicitation and its requirements, including all form and substance.

2.1.13 Services. An agreement calling for a contractor’s time and effort. The furnishing of labor, time, or effort by a contractor or supplier may involve, to a lesser degree, the delivery or supply of products.

2.1.14 Superintendent. Superintendent shall mean the District’s superintendent or designee. For this solicitation, the General Manager of Procurement Services will serve as the designee.

2.1.15 Vendor. A seller of goods or services whereby the exchange is solely transactional.

2.2 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE/SITE VISIT (“CONFERENCE”)

If applicable, see the cover sheet. HCPS may conduct a Conference (attendance may be mandatory or voluntary) or a site visit (mandatory attendance, as required by HCPS) to explain the procurement requirements. The Conference or site visit will be held long enough after the solicitation has been issued to allow Proposers to familiarize themselves with this solicitation, but sufficiently before the due date to enable the consideration of the Conference results in preparing their proposals. Nothing stated at the Conference or site visit shall amend this RFP unless and until a change is made via written addenda on VendorLink.

2.3 VENDORLINK (WWW.MYVENDORLINK.COM) REGISTRATION

HCPS will post all solicitations and supporting documents on VendorLink. It is the sole responsibility of interested parties to monitor VendorLink for solicitation opportunities and updates. Each Proposer must have a vendor application on file with VendorLink to conduct business, receive updates and addenda, and ask questions under any HCPS solicitation.

Additionally, to conduct business under this solicitation, HCPS requires that all its Contractors have a current vendor application on file with www.myVendorLink.com. HCPS may rescind an award for failure to comply with this condition.

2.3.1 Questions. A proposer with additional questions regarding this solicitation or a related document(s) may submit a written request for clarification via VendorLink no later than the “last day to request additional information or clarification.” Any interpretation to a Proposer shall be via written addenda posted on VendorLink before the proposal’s due date. Any information that amends any portion of this solicitation, received by any method other than an addendum issued in conjunction with this solicitation, is not binding on HCPS. In the event of a conflict between this RFP and any subsequent addendum, the most recent addendum issued will prevail.

2.3.2 Addenda. Those interested in responding to and receiving addenda to this solicitation or any other HCPS procurement opportunity must log on to VendorLink, select "active bids," search for this solicitation, and download the document(s). Downloading the document will enter your email address as a participant and provide notifications and updates for this solicitation. Before submitting the proposal, the Proposer must determine whether addenda have been issued via VendorLink and, if so, download and respond accordingly to such addenda.

2.4 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

The Proposer is solely responsible for the on-time delivery of the proposal via VendorLink. No mailed hard copies will be accepted. HCPS will not review proposals before the due date and time.

Lobbying/Cone of Silence. Board Policy #6320: The Cone of Silence prohibits any communication regarding an active solicitation between any HCPS employee or Board member and any third-party representative or lobbyist of that party, unless permitted in this section. Any Board member, the Superintendent, Evaluation Committee Member, or any HCPS employee is prohibited from having any communications concerning a solicitation for an active competitive procurement during the Cone of Silence period. Any party, representative, or lobbyist of that party is prohibited from having any communications concerning an active solicitation for a competitive procurement with any Board member, the Superintendent, any Evaluation Committee Member, or any other HCPS employee during the Cone of Silence period, Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 11 of 49 regarding a solicitation for a competitive procurement. Communication by any party, representative, or lobbyist of that party, regarding an active solicitation found to violate this section may result in the rejection of their proposal and may include further sanctions. Any communications, including but not limited to matters of process, procedure, or protest, must be submitted in writing and directed to the assigned procurement officer. The Cone of Silence period shall take effect and remain in effect from the time of the solicitation's release until the Board awards the contract. At the time of issuing the solicitation, the Superintendent or designee shall provide public notice of the Cone of Silence and include this notice in any advertisement or public solicitation for commodities and contractual services, stating the requirements of this section. Unless expressly provided otherwise in the applicable solicitation document, the Cone of Silence does not apply to:

• Oral communications at the pre-proposal or pre-bid conference.

• Communications during evaluation committee meetings, including presentations, demonstrations, or interviews.

• Oral communications during any duly noticed Board meeting.

2.4.1 Submittal Delays. Possible delays to the last day for questions or the submittal due date may involve the following, without limitation:

2.4.2 Questions/Due Date Extension. HCPS reserves the right to amend this solicitation’s due date via VendorLink before the posted initially due date.

2.4.3 Weather Conditions. Should weather conditions require HCPS to close its offices on the Proposal due date, it will take effect at the same hour of the following business day or as posted by HCPS via VendorLink.

