B-50555 CENTO Certified Halal Prepackaged Meals RFP~2.docx

Illinois Department of Corrections Request for Proposal Halal Prepackaged Meals

26-426DOC-CENTO-B-50555

Section A. SCOPE OF WORK

A.1. OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE

Department of Corrections is working towards improving Halal meals for Individuals in Custody. Recently a focus has been specifically on preparation and nutrition adequacy of the options currently offered. The meals currently available to the department lack nutrition density to serve for every meal without additional supplementation. Previously the department has had to supplement the meals available with additional cold items, such as a lettuce salad. Having the addition to the meals increases the risk of Halal meals being exposed to non-Halal food items. The department wishes to move away from this practice and offer 3 complete packaged meals to this population.

Procurement of individually packaged nutritionally adequate, double sealed Halal meals to be served as a part of a fixed approved Halal menu. The meals will be served 3 times a day for the Individual’s in Custody participating in the Halal diet within the Department of Corrections. A vendor should have a minimum of 20 meal varieties, to serve an alternating breakfast (minimum of 4 breakfast meals) and a variety of lunch/ dinner meals (minimum of 16). This meal can be shelf stable or frozen, however only heating will occur; all items need to be precooked. Specific meal breakdowns can be found on section B.5 within the stated macronutrient and sodium range. Meals will contain a variety of proteins such as beef, chicken and soy. 16 of the meals must contain a vegetable. If a product is to be discontinued an alternative will need to become available. Halal certification will need to be available. Nutrition information and ingredient list will need to be available.

A.2. DESIRED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT/ENGAGEMENT

The vendor must supply a complete, double sealed, Halal certified meal. The vendor should be able to offer a minimum of 20 different varieties, 4 being breakfast and 16 being lunch/dinner options. Offering more than 20 different meals will be acceptable. The meals should follow parameters listed below in B.5. per meal. This will offer the meal to have a daily total of approximately 2400 calories a day with a proper range of macronutrients. Meals will contain a variety of proteins such as beef, chicken and soy. 16 of the meals should contain a vegetable. The meal should be able to be heated, not cooked.

IMPORTANT: Packaging and handling must align with Halal laws during vendors preparation, transit, and storage. Halal certification will need to be available. Nutrition information and ingredient list will need to be available.

The vendor must maintain a valid Halal certificate for all the products supplied under this contract. The certification will need to be available prior to execution of contract. It is up to vendor to maintain the certification and renew annually. Every product offered in this contract should have a matching Halal certification. Certification must be issued by proper Halal authority and include documentation of entire product, package, and transit align with the Islamic law for Halal food. Certifications shall be renewed and provided to the department at a minimum of an annual basis. The Department of Corrections is able to request a copy of the certification at any time during the contract. This can be a physical paper certification or virtual. If a vendor loses Halal certification, it is the responsibility to immediately contact Department of Corrections and seize production and distribution. From there, it will be determined if there can be corrective actions or if the contract will be terminated.

A.3. SCHEDULE & BUDGET

A.3.1. Estimated Procurement Schedule The following is the anticipated schedule for this Request for Proposal (RFP). The schedule is subject to change at the State’s discretion. Dates provided are estimates intended to assist Offerors in planning resources and production capacity.

A.4. UNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS

A.4.1. Meals that require heating, packaging must be double sealed and able to be heated through microwave and convection heating.

A.4.2. Both seals are required to be intact until the serving of the tray to the Halal participant.

A.4.3. The seals must be secured utilizing durable, well-constructed materials to withstand high temperature heating. Due to this requirement, pouch meals requiring heating are not allowed unless double sealed.

A.4.4. Thaw and serve options are not allowed.

A.4.5. Boneless options are required A.4.6. Packaging must include Halal certification on the case package as well as the individual package. Halal certification label must be clearly marked. The Halal certification label must certify each food item in the pre-packaged meal.

A.4.7. The meals must be prepared exclusively on Halal-certified equipment.

A.4.8. If individual meals are more than a single tray, those meals need to be marked appropriately for staff to determine a set, i.e. 1 of 2, 2 of 2, etc.

A.4.9. It is not required to separate meals during shipment if meals are double sealed and cased separately.

