77-20250410091304 DCS.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CHILD NUTRITION SUBSTITUTE STAFFING SERVICES

#352-CAFE-DCS25

5 East South Street

Hernando, Mississippi 38632

PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE:

Public Notice to Newspaper April 7, 2025 Newspaper Run Dates April 10 & April 17, 2025 Release of RFP April 10, 2025 Deadline for Written Questions/Clarifications On/Before Thursday, April 24, 2025, 12:00 pm, CST Addendum (if applicable) to be Issued to Vendors On/Before Tuesday, April 29, 2025

RFP Submission Deadline On/Before Monday, May 12, 2025, 12:00 pm, CST

Approval by Board-tentative Thursday June 6, 2025

1 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Purpose Page 2 II. Background Page 2 III. General Terms and Conditions

A. General Page 2 B. Clarifications Page 3 C. Pricing Page 3 D. RFP Preparation and Submission Page 4-5 E. Conflicts of Interest Page 5 F. Modifications or Withdrawals of Proposals Page 5 G. Evaluation of Proposal Page 5-6 H. Selection Process Page 6 I. Award of Contract Page 6-8 J. Termination or Cancellation Page 8

IV. Scope of Services A. Contract Period Page 9 B. Objectives Page 9 C. Scope Page 9-11 D. Conduct Page 12 E. Confidentiality Page 12 F. Substitute Cafeteria Worker Job Description Page 12-13

V. Vendor Qualifications Page 14-18 VI. References Page 18 VII. Proposal Form Page 19 VII. Exhibits Page 20

VIII. Documentation Checklist Page 21

2 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals for experienced and qualified firm(s) to provide temporary cafeteria worker staffing services for ALL CAFETERIAS in the DeSoto County School District, Office of Child Nutrition. The District’s use of temporary cafeteria worker staffing is strictly on an as needed basis.

Staffing assignments may vary from one (1) day or one (1) week, while other assignments may last a few months or long-term (long-term positions only on approval basis). The school district does not guarantee any minimum amount of services.

II. BACKGROUND

The DeSoto County School District has forty-one (41) cafeteria locations across DeSoto County. These locations are as follows:

CHICKASW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GREENBROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

CENTER HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOUTHAVEN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

HERNANDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SOUTHAVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL

HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL DESOTO CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HERNANDO HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DESOTO CENTRAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

OAKGROVE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DESOTO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL DESOTO CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL

HERNANDO INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL PLEASANT HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HORN LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEWISBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HORN LAKE HIGH SCHOOL LEWISBURG PRIMARY SCHOOL

HORN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEWISBURG HIGH SCHOOL

WALLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEWISBURG MIDDLE SCHOOL

HORN LAKE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LEWISBURG INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

OLIVE BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OVERPARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

OLIVE BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL CENTER HILL HIGH SCHOOL

OLIVE BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL CENTER HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL

SHADOW OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAKE CORMORANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

OLIVE BRANCH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LAKE CORMORANT HGIH SCHOOL

SOUTHAVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAKE CORMORANT MIDDLE SCHOOL

SOUTHAVEN HIGH SCHOOL DCAC

HOPE SULLIVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

III. The DeSoto County School District is a public school district located in DeSoto County, Mississippi. The District serves approximately 35,000 students. The District is the state’s largest school district and has forty-three (43) schools, including one (1) Alternative School, two (2) Career Tech Schools, two (2) Primary Schools, seventeen

(17) Elementary Schools, five (5) Intermediate Schools, eight (8) Middle Schools, eight (8) High Schools.

IV. GENERAL TERMS and CONDITIONS

A. General

3 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

Vendors shall make all investigations necessary to thoroughly inform themselves regarding the delivery of services as required by the solicitation. No plea of ignorance by the vendor of conditions that exist or that may hereafter exist as a result of failure to fulfill the requirements of the contract documents will be accepted as the basis for varying from the requirements of the District or the compensation to the Vendor.

1. The terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal, the resulting contract(s) or activities based upon this Request for Proposal shall be construed in accordance with the laws of DeSoto County, Mississippi.

2. Vendors are required to state exactly what they intend to furnish to the District via this solicitation and must indicate any variances to the terms, conditions or required services, of this RFP, no matter how slight.

3. Vendors are advised that the District endorses the participation and utilization of local vendors in its purchasing efforts. Accordingly, proposals of equal price and quality will be awarded to Vendors residing within the geographic area when available. This policy does not prohibit Vendors who reside outside the area from participating in the purchasing process as long as these Vendors can offer services at competitive pricing.

B. Clarifications

1. Where there appears to be variances or conflicts between the General Terms and Conditions and the Scope of Services outlined in this RFP solicitation, the Scope of Services shall prevail.