2.4.4 Responsive Proposal. A responsive proposal meets this RFP's requirements, including providing all necessary documentation, supporting exhibits, submitting on time, and obtaining all required signatures. HCPS is not responsible for discrepancies or inconsistencies in the submitted proposal. HCPS may reject any proposal it deems non-responsive.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in HCPS deeming the proposal non-responsive.

2.4.5 Uploaded Proposal Format. The proposal must be submitted electronically and organized to ensure comparability and consistency in the evaluation process. Avoid elaborate promotional materials and provide only requested information. All supporting materials should reference the portion of this solicitation to which they pertain.

2.4.6 Variance from Terms. Regardless of how slight, the proposal must identify all variances from specifications, terms, and/or conditions. Otherwise, HCPS will assume that the proposed commodities and services shall fully comply with the specifications, terms, and conditions.

2.4.7 Forms. Unless otherwise specified, proposers must use the form(s) furnished by HCPS. Failure to do so may cause the rejection of the proposal.

2.4.8 Missing Attachments/Documents. The proposal must include all required attachments and requested documentation. HCPS will neither review nor acknowledge receipt of a proposal before the due date and time. HCPS cannot accept any missing documents after the due date unless HCPS deems the missing document as non-material to the proposal evaluation. All missing documents must be submitted to the Procurement Officer within 72 hours of the submitted request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays. All communications between Procurement Services and the Proposer shall be via email. HCPS shall not be responsible for emails that are directed to a Proposer’s spam folder.

2.4.9 Signatures. An officer or employee with the authority to bind the organization must sign the proposal in ink or digitally.

2.4.10 Public Inspection of Proposal. HCPS will provide a Proposer’s representative with written notice if a public records request has been made for a confidential portion of their proposal in response to this solicitation. HCPS will provide for the inspection or copying of any non-exempt portions of any proposal in its possession, as required by applicable law. If a Proposer wishes to preclude the inspection or copying of any non-exempt portions of its proposal or if a dispute exists as to whether such portions are entitled to an exemption, the Proposer must obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction prohibiting the inspection or copying of the requested materials. The failure to initiate such legal proceedings on time shall constitute a waiver by the Proposer of any applicable exemption or confidential status of the requested materials. By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the Proposer

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 12 of 49 agrees to waive any cause of action or claim for damages it may have against HCPS for its release of records in response to a public records request, except for those that are prepared and labeled as confidential or exempt as described in this section. The Proposer agrees to hold HCPS harmless from any award to a plaintiff for damages, costs, or attorney’s fees based upon HCPS’s non-disclosure of portions of the Proposer’s response that have been prepared and labeled as confidential or exempt from public inspection and further agrees to reimburse HCPS for any attorney fees and costs it may incur in the defense of such non-disclosure.

2.4.11 Trade Secret. If applicable, all “trade secret” information submitted in response to this solicitation must comply with §§ 119.07 and 812.081, Florida Statutes, and shall be submitted in a separate file, clearly labeled as such. A failure by the proposer to prepare and label the confidential or exempt portions of their proposal in the manner specified herein shall constitute a waiver by the proposer of any applicable exemptions from disclosure or any confidential status, including ones that may apply to trade secrets under Florida law. If challenged, the proposer who submits the trade secret information shall bear all costs associated with defending their position.

2.4.12 Joint Proposal. HCPS will recognize a single proposer as the primary contractor should multiple proposers submit a joint proposal in response to the competitive solicitation. If offering a joint proposal, the prime contractor must:

• Include the name and address of all parties to the joint proposal.

• Provide all necessary bonding and insurance requirements, execute the contract, complete the proposal, and assume overall accountability to resolve any disputes that may arise from the award. Only a single award with the submitting proposer shall be authorized by HCPS.

• Be responsible for the performance of services associated with the response to this RFP and overall contract administration.

• Attend any required HCPS meetings, oversee the preparation of reports and presentations, and file notices of protest and final protests as described in this document.

• Prepare and present consolidated invoice(s) for services performed. HCPS shall issue only one check for each consolidated invoice for services performed to the prime contractor.

2.5 EVALUATION PROCESS

Procurement Services shall forward only those on-time proposals to the assigned HCPS Evaluation Committee (the “Committee”) for further evaluation. HCPS will not evaluate non-responsive, non-responsible proposals. The Committee may consist of HCPS personnel and additional stakeholders who will review, discuss, and rank the proposals.