A.4.10. Temperature control during transit and upon delivery shall comply with Illinois Department of Public Health standards.

A.4.11. Meals must have a shelf stability of at least 12 months.

A.4.12. Vendor shall be compliant with all applicable laws, including Public Act 103-1076, the Faith by Plate Act A.4.13. No shellfish options will be accepted

A.5. TERM

A.5.1. TERM OF THIS CONTRACT: The contract resulting from this procurement will have an initial term commencing upon last signature and continuing for five (5) years. In no event will the total term of the contract, including the initial term, any renewal terms, and any extensions, exceed ten (10) years. Vendor shall not commence billable work in furtherance of the contract prior to final execution of the contract except when permitted pursuant to 30 ILCS 500/20-80.

Section B. CURRENT CONDITIONS

B.1. OVERVIEW & BACKGROUND

Currently, the Department of Corrections serves one hot Halal tray and additional cold food supplements, such as a lettuce salad, to individuals in custody requesting a Halal meal for every meal. The hot trays are double sealed and procured through a vendor and shipped to the facilities. The cold tray is made within the facility’s dietary using Halal certified products and single use utensils and trays.

B.2. VOLUMES & QUANTITIES

Department of Corrections currently houses approximately 900 Halal diet participants. This procurement would need 328,500 breakfast trays and 657,000 lunch/dinner trays per year with the flexibility to add or subtract based on the fluctuation of participants. The procurement estimations are subject to change depending on population increase or decrease. Each 30-day order will be adjusted based on the forecasting of the estimated demand of supply.

B.3. AREAS OF CONCERN/CHALLENGES

There are questions that the current pre-packaged Halal meals available to the Department of Corrections are not able to meet nutrition needs of the population without the supplementation of additional food options, such as a cold tray.

B.4. STRENGTHS

Along with the pre-packaged Halal meals and cold tray supplements, currently, Department of corrections provides fresh fruit, smart milk (soy milk) and 100% fruit juice. Department of Corrections freshly procured microwaves and ovens to prepare such meals

B.5. FIGURES, DIAGRAMS, & REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Figure 1.

Halal Meal Breakdown:

*Department of Corrections Provides Whole Uncut Fruit and Smart Milk (Soy Milk) – Approximately 181kcal, 40g CHO, 0g Lipid, 4g Pro, 76.5mg Na* *All items should have a matching Halal certification* *All meals should have nutrition label and ingredient list* *No swine should be used* 2 Cold Halal Breakfast Meals:

Calories: 600-800 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 600-800 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

2 Hot Halal Breakfast Meals Eggs need to be a minimum of 3oz

Calories: 600-800 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 600-800 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

4 Hot Halal Chicken Meals:

Chicken needs to be a minimum of 4oz

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

4 Hot Halal Beef Meals:

Beef needs to be a minimum of 4oz

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

1 Hot Halal Fish:

Fish needs to be a minimum of 4oz No shellfish options will be accepted Meal 13

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

1 Hot Halal Soy Meal:

Meal 14

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

6 Cold Halal Meals:

A minimum of 3 cold meals must contain animal meat as the protein source

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories Protein: >10% Total Calories Sodium: <685mg

Calories: 650-850 Carbohydrate: <65% Total Calories Lipid: 20%-35% Total Calories

Figure 2.

The minimum standards for halal meat are as follows:

1. Common halal animals include beef, goats, sheep, lamb, and poultry. Swine is non-halal.

2. The slaughterman should be Muslim

3. The name of Allah must be verbally invoked at the time of slaughter over each animal by the slaughterer and cannot be omitted intentionally. An audio recording does not suffice nor a general blessing.

4. Standard mechanical slaughter is not permissible.

5. Best practice is that animals should not be stunned prior to slaughter.

6. The slaughter should be horizontal across the throat and sever the jugular vein, carotid arteries, and the esophagus. Slaughter at the chest or any other part of the body, such as thoracic sticking, is prohibited.

7. If swine or non-halal procedures are also in use at a slaughterhouse, there must be no cross contamination between the halal and non-halal meats.