2. If any Vendor contemplating submitting a Proposal under this solicitation is in doubt as to the true meaning of the requirements, the Vendor must submit a written request for clarification to the District’s Purchasing Manager by the date and time designated in the Procurement Schedule via email at dcs.purchasing@dcsms.org. ONLY written questions and inquires will be accepted from vendors. The School District is the sole point of contact for this solicitation unless otherwise instructed herein.

Unauthorized contact with other DeSoto County School District staff regarding the RFP may result in the disqualification of the vendor. Inquires pertaining to the RFP must have the RFP number, time and date of opening, and the title of the RFP. Material questions will be answered in writing with an Addendum provided. It is the responsibility of all bidders to ensure that they have received all Addendums and to include signed copies with their proposal. Addendums can be downloaded from www.centralbidding.com.

3. The Purchasing Manager for the District will collaborate with the authorized agent of the District to respond to all inquiries and will render an official interpretation of the question in writing. A copy of the clarification will be given to all vendors that are known to have requested the RFP documents. The District shall not be responsible for verbal interpretations offered by employees of the District.

4. The District shall issue a written addendum if substantial changes, which impact the technical submission of proposals, are required. A copy of the addenda will be given to all vendors that are known to have requested RFP documents. In the event of a conflict with the original contract documents and the addenda, the addenda shall govern all other contract documents to the extent specified. Subsequent addenda shall govern over prior addenda only to the extent specified.

C. Pricing

1. If the Vendor is awarded a contract under this solicitation, the prices proposed by the Vendor shall remain fixed and firm during the term of the solicitation review and any subsequent contract; provided, however, that the Vendor may offer discounts from this fixed price to the District at any time during the contractual term.

2. Vendors will neither include Federal, State, nor applicable local excise or sales taxes in the RFP prices, as the District is exempt from payment of such taxes. Exemption documentation will be provided where applicable upon request.

mailto:dcs.purchasing@dcsms.org http://www.centralbidding.com/

4 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

3. The Vendor, by affixing its signature to this Proposal, certifies that its Proposal is made without previous understanding, agreement, or connection either with any persons, forms, or corporations offering a proposal for the same services, or with the District. The Vendor also certifies their Proposal is in all respects fair, without inside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.

D. RFP Preparation and Submission

1. This document is a Request for Proposal (RFP). It differs from a Request for Quote or Bid in that the District is seeking a solution as described herein, not a bid meeting firm specifications for the lowest price.

Competitive Sealed Proposals will be evaluated based upon criteria formulated around the most important features of the service, of which quality, references, and availability or capability, may be overriding factors, and price may not be determinative in the issuance of a contract or award. The Proposal evaluation criteria should be viewed as standards, which measure how well a Vendor’s approach meets the desired requirements and needs of the District.

2. Proposals will be received by the DeSoto County School Board of Education, 5 East South Street, Hernando, MS 38632 or electronically at www.centralbidding.com, at the date and time specified in the Procurement Schedule. All proposals must be received at the Board of Education or electronically at www.centralbidding.com on or before the date and time specified in the Procurement Schedule. Neither dating of the proposal , nor placing it in the mail by this date and time will meet legal requirements. The DeSoto County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals received and to waive any and all informalities.

3. If Vendor is hand delivering or mailing Proposals, it must be submitted in a sealed 8”x10” or larger envelope. Please label the outside envelope or shipping box as follows or the proposal may be rejected:

Attn: Jenifer Hale Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

RFP #352-CAFE-DCS25

May 12, 2025 Name of Company submitting proposal

If Vendor will be submitting proposal electronically, please submit to www.centralbidding.com. For any questions relating to the electronic proposal submission process, please contact Central Bidding at 225- 810-4814.

4. Any proposal received after the opening date or time shall be refused and marked “Late Proposal” and returned to the vendor unopened. For this purpose, the official time for the proposal opening shall be based upon the time as indicated by the Purchasing Department. It is solely the responsibility of the Vendor to ensure Proposals are received prior to the opening date and time.

5. The Proposal must be typed or legibly printed in ink, on the Proposal Form supplied; use of pencil or erasable ink is not permitted.

6. If the District’s Superintendents Office is closed for any reason, including but not limited to inclement weather, an emergency situation or any other act of nature, for which closure prevents the opening of RFPs at the originally advertised date and time, all RFPs received shall be publicly opened and read aloud on the next business day that the District’s Superintendents Office shall be open for business at the previously advertised time. The new date and time of opening, as determined in accordance with this paragraph, shall not be advertised.