Procurement Services personnel will participate as facilitators. The Committee may deem additional Proposers as non-responsive or non-responsible and will not pursue further evaluation. Please note that HCPS reserves the right to:

• prefer to contract with the Proposer(s) that fully comply with the provided terms and conditions stipulated in this RFP. However, a proposal with alternatives may be considered after the allowance for any deviations. HCPS cautions proposers to indicate all restrictive deviations from the desired terms and conditions and

• select the proposal(s) deemed to be in its best interest and shall be the sole judge and final arbiter of its own best interest, the evaluation of submissions, and the resulting negotiated agreement; and

• deem that if receiving adequate proposals, HCPS may choose to evaluate only those proposals as submitted and require no additional clarifications and/or information. The proposer should provide complete and thorough proposals, including the proposer’s most favorable terms.

• cancel this solicitation or reject proposals at any time before an award and without further discussion; and

• Perform a side-by-side comparison of like proposals. Procurement Services shall perform the preliminary phase upon initial proposal screening, and this phase shall pass or fail, as determined by Procurement Services, as to whether:

o all required forms are signed, submitted, or obtainable; and o the Proposer meets the minimum requirements; and

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 13 of 49 o whether the information provided is in the required sequence to simplify the comparison of proposals.

2.5.1 Evaluation Phase 1. The Committee will rank proposals based on the stated, summarized Weighted Criteria.

The award method will be based on a qualitative appraisal rating and ranking of responsiveness to this solicitation’s criteria, based on available point totals for each evaluation criterion, rather than a percentage factor. The Committee will evaluate proposals based on the criteria listed below. The requirements are itemized with their respective weights for a maximum of 100 points. A Proposer may receive the maximum points or a portion of this score, depending on the merit of its proposal, as determined by the Committee.

EVALUATION PHASE I: DESCRIPTION WEIGHT

Level of Experience: 10

• Describe in detail the number of years of experience your company has in providing software solutions for K- 12 food service programs and the current number of K-12 clients served.

• Proven track record of successful deployment in similar K-12 environments.

Accounting: 10

• Ability to perform cash counts

• Ability to set up an unlimited chart of accounts – revenue, reimbursement, expenses, and create a report based on sub accounts

• System must be capable of doing daily bank deposit reports by site – cash (including change) and checks

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for the accounting module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A” Back of the House: 10

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved meal pattern and nutrient analysis certification

• Ability for the site manager to make substitutions or add items to daily production

• Ability to have management approve completed monthly site inventories

• Ability to consolidate site orders at sites by individual vendor and for specific dates

• Ability to edit consolidated order files - Add, remove, or substitute items before the order file is exported and sent to the vendor

• Ability to make changes to daily menu cycle without affecting the base menu cycle

• Ability to set up base menu cycles for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack by age and group

• Ability to make changes to daily menu cycle without affecting the base menu cycle

• Allow multiple portion/serving sizes for different age groups within a single recipe

• Menu – Serving line setup for adult, elementary, dinner, high school, secondary, snack, etc.

• One inventory for back of house and front of house for menu buttons

• Recipe management and organization of a complete recipe database to include all information needed to create a recipe (meal pattern contribution, nutritional analysis, allergen information, ingredients, yield and instructions)

• System must be capable of conducting both periodic and perpetual inventory

• Tracks an unlimited number of user-defined categories (i.e., Adult, cooler, discontinued, dry storage, equipment, finished goods, freezer, USDA, etc.)

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for the Back of House module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A” Central Kitchen 10

• After site orders are created by Ready to Serve and Finishing Kitchen, the system will auto-populate production records for Central Kitchen

• Ability to set up delivery routes from Central Kitchen to remote sites

• Ready to serve and finish kitchen orders from Central Kitchen as a vendor

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• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for Central Kitchen module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A”

Eligiblity 10

• Complies with all Federal and State requirements for eligibility, processing, grade period, case management, etc.

• Ability to import Direct Certification lists from the State, including those Direct Certified via Medicaid Free and

Reduced

• Ability to send notification letters via email and send letters in multiple languages

• Date and time certain (static) reporting for eligibility and verification data

• Foster child, migrant, runaway, homeless, institutionalized child (group home), Medicaid-free, Medicaid-received, SNAP, TANF cases are supported

• History and complete audit trail of every change to an application stored in the system

• Integrated online applications in multiple languages

• Real-time eligibility updates between processing an application and benefits at the point of sale

• Supports the 10-day grace period for reduction in benefits

• Transmits student eligibility to the Student Information System (SIS) and automatically activates and withdraws students accordingly

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for the Eligibility module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A” Front of House 10

• Ability for the manager to modify a closed till, change daily menu buttons and modify scheduled point of sale menus at the site

• Continue processing sales with no disruption if internet connectivity is lost

• Customizable alerts for customers – Allergies, food restrictions, etc.