In addition to the meat being halal, it is necessary that all other foodstuffs be free of non-halal ingredients. Hereunder is a non-exhaustive list of common non-halal ingredients:

1. Alcohol derived from either grapes and/or dates

2. Alcohol derived from non-grape and/or non-date sources that could cause intoxication

3. Porcine-derived ingredients including but not limited to cheese, lard, etc.

4. Non-halal meat-based ingredients including but not limited to gelatin, l-cysteine, etc.

5. Insect derived ingredients such as cochineal ingredients When preparing food which includes but is not limited to handling, cooking, storing, and packaging food, the vendor and all other handlers must ensure that no cross contamination occurs between the halal food and any non-halal substance. For example, the same utensils, gloves, etc. cannot be the same as those used when preparing non-halal foods. Either a separate or a thoroughly cleaned oven must be used. Essentially, non-halal food items are to be handled like any other allergen.

Section C. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS Only Electronic Submissions through BidBuy of Offers will be Accepted

C.1. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT

The Offeror shall submit the listed documents in BidBuy under the Attachments tab in the appropriate “Required Attachments” spaces.

· Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure

· Technical response

· Offer to the State of Illinois

· Commitment to Diversity

· BEP Utilization Plan Blank documents may be found on the Chief Procurement Officer for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html and on the BidBuy posting under “File Attachments:”. Business Enterprise Program/Veterans Small Business Program Utilization Plan may be downloaded from the Commission on Equity and Inclusion’s website at https://cei.illinois.gov/purchasing-entity-resources/compliance.html.

Failure to submit Vendor Disclosure or IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, as applicable, and the Utilization Plan(s), as applicable, with the Offer submitted in BidBuy shall render the Offer non-responsive.

Offerors are required to submit their response to the State’s solicitation through BidBuy. Any information sent to the State outside of BidBuy, for example by US Mail, FedEx, UPS, e-mail, or hand delivery, will neither be accepted nor considered. Offeror submissions will only be considered if they are received through BidBuy and on or before the time and date indicated as the “Bid Opening Date” on the BidBuy posting. Any required attachments must be submitted via BidBuy.

Price entries on the Items tab will be locked automatically upon submission of the quote. Entering cost, pricing or discount information in the Alternate Description may result in disqualification. If the agency requires pricing to be submitted in an attachment, Offeror shall upload pricing under the “Required Documents” section on the Attachments tab and check the box “Does the attachment contain any pricing, cost or discount information?”. Failure to check this box allows your pricing to be viewed when bids are opened and will result in disqualification of your offer. NOTE: Do not check “Does the attachment contain any pricing, cost or discount information” if the attachment does NOT include pricing, cost, or discount information.

Documents shall be submitted in an electronic format that is accessible and readable using Microsoft Office suite software or Adobe Reader. Corrupted files shall not be considered. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to check that files are accessible and legible after uploading.

The Offeror is solely responsible for ensuring timely submission of their electronic solicitation response. Failure to allow adequate time prior to the Bid Opening Date to complete and submit a response to a solicitation, particularly in the event technical support assistance from the State is required, places the Offeror and their offer or response at risk of not being accepted.

The State encourages the Offeror to ensure that their BidBuy account is up to date. It is recommended that you access your BidBuy account prior to the solicitation due date and time to make sure that your company’s information is up-to-date and your password is current. Files may be uploaded at any time prior to submission.

File size may impact the uploading and downloading speed and may lead to browser time-outs, resulting in failed upload/download attempts. Please consider this dependency when attaching very large documents.

OFFEROR INSTRUCTIONS TO SUBMIT IN BIDBUY

Create Quote:

Note: any pricing entered in the Unit Cost of the Items Tab will be locked until after Technical Evaluations take place. Do not enter cost, pricing, or any discount information in the Alternate Description field. Entering cost, pricing or discount information in the Alternate Description may result in disqualification.

Note: If taking any exceptions to Standard Terms and Conditions an offeror must submit a redline version of the Standard Terms and Conditions with their proposal.

: “Upload” (next to each required attachment) : “Choose File” Note: If a pricing document is required, mark the box next to the question, “Does this attachment contain any pricing, cost, or discount information?”

Failure to mark this box when attaching a pricing document will result in disqualification.

Check this box ONLY if a separate pricing document is required.

Do NOT check this box for any other required quote attachment such as the Technical Proposal, Vendor Disclosure / IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, or Utilization Plan(s), or Offer.