7. Proposals must contain the signature of an authorized agent of the Vendor. If the Vendor’s authorized agent fails to sign the proposal, it shall be considered a non-responsive offer and shall not be considered.

8. Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the District may properly evaluate the Vendor’s capabilities to provide the required products and services.

9. Unit prices shall be provided by the Vendor on their proposal. Where there is a discrepancy between the unit price and the extension of prices, the unit price shall prevail.

http://www.centralbidding.com/

5 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

10. The Vendor must include all information and supplemental documentation required in conjunction with this proposal. If the Vendor fails to supply any required information or documents, its proposal shall be considered non-responsive and shall not be considered.

11. Information packages should not contain promotional or display materials unless specifically required in the Scope of Services section. Informational packages must address the requirements as explained to aid evaluation. All questions posed by the RFP must be answered clearly and concisely.

12. This solicitation does not commit the District to pay any cost incurred by the Vendor or any other party in preparation and/or submission of proposals or in making necessary studies or designs for the preparation thereof, nor is the District obligated to procure or contract for such product or services.

13. The District reserves the right to wave any and all informalities in information packages if such waiver does not substantially change the offer or provide a competitive advantage to any Vendor.

E. Conflicts of Interest

1. It shall be understood and agreed that Proposals submitted are offered independently of any other proposals.

2. In the event that an independent contractor or firm in conjunction with the District developed this RFP, neither the vendor, nor its principals or subsidiaries, shall be allowed to submit a proposal for this solicitation.

3. In the event that this proposal request requires consulting services which may ultimately lead to the purchase of other products or services in the future, neither the selected consultant, nor its principals or subsidiaries, will be allowed to participate in the acquisition of these specific goods and services in the future.

F. Modifications or Withdrawals of Proposal

1. Proposals may only be modified in the form of a written notice on company letterhead and must be received prior to the time and date set for the proposal opening. Each modification submitted to the District’s Purchasing Department must have the Vendor’s name and return address and the applicable proposal number and title of the proposal clearly marked on the face of the envelope. If more than one modification is submitted, the modification bearing the latest date of receipt by the District’s Purchasing Department will be considered the valid modification. All requests for proposal modifications must be signed by a duly authorized agent of the submitting company. Telephone or email modifications or withdrawals will not be accepted. No changes shall be allowed after the Proposal are publicly opened. The DeSoto County School District shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions.

2. Proposals may be withdrawn prior to the time and date set for the RFP opening. Such requests must be made in writing on company letterhead and signed by a duly authorized agent of the submitting company.

If a Vendor modifies or withdraws a Proposal, all documents shall remain the property of the District.

G. Evaluation of Proposal

1. The District reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals or parts thereof, to waive informalities or irregularities in the information packages, and to enter into such contract or contracts as shall be deemed in the best interests of the District.

2. The District reserves the right to reject proposals or parts thereof for the following reasons:

a. The Vendor misstates or conceals any material fact in their proposal

b. The Vendor’s proposal does not strictly conform to the law or requirement of the RFP

c. The proposal does not include documents including, but not limited to, certificates, licenses, information or specification sheets, bonds, and/or samples, which are required for submission with the proposal in conjunction with the General Terms and Conditions or Scope of Services

6 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

d. The proposal has not been properly executed by signature of an authorized representative of the Vendor

3. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract be awarded to, any person or firm which is in arrears to the District upon any debt or contract or which is a defaulter as surety or otherwise upon any obligation to the District

4. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm, which has failed to perform faithfully any previous contract with the District, local, state, or federal governmental agency for a minimum period of one (1) year after the previous contract, was terminated for cause

5. A proposal may be rejected if the Vendor is currently under suspension or debarment by any local, state, or federal government, and if the Vendor cannot so certify, then it shall submit along with the proposal a written explanation of why it cannot make such a certification

6. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm, which has pending litigation against the District on the date and time that the proposals open

7. The award will be made to the Vendor that best meets the needs of the District based upon the evaluation criteria. Proposal award will not be made on the basis of price alone; additional criteria such as Vendor experience, references, and staffing credentials will also be considered. The District shall be the sole judge of these factors.

8. The District reserves the right to:

a. Reject any and all proposals submitted by prospective Vendors

b. Re-advertise this solicitation

c. Postpone or cancel the RFP process for this solicitation

d. Determine the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded

H. Selection Process

1. The following criteria may be used to assist in selecting the successful vendor:

a. Completeness: Each response will be reviewed prior to the selection process for completeness and adherence to format

b. Evaluation Process: The District will rely on its staff to formally evaluate each complete proposal.

