27NUTRL4 - Q and A.docx

This is a Questions and Answers document issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Office for Nutrition in response to inquiries submitted regarding a warehouse distribution services contract for state-procured food products. The contract, identified as 27NUTRL4 (COMMBUYS Document #: BD-27-1026-DOE02-DOE01-130526), covers distribution services across four Massachusetts regions serving approximately 386 recipient agencies. The scope encompasses purchasing, receiving, storing, and delivering approximately 18,000 cases annually of USDA Processed Foods and other procured products. The questions and answers period closed on June 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, with proposals due June 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. The contract term runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Currently, the contract involves only four dry storage products (SKUs), though the full scope includes requirements for separate frozen, chilled, and dry storage capabilities at a single facility location.

Key contractual clarifications provided address operational requirements and cost allocation. The Q&A document clarifies that pickup fees incurred when products are delivered directly by manufacturers to the contractor shall be borne by the manufacturer, not the contractor. Bidders must maintain perpetual inventory with monthly reporting in FNS-155 format and provide biweekly delivery service (weekly preferred) on minimum case drops. Pricing is structured on a flat-rate per-case basis with tiered warehousing periods (days 1-30, 31-60, 61-90), separate 30-day storage fees, and tiered delivery fees based on case volume. The estimated contract value is $1.1 million based on 2026 data. Bidders must commit to a minimum 1% of contract sales with Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) certified enterprises, with at least 25% of evaluation points allocated to SDP submissions. Massachusetts small businesses meeting Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) criteria receive award preference where applicable.