Offerors may also view the “Request for Proposal (RFP) Vendor Submission Instructions Video found at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/vendor-resources.html

C.2. DUE DATE AND TIME FOR SUBMISSION OF OFFERS

Each solicitation contains the Offer due date and time, appearing as the “Bid Opening Date:” on the BidBuy posting. Offeror shall submit Offers in BidBuy, and the State shall open Offers electronically in BidBuy on the “Bid Opening Date”. The Offer must remain firm for 180 days from opening.

C.3. CONFLICT BETWEEN INFORMATION IN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS AND ON BIDBUY

If the State provides information in electronic documents (i.e., the RFP and other attachments) that is different or in conflict with the information the State provides on BidBuy, then the information in electronic documents is presumed to represent the State’s intent. If the Offeror provides information in electronic documents that is different or in conflict with the information the Offeror provides in BidBuy through their Seller Account, then the information in electronic documents shall represent the Offeror’s intended submission.

C.4. PUBLISHED PROCUREMENT INFORMATION

The State publishes procurement information, including solicitations, awards, and amendments, on the Chief Procurement Officer for General Services’ Illinois Procurement Bulletin, known as the Bulletin or BidBuy (https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov/bso/). Procurement information may not be available in any other form or location. Offeror is responsible for monitoring BidBuy. The State will not be held responsible if Offeror fails to receive the optional e-mail notice of future amendments to the solicitation.

C.5. INFORMATION CONTACT

The individual listed in the “Info Contact:” field on the BidBuy posting shall be the single point of contact for this solicitation. Unless otherwise directed, Offeror should only communicate with the Information Contact. The State/Agency shall not be held responsible for information provided by or to any other person.

Suspected errors should be immediately reported to the Information Contact. Do not discuss, directly or indirectly, the solicitation or any Offer with any State officer or employee other than the Information Contact.

C.6. OFFEROR QUESTIONS AND AGENCY RESPONSE

All questions, other than questions raised at the Pre-Submission Conference, pertaining to this solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Information Contact no later than 7 days prior to solicitation open date. Questions received and Agency responses may be posted as a Bid Amendment to the original solicitation on BidBuy; only these posted answers to questions shall be binding on the State. Offeror is responsible for monitoring BidBuy and BidBuy email notifications.

C.7. PRE-SUBMISSION CONFERENCE

The Agency may conduct a Mandatory or Non-Mandatory Pre-Submission Conference, listed in the “Pre-Bid Conference:” field of the BidBuy posting. Please refer to BidBuy for this information.

If attendance is mandatory, Offeror (current contractor included) will be disqualified and considered non-responsive if Offeror does not attend, is not on time, leaves early, or fails to sign the attendance sheet. Offeror must allow adequate time to accommodate security screenings at the site.

C.8. SMALL BUSINESS SET-ASIDE

In the Bulletin posting, if “Yes” is shown to the question “Is this a Small Business Set-Aside Procurement?”, then Offeror must be registered by the Illinois Small Business Set-Aside Program at the time Offers are due for the Offer to be evaluated. For requirements on qualifying Offeror’s business in the Small Business Set-Aside Program, please go to the Chief Procurement Office for General Service’s website at https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html .

C.9. BUSINESS ENTERPRISE FOR MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ACT PARTICIPATION AND UTILIZATION PLAN

The BidBuy posting indicates whether this solicitation contains a goal to include businesses owned and controlled by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. If this solicitation contains a goal, then failure to complete and submit a Utilization Plan, including documentation demonstrating good faith efforts when requesting a waiver, shall render the Offer non-responsive. 30 ILCS 575/4(e). All questions regarding the subcontracting goal must be directed to the Information Contact indicated in BidBuy no later than 7 days prior to solicitation open date. See the Utilization Plan for NIGP codes used to establish this goal.

BEP Goal: 5% Go to https://cei.illinois.gov/vendor-resources/get-bep-certified.html for complete requirements for BEP certification. Go to State of Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion at https://supplierdiversitymanagementportal.illinois.gov/home.aspx to search for certified BEP vendors.