The evaluation process will objectively grade the proposal on their merit and responsiveness according to the evaluation matrix found in Exhibit A. The District reserves the right however, to modify or not utilize this matrix if it is not deemed in the District’s best interest

2. Preliminary evaluations will be performed by District personnel to determine if all of the mandatory requirements have been addressed. Vendors must be able to demonstrate their ability to perform the required services by answering all the questions and as well as by completing the Vendor Qualification Statement (Section V). Failure to satisfactorily comply with these requirements may result in the proposal being rejected.

I. Award of Contract

1. It is the intent of the DeSoto County School District (DCSD) to enter into a contract/agreement for services based on the outcome of this RFP. The contract/agreement shall be for a period of one (1) year with the option to renew for two (2) additional one (1) year terms with the same terms and conditions as the original contract/agreement, with the exception of the price/rates, contingent upon the mutual agreement of the Vendor and DCSD. Please see the attached example contract for reference. Temporary cafeteria workers shall be available to begin work following the district’s school calendar. Initial prices or rates and subsequent renewal prices or rates are guaranteed for a minimum of twelve (12) months. Any increase in prices or rates after the initial term or any renewal term shall be limited to the prior year’s increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W). All price increases must be approved by the DeSoto County School District prior to renewal.

7 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

2. The District intends to award a contract that will begin by 7/01/2025. The District retains its sole right to select a successful Vendor it deems is in its own best interest.

3. All RFPs and related documents submitted to the District by Vendors are governed under the laws of the State of Mississippi.

4. The General Terms and Conditions, the Scope of Services, the Vendor’s proposal, written letters, addenda, and the Purchase Order are collectively an integral part of the contract between the District and the successful Vendor. The successful Vendor will be asked to enter into a contract with the District after the Board of Director’s approval which would conclude this process.

5. The District shall select the Vendor which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, (not necessarily the lowest cost provider) and shall award the contract to that Vendor, which is deemed in the best interest of the District.

6. Indemnification: The successful Vendor shall assume the entire responsibility and liability to indemnify the DeSoto County School District, its elected and appointed officials, employees, volunteers, and others working on behalf of the District. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the successful Vendor agrees to defend, pay on behalf of, indemnify, and hold harmless the District against any and all claims, demands, suits, damages or losses, together with any and all outlay and expense connected therewith, including but not limited to attorney’s fees and court costs, that may be asserted or claimed against, recovered from or suffered by the District by reason of injury or loss, including but not limited to, personal injury, including bodily injury or death, property damage, including loss of use thereof, and economic damages arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the successful Vendor pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement. The successful Vendor obligation to indemnify the District contained in this Agreement is not limited by the amount or type of damages, compensation or benefits payable under any worker’s compensation acts, disability benefit acts, or other employee benefit acts.

The District shall not be liable or in any way responsible for any injury, damage, liability, claim, loss, or expense incurred by the successful Vendor, its officers, employees, subcontractors, and other affiliated with the successful Vendor, arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the Vendor pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, except for and only to the extent caused by the negligence of the District. The successful Vendor expressly assumes full responsibility for any and all damages to the District Property arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the successful Vendor pursuant to the provisions of this proposal including, but not limited to, the activities of the Vendor, its officers, employees, subcontractors, and others affiliated with the Vendor. The successful Vendor shall ensure that its activities on the District Premises will be performed and supervised by adequately trained and qualified personnel and the Vendor will observe, and cause its officers, employees, subcontractors, and other affiliated with the Vendor to observe all applicable safety rules.

7. Award Requirements

a. Successful Vendor shall be familiar and comply with all local, state, and federal directives, ordinances, rules, orders, and laws as applicable to, and affected by, this contract including but not limited to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Occupational Safety, Health Act (OSHA), EPA, and Title I, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). No Vendor shall be excluded from consideration for award in conjunction with this solicitation on the basis of race, color, creed, national origination, handicap, or sex or be subjected to discrimination under any contractual award administered by the District.

b. The Vendor shall not assign, transfer, convey, sublet, or otherwise dispose of this contract, including any or all of its right, title or interest therein, or its power to execute such contract to any person, company, or corporation without prior written consent of the District.

c. All employees of the Vendor shall be considered to be, at all times, employees of the Vendor under its sole direction and not an employee or agent of the District. The successful Vendor shall supply competent and physically capable employees in a number that is consistent with the service

8 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services requirements. Where required, employees shall be licensed and accredited. The District may require the successful Vendor to remove an employee it deems careless, incompetent, insubordinate or otherwise objectionable and whose continued employment on District property is not in the best interest of the District.

d. In accordance with the District’s policy regarding the use of tobacco and alcohol products and/or illegal substances, no employee of the successful Vendor shall be permitted to use these substances when performing on District property.

e. The successful Vendor shall certify that all employees employed in support of this contract who have direct contact with students, which is defined to mean being in the presence of student during regular school hours or during school-sponsored activities, have not been convicted of (i) a felony; (ii) any offense involving the sexual molestation, physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child;

or (iii) a crime of moral turpitude.

f. The Vendor will be responsible for the cost of all the equipment, accessories, labor, materials in order to work as detailed in the Scope of Services.