• Software solution must be approved by USDA for use in certification of compliance with the National School

Lunch Program meal pattern requirements

• Software program must be able to print Production Records that match the Florida prototype

• System shall integrate with the eligibility module for automatic eligibility updates

• System shall comply with USDA meal counting and claiming regulations

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for Front of House module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A” Meal Payment Manager 10

• Web-based method for adding money to student accounts, receive low balance alerts view and monitor student purchases

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions for Meal Payment Manager module are not currently or partially met on “Attachment A”

System 10

• Ability to filter information for all applications by column headers

• Ability to set up vendor customer numbers and delivery schedules for school sites

• Access to all tables – Live data/database view

• Allow live access to mirrored or in-production databases

• Communication regardless of network type – Wireless, wired, on district resources or off district resources

• Front of House must communicate with back of house

• GL export with COA codes

• ODBS – Unrestricted access to SQL tables

• Offline/online services in the event of a network outage

• Password to block unauthorized personnel from voiding a sale

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• Supports unlimited point of sale terminals, per site, and multiple machines – i.e. E01/W01/W02/W03

• Student balance shows on the main screen

• System is fully plug-and-play compatible with existing hardware (pin pads, scanners, touchscreens)

• Unlimited custom reporting capabilities for all modules

• Evaluation will take into consideration how many functions the System module is not currently or partially met on “Attachment A” Cost/Value 20

• Total cost of ownership, including licensing, implementation, training, and ongoing support

• Evaluation will consider long-term costs, including upgrades, support, and scalability

2.5.2 Evaluation Phase 2 (Optional). A short list of proposers may be invited to provide Phase 2 presentations or respond to additional questions (via written, virtual, online, or phone means). For presentations, Proposers are encouraged to offer a multimedia presentation that includes, but is not limited to, additional discounts, answers to provided questions, a question-and-answer session, and a summary of their capabilities and industry advantages within the allotted HCPS time. All invited Proposers shall be allotted the same amount of presentation time. Upon completing this phase, the Committee will reevaluate, re-rate, and re-rank the remaining proposals based on the written documents, the oral presentation, answers to questions, and the best and final offer.

2.5.3 Negotiations. Procurement Services may negotiate the proposed terms, conditions, and rates with the highest-ranked Proposer(s) before submittal to the Board. HCPS may seek to reach acceptable terms with any Proposer or terminate discussions as it deems to be in its best interest. HCPS may continue the process until an agreement is reached or the process is terminated. For Single Negotiations, HCPS negotiates with the top-ranked Proposer. For concurrent negotiations, HCPS negotiates simultaneously with two or more top-ranked proposers after Phase 1.

Negotiations continue simultaneously until a ‘best and final offer’ is reached, resulting in a satisfactory agreement.

2.5.4 Tie Proposals. Tie Proposals that are identical in the Evaluation Committee scoring and meet all the requirements and criteria outlined in the competitive solicitation. If this should occur with the highest-ranked Proposals, priority for the award shall be given to vendors in the following sequence:

• A business that certifies that it has implemented a drug-free workplace.

• Office of Supplier Development certified small business vendor.

• Small/business certified by a governmental entity in Hillsborough County.

• Small/business certified by a governmental entity in the Tampa Bay area.

• Florida-certified small/business.

• Business located in Hillsborough County.

• Businesses receive a more significant dollar award for other items within the bid.

• Business located in Florida.

• A flip of a coin.

2.6 AWARD

2.6.1 Award by Group, Category, Area, or Item. As deemed to be in its best interest, HCPS reserves the right to make award(s) by individual item, group of items, all or none, or a combination thereof on a geographical basis and an HCPS-wide basis with one or more Proposals; to reject any or all offers or waive any irregularity or technicality in Proposals received. The Proposer is cautioned to make no assumptions unless their Proposal has been evaluated as responsive.

Any or all awards from this competitive solicitation shall conform to applicable HCPS, State of Florida, and Federal rules, regulations, and laws.

2.6.2 No Award. HCPS shall have the authority to reject any proposals submitted in response to this competitive solicitation and request new proposals or purchase the required commodities and services in any other manner authorized under Rule 6A-1.012, F.A.C.

2.6.3 Rejection of All Proposals. According to §§ 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution, HCPS may reject Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall remain exempt from § 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution, until HCPS provides notice of an intended

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 16 of 49 decision concerning the reissued solicitation or until HCPS withdraws the reissued solicitation, not to exceed twelve

(12) months from the date of the Notice of Rejection.

2.6.4 Contract. HCPS deems the provisions of the awarded proposal acceptable, and a best and final offer shall be incorporated into the award, making it legally binding.

2.6.5 Additional Awardees. HCPS reserves the right to award additional vendors throughout the Agreement term to meet HCPS' needs promptly.

2.6.6 Notice of Intent to Award/Rejection.