C.10. SECURITY

Bid/Performance Bond: $N/A. If a bond is required, Offeror must submit the Bid Bond with your offer or Performance Bond to the Information Contact within ten (10) days after contract execution. The bond must be from a surety licensed to do business in Illinois. An irrevocable letter of credit is an acceptable substitute. The form of security must be acceptable to the State.

C.11. TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Standard Terms and Conditions will become a part of any resulting contract. To view the Standard Terms and Conditions, please go to https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/solicitation-and-contract-templates.html.

Section D. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

D.1. EVALUATION PROCESS

The State assesses each Offer for Responsibility (E.10) and Responsiveness. The State considers the information provided and the quality of that information when assessing Offers. If the State finds a failure or deficiency, the State may reject the Offer or reflect the failure or deficiency in the assessment.

There are three scored parts to each proposal – technical, commitment to diversity, and pricing. Each part of the proposal is evaluated and ranked independently of the other parts of the proposal. The results of the evaluation of all three parts shall be used in ranking the proposals.

The State may award to the most responsive and responsible offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria.

D.2. RESPONSIVENESS

A responsive offeror is one who submits an offer that conforms in all material respects to the Request for Proposal and includes all required forms.

D.2.1. The State will determine whether the Offeror complied with the instructions for submitting offers. Except for late submissions, and other requirements that by law must be part of the submission, the State may require that an Offeror correct deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

D.2.2. Subcontractor Disclosure: If the Offer includes any subcontractors, then Offeror shall complete the Subcontractor Disclosure section of the Offer to the State of Illinois.

D.2.3. If completing IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure, then responsiveness may include and may not be limited to:

· Active Illinois Procurement Gateway registration # with expiration date

· Certifications timely to this solicitation

· Disclosure of lobbyists for Offeror and parent entity(ies)

· Disclosure of pending and current contracts

D.2.4. If completing Vendor Disclosure, required parts may include and may not be limited to:

D.2.5. The State will determine whether the Offer meets the stated Technical requirements. Minor differences or deviations that have negligible impact on the price or suitability of the supply or service to meet the State’s needs may be accepted or corrections allowed. If no offeror meets a particular Technical requirement, the State may waive that requirement.

D.2.6. When the specification calls for “Brand Name or Equal,” the brand name product is acceptable. Other products will be considered with proof that the other product meets stated specifications and is equivalent to the brand product in terms of quality, performance, and desired characteristics.

D.3. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

The Technical Requirements are described in Sections F.2., F.3. and F.5, the State evaluates the Technical Requirements without consideration of price.

D.3.1. Total Number of Points Available for Technical Requirements is: 700 points.

D.3.2. Offeror shall complete and return Sections F.2., F.3. as part of the Technical Proposal. Each section must clearly demonstrate how the Offeror meets or exceeds the requirements outlined in Section C (Technical Requirements – Halal Shelf-Stable Meals).

D.3.3. Relative Weight in Point Format

D.4. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY ELEMENTS

Sections 20-15 and 35-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500/) require offerors to be evaluated on their commitment to diversity. The points available for Commitment to Diversity are described in Section F.4. and are equivalent to 20% of the Technical Requirements points. The State evaluates Commitment to Diversity without consideration of price.

D.4.1. The total number of points for Commitment to Diversity is 140 points.

D.4.2. Offeror shall complete and return Section F.4 Commitment to Diversity

D.4.3. Commitment to Diversity Categories: The percentages at the end of each section reflect the weighted distribution of points available identified in D.4.1.

Commitment to Diversity Categories

Category 1 – BEP Compliance - Whether the Offeror meets the set goal for contracting or subcontracting with businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities or completed a Good Faith Effort Waiver for this procurement. 5%

Category 2 – Subcontracting/Contracting with any WMD businesses (not limited to BEP vendors) - Whether the Offeror has contracted/subcontracted within the prior calendar year with businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. 10%

Category 3 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Spend – Offeror’s percentage of business, education and/or community spend from prior calendar year gross revenue that involves businesses owned by women, minorities and/or persons with disabilities. The assisted businesses are not required to be certified in the Illinois Business Enterprise Program. 20%

Category 4 – DEI Time - Offeror’s hours spent in the prior calendar year on promoting DEI in the workplace, the community, education institutes, or supporting businesses owned by women, minorities, or persons with disabilities. The assisted business is not required to be certified in the Illinois Business Enterprise Program. The success or failure of each event does not impact the points achieved. The event may be voluntary or paid time. 20%