8. Payment

a. To be eligible for payment, all labor covered under successful Vendor’s invoice must be completed and accepted by the District. The awarded Vendor shall provide accurate, legible, and timely documentation, such as invoices, credits, and statements as requested by the District. The successful Vendor shall invoice the District weekly for the services rendered at the agreed upon rates. The District will remit payment to successful Vendor bi-monthly. The awarded Vendor agrees to receiving payment within forty-five (45) days from date of receipt of a properly submitted invoice, or within forty-five (45) days after inspection and approval of the goods and/or services by DeSoto County Schools, whichever is later. In the event of a bona fide dispute, the awarded Vendor agrees that DeSoto County Schools shall pay only the amount not in dispute, as per Miss.

Code Ann. 31-7-305.

b. In no event shall any interest penalty or late fee accrue when payment is delayed because of disagreement between the District and successful Vendor regarding quantity, quality, time of delivery, or other noncompliance with the contract requirements for any product or service or the accuracy or correctness of any invoice.

J. Termination or Cancellation

1. In order to protect the vested interests of the District, and to ensure the efficient utilization of funds, the successful Vendor shall comply with all obligations contained in the General Terms and Conditions and the Scope of Services. With respect to these obligations, the District will report any non-compliance issues to the successful Vendor for corrective action. Continued non-compliance by the successful Vendor shall be the District’s justification for placing the Vendor’s contract on probation status or termination.

2. If the District, in whole or in part, is not satisfied with the performance of services supplied and agreed to with this RFP, it may terminate the contract/agreement after giving specific reason(s) by written notice to successful Vendor and offering opportunity for successful Vendor to correct specific reason(s) for dissatisfaction within a thirty (30) day period, date to be specified by the District.

3. In the event that the successful Vendor defaults on its contract or the contract is terminated for cause due to performance, the District reserves the right to enter into contract for the services with the next lowest and best Vendor associated with this RFP for the remaining term of the terminated/defaulted contract.

4. The contract/agreement entered into on behalf of this RFP shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Mississippi. The venue for resolution of any dispute shall be DeSoto County, Mississippi. The successful Vendor expressly agrees that under no circumstances shall the

9 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

District be obligated to pay attorney fees, or the cost associated with any legal action initiated by the successful Vendor.

5. The District reserves the right to retract any part of these services without any obligation or penalty based upon availability of funds.

V. SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Contract Period

The contract period will begin 7/01/25 for a period of one (1) year. The District and successful Vendor may agree to up to two (2) additional one-year terms; however, either party has the right to cancel services upon not less than ninety (90) days of a written notice to the other party. Both the District and the successful Vendor must agree to an extension 90 days prior to the expiration of contract. The successful Vendor will provide the District with a detailed pricing chart for all services.

B. Objectives

It is the District’s intent that this Request for Proposals permits competition. It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to advise the Purchasing Agent in writing if any language, requirement, specification, etc., or any combination thereof, inadvertently restricts or limits the requirements stated in this RFP to a single source. Email: Jenifer Hale, Purchasing & Travel Manager at jenifer.hale@dcsms.org or by mail to: Jenifer Hale, 5 E. South Street, Hernando, MS 38632.

The District’s main objective is to identify a proven successful Vendor to offer the customized services listed below for the DeSoto County School District. The District desires to appoint a successful Vendor that will be responsible for providing qualified Child Nutrition substitutes on a long-term and/or short-term basis and to fill positions on an as-needed basis at it requests.

C. Scope

The scope of services does not include outsourcing of any staff members. The District wants to ensure that competent substitute employees are available to staff the schools when permanent employees are not available to perform their duties and responsibilities. The District reserves the right to limit services to a specific school facility.

The District shall be responsible for:

• Providing all necessary supplies, equipment and safe workspace for substitute support staff

• Reserving the right to accept or reject any individual provided by the Staffing Agency at any given time. Personnel shall be immediately removed and prompt arrangements made for a suitable replacement.

• Providing adequate internal controls, supervision, and instruction for assigned substitutes

• Maintaining a mutually satisfactory communication link with the successful Vendor

• Promptly providing payment to the successful Vendor for services rendered in accordance with the terms of the mutually agreed upon contractual document mailto:jenifer.hale@dcsms.org

10 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

The successful Vendor shall be responsible for, but not limited to:

• Providing sufficient, competent, and reliable personnel to provide adequate and satisfactory services under the contract

• Ensuring that every participating employee completes a current State and Federal Background and Child Abuse Registry check through DeSoto County Schools at the employees’ expense to be paid at the time of process: Statutory Authority: Miss Code Ann. 37-9-17 (Background checks are required to ensure that the support staff substitutes do not appear on any Sex Offender Registry or have any other recorded violation that would disqualify them from public employment prior to accepting the assignment) Misdemeanor(s) and /or felony charges will be considered a failure of background checks. Vendor(s) or staffer shall be responsible for the processing fee of $32 (cash only). The fee is subject to change according to the District’s processing fee charges.

• Recruiting, pre-employment screening, hiring, qualifying, certifying, disciplining, and terminating, if necessary, all participating employees

• Monitoring daily needs of the District’s substitute requests and placing assigned employees in a timely manner according to the school district requirements

• Maintaining a mutually acceptable substitute fill rate for cafeteria absences to be determined annually and to go into effect upon contract renewal date

• Providing an automated reporting/billing system, daily staff coverage, as well as a key contact person(s) and back-up contact person

• Providing an Annual Business Report of all analytical statistics for the previous fiscal scholastic year

• Conducting face-to-face interviews for all qualified applicants and requiring references and resumes in person by the Vendor(s) to ensure employment candidates can effectively communicate verbally (in English) and in writing if needed. Candidates must have the required knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the specific job classification

• Paying assigned employees their wages and providing them with the benefits that successful Vendor offers to them as their employee

• Complying with laws, rules, and or regulations applicable to providers of Substitute Staffing Services

• Requiring in writing that the assigned employee acknowledge that they have no right to participate in the District’s employee benefit plans and that the District has no duties or responsibilities to the assigned employee under the Affordable Care Act

• Requiring assigned employees to comply with all Board Policies provided by DeSoto County Schools

• Requiring that any arrest/arraignment of an individual assigned to work within the District be reported to the successful Vendor within two (2) business days of the action and ensuring that the District is notified immediately thereafter

• Operating a viable payroll system which meets all current federal, state, and local requirements

• Providing legally required employment law disclosures to assigned employees

• Screening potential candidates for retired employees that have retired from the State of

Mississippi and advise the District thereof

• Assuming responsibility, to the extent allowed by law, for the use of owned and controlled machinery and equipment and any vehicle owned or operated by the assigned employee in connection with their assignment (with the exception of Workers Compensation Claims) including but not limited to arrest and towing charges

11 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

• Paying or withholding payroll taxes (e.g., FICA) and insurance premiums (e.g., Medicare) and fulfilling its obligations for unemployment compensation (e.g., FUTA, SUTA)

• Providing workers’ compensation benefits and coverage for assigned employees

• Maintaining assigned employees’ personnel and payroll records related to their employment by successful Vendor

• Advertising in local newspaper and online in an effort to recruit replacement personnel, when needed, at no cost to the District

• The Vendor(s) shall supply all personnel with timecards. Each Temporary staff is responsible for turning in their completed timecards to the Vendor(s). Hours worked will be signed on a daily or weekly basis by a School Cafeteria Team Leader. The School District will pay only for approved and actual hours worked at the designated location. No other expenses or allowances will be paid by the School District.

• Providing the District with a monthly invoice in such detail as required by the District

• Providing the District, if awarded a contract, a Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the

DeSoto County Schools as additional insured. The issuing insurer must provide 30 days written notice to the District of the expiration of the insurance. The specific minimum requirements are:

Workers Compensation Insurance: Statutory Workers Compensation statutory coverage as required by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the services are performed and includes alternate employer endorsement.

Commercial General Liability Insurance: Commercial General Liability Insurance with a $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and includes contractual liability and personal injury coverage.

Additional Insured & Certificate Holder: DeSoto County Schools will need to be named as additional insured on General Liability Insurance and as the Certificate Holder.

Commercial Automobile Liability: Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance with a $2,000,000 combined single limit on vehicles owned, leased, or rented by Respondent performing under this agreement.

Umbrella Liability Insurance: Umbrella Liability Insurance to be used in excess of the liability policies with $15,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.

Commercial Blanket Bond: A Commercial Blanket Bond with limits $ 3,000,000 in the aggregate per occurrence and includes coverage of employee dishonesty to the extent Respondent fails in its responsibilities and customer protection.

**Such insurance or renewals or replacements thereof shall remain in force during the term of the contract and any extensions**

• Accepting sole responsibility for compliance with all applicable laws relating to its employees, such as wage and hour laws, safety and health requirements, and collective bargaining laws

• Maintaining strict confidentiality in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and procedures of all records which the Agency or substitute teacher/support staff personnel

12 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services provided by the Agency may come in contact with or be privy to in the course of providing services

• Including all labor, travel, and miscellaneous expenses necessary to complete substitute services in per Hourly/Daily rate (No additional fees may be charged)

D. Conduct

The successful Vendor and the substitutes provided by them shall adhere to proper conduct at all times. Proper conduct is meant to include, but not limited to the following:

1. There shall be no weapons, drugs, or alcohol on the premises.

2. Drug-free Workplace: For the purpose of this section, “drug-free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific Contract awarded to a Vendor, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the Contract.

3. Tobacco-free Workplace: The DeSoto County School District Board of Education recognizes that the use of tobacco products represents a health and safety hazard, which can have serious consequences for both the user and non-user and the safety of the District. In order to protect the students, staff and guests of the District from an environment that may be harmful to them and because of its possible harm to personal well-being, the Board hereby prohibits the use of tobacco products by all staff members, employees, visitors or guests on all public-school property (including electronic cigarettes) throughout the DeSoto County School District.

4. No exterior doors are left opened or unlocked at any time

5. The successful Vendor and substitute provided by the respondent must adhere to any and all security standards, requirements and/or regulations of each school and school district

6. The successful Vendor and substitute provided by the respondent shall be polite and courteous at all times

E. Confidentiality

The successful Vendor will have access to confidential information. Confidential information includes all information of the District relating to the District’s existing or potential non-public business strategies, existing or proposed. In addition, confidential information includes all personal identification and information of District management, employees, and students. At no time will any confidential information be disclosed to any one person including but not limited to legal or financial advisors and or immediate family. The successful Vendor agrees that all such information is confidential, and that the agency will not use or disclose such information to any outside person or entity for any reason whatsoever, without the District’s express written consent.

F. Job Title, Job Description, and Minimum Requirements

All proposals must be made on the basis of either meet or exceed, the requirements contained herein. All Vendors must be able to provide staff to perform the following job duties:

13 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

Temporary Cafeteria Worker:

• Performs duties involved in the safe preparation and handling of food, cleaning, and sanitizing of equipment and facilities, serving of food, and record keeping.

• Ability to read and write, make simple math calculations and follow oral and written directions.

• Ability to communicate in a professional manor, work with others, and work independently.

• Ability to perform physical work such as lifting fifty (50) pounds frequently, moving heavy supplies and equipment, and continuous standing for up to 6 hours.

• Ability to follow recipes.

• Ability to handle money transactions with accuracy.

• Computer experience preferred.

Uniforms

All Temporary Cafeteria Workers must be properly dressed in clean, neatly fitting uniform attire. The purchase of uniform attire is the responsibility of the Temporary Cafeteria Worker. Uniform attire is as follows: Scrub pants, scrub top, jeans, plain t-shirt, non-slip shoes. Only aprons, hairnets, and gloves shall be supplied by the School District.

Personal Hygiene and Appearance

All Temporary Cafeteria Workers shall observe the following rules:

• Daily bath.

• Clean, moderate short fingernails. Absolutely NO polish OR fake nails allowed.

• Clean hair or wig.

• Hair net must be worn at ALL times.

• No jewelry shall be worn except one pair of single post stud earrings with a safety back and a simple wedding band without stones.

• Absolutely no visible body piercing jewelry is allowed. (such as: nose, lip, tongue, eyebrow jewels)

• No necklaces or bracelets are allowed.

• Hair color shall not be a distraction. (example: pink, green, purple, blue, etc. hair color is not allowed)

• No fake eyelashes.

14 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

V. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS

Executive Summary:

Please include an executive summary detailing your understanding of the requirements for this request, as well as a detailed outline on how your company will address the needs of the District. See Questionnaire below.

Contact Information:

Please complete the sections below.

Company Name RFP Contact (Print)

Address Signature

Federal Tax I.D. Number Title

Telephone Date

Fax Email

Years in business: __________ Former name(s) used by your organizations: _______________________________________________

If applicable, please acknowledge acceptance of addenda/clarification(s) issued by checking below:

Addendum 1____ Addendum 2____ Addendum 3____ Addendum 4____

***Complete and include the following with RFP submission due May 12, 2025, by 12pm, CST***

• Contact Information Form (see above)

• Organizational Structure & Personnel response

• Questionnaire responses

• References

• Proposal Form

• W-9

15 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

Organizational Structure & Personnel:

Detail your staffing plan including supervision you plan to utilize for this request:

Provide an organizational chart indicating the individuals or positions that would work on and have knowledge of the project with the District. Provide the resumes of the key individuals of your organization who will managerially oversee and directly worth this account, include their professional qualifications and ability to perform the required services as well as the number of years’ experience providing the required service. Vendor(s) must demonstrate that they are financially stable and that they have been in business providing a similar service for at least three (3) years. The Vendor(s) shall provide proof of a positive balance sheet and profitable business operations for two (2) of the last three (3) years.

Questionnaire:

General

1.) What is the primary scope of your organization’s operation? What areas does your company excel?

2.) Indicate the total number of years your organization has provided the requested service.

3.) Describe your organization’s background.

4.) Detail your organization’s current contracts with public entities that have the same characteristics and complexities as the DeSoto County School District.

5.) List the fringe benefits organization offers its employees and the eligibility requirements for them to receive benefits. Detail the cost of each fringe benefit included in the rate paid by the District to organization.

6.) Explain your company’s billing and reporting capabilities. Share timelines for reporting and sample reports.

7.) Describe your organization’s capability of fulfilling other staffing needs the District may require. For example, beyond substitute teachers, assistant teachers, administrative staff, etc.

8.) Explain your organization’s willingness to allow the District to submit a preferential list of staffing personnel.

9.) Please provide a description of the transition process between the existing substitute service provider for the District to your organization’s program. Include information on any software transition and timeline for implementing your staffing services to the District.

10.) Please describe in detail the system that your organization utilizes to include the business rules, user experience, and any specifications required of the District in order to fully implement. Any additional costs associated with the implementation must be outlined as well.

11.) Detail the strategies your organization will employ to effectively execute the work as described.

12.) Provide an overview or your staffing model and an outline of who will be working with the

District in order to fulfill the responsibilities as described.

13.) Provide information about the organization’s policies, practices, and standards for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the client’s data and information.

14.) Provide information on how the organization handles dispute resolution.

15.) Provide information regarding any other steps that organization will take to ensure that all District needs are met.

16 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

16.) Describe your proposed fee structure. The substitute rates that the District is currently paying is as follows:

Job Title Daily or Hourly Pay Rate Temporary Cafeteria Worker $13.00 / Hour

17.) Include alternate fee structure based on recommended rates if different from above.

Recruiting, Screening, and Hiring Process

1.) Describe how your organization will ensure an ample supply of qualified employees.

2.) Describe your process for sourcing and identifying qualified personnel.

3.) Describe your recruiting methods and resources.

4.) Describe your hiring process for the different types of personnel required by this request.

5.) Describe screening forms used in order to verify that personnel have the necessary credentials to work in the DCSD.

6.) Explain background checks performed before placing personnel on assignment.

7.) Explain credentials and qualifications required of your employees.

8.) Explain your background criminal history check process prior to placing an employee on assignment, including a typical time frame.

9.) Describe your process for addressing employees that may violate school safety laws after beginning assignment.

10.) Provide a sample handbook for your personnel including an online version for the DCSD website.

11.) Explain how your organization processes payroll and fulfills tax reporting of your personnel.

12.) Note if your company can offer personnel for half days as well as full days.

Training and Orientation Process

1.) Give a detailed explanation of your training program for all newly hired Kitchen Staff.

2.) Explain the orientation process and annual updates.

3.) Describe the processes that will be put in place to educate new employees about district policies and procedures.

4.) How do you plan on having your staff trained to ensure compliance with any and all applicable state laws, policies, and procedures while providing services requested by this RFP?

5.) Describe how you educate your employees on preparedness/professionalism, position skills, sexual harassment, blood borne pathogens, and FERPA.

Assigning/Scheduling Process

1.) Describe in detail your scheduling system.

2.) Explain the organization’s process for verifying that employee placements occurred as scheduled and are accurately invoiced.

3.) How many substitutes will organization be able to provide per day? How many long-term substitutes?

17 | Page-RFP-Child Nutrition Substitute Staffing Services

4.) Explain your success rate for filling other schools’ staffing needs.

5.) Show documentation of fill rates for the past three years.

6.) What are the normal business hours of your organization?

7.) Explain how our District can feel confident that our needs will be met if we leave a message before or after normal business hours for substitute needs.

8.) Describe how your organization will ensure that personnel placements will be acceptable to the

District.

9.) Include information detailing successful placement/fill rates to include the processes/strategies, systems, and best practices to accomplish these actions.

Quality Control & Retention Programs

1.) Explain the process in place to track the performance of assigned personnel.

2.) Who will handle performance and employee relations with your employees? How do you currently evaluate your staff? Please provide details on the frequency of conducting evaluations/managing the feedback cycle for substitutes.

3.) Describe how your organization tracks and monitors attendance and retention among employees.

4.) Explain the organization’s disciplinary and removal process…