Category 5 – DEI Policies - Entity has provided a written copy of, or link to, their current written workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion policy. Policies must be actionable plans, not overarching concepts around DEI. 10%

Category 6 – Diversity in Staffing - % of individuals on governing board and/ or Senior executives who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 10% % of individuals in management /supervisor positions who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 13% % of total staff who identify as women, minorities or person with disabilities. 12%

D.5. MINIMUM REQUIRED POINTS

Requests for Proposal may specify that offerors must receive a minimum number of points in their Technical and Commitment to Diversity proposals combined to be considered for price evaluation and award.

The State determines how well offers meet the Technical and Commitment to Diversity requirements and rank the offers from best to least qualified using a point ranking system (unless otherwise specified) as an aid in conducting the evaluation. Offerors who receive fewer than the minimum required points will not be considered for price evaluation and award.

D.5.1. The total number of available points for Technical and Commitment to Diversity is 840 points

D.6. PRICE

The State opens Price proposals after evaluating all Technical and Commitment to Diversity proposals.

If the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State determines whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the offer, including the offeror's qualifications, the offeror's reputation, all price proposals submitted, other known prices, the project budget, and other relevant factors.

D.6.1. The total number of points for Price is 160 points D.6.2. The State will determine Price points using the following formula:

Maximum Price Points X (Lowest Price/Offeror’s Price) = Total Price Points

D.7. MAXIMUM AVAILABLE POINTS

The maximum number of points is 700 (Technical) + 140 (Commitment to Diversity) + 160 (Price) = 1,000 maximum available points.

Section E. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

E.1. GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM

Illinois law and rules govern this solicitation and any resulting contract. Offeror must bring any action relating to this solicitation or any resulting contract in the appropriate court in Illinois. This document contains statutory references designated with “ILCS”. To view the full text, go to https://ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Chapters . The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) and the Standard Procurement Rules (44 ILL. ADM. CODE PART 1) are applicable to this solicitation. To view them respectively, go to and Illinois General Assembly - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.

E.2. PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT

Offers become the property of the State. All offers will be open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140) and other applicable laws and rules, unless Offeror requests in its Offer that the State treat certain information as confidential. A request for confidential treatment will not supersede the State’s legal obligations under FOIA. The State will not honor requests to keep entire Offers confidential. Offerors must show the specific grounds in FOIA or other law or rule that support confidential treatment. Regardless, the State will disclose the successful Offeror’s name, the substance of the Offer, and the price.

If Offeror requests confidential treatment, Offeror must submit additional copy/copies (see Instructions for Submission of Offers in Section C.) of the Offer with proposed confidential information redacted. This redacted copy must tell the general nature of the material removed and shall retain as much of the Offer as possible. In a separate attachment, Offeror shall supply a listing of the provisions identified by section number for which it seeks confidential treatment and identify the statutory basis or bases under Illinois law, including a detailed justification for exempting the information from public disclosure.

Offeror will hold harmless and indemnify the State for all costs or damages associated with the State defending Offeror’s request for confidential treatment. Offeror agrees that the State may copy the Offer to facilitate evaluation, or to respond to requests for public records. Offeror warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party.

E.3. MINORITY CONTRACTOR INITIATIVE

The State requires a fee of $15 to cover expenses related to the administration of the Minority Contractor Opportunity Initiative. Any offeror awarded a contract of $1,000 or more under Section 20-10, 20-15, 20-25 or 20-30 of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) is required to pay a fee of $15. The Comptroller shall deduct the fee from the first check issued to the Vendor under the contract and deposit the fee in the Comptroller’s Administrative Fund. 15 ILCS 405/23.9.

E.4. FEDERAL FUNDS

The resulting contract may be partially or totally funded with Federal funds. Upon notice of intent to award, the percentage of supplies and/or services involved that are Federally funded and the dollar amount of such Federal funds will be disclosed.

E.5. EMPLOYMENT TAX CREDIT

Offerors who hire qualified veterans and certain ex-offenders may be eligible for tax credits. 30 ILCS 500/45-67 and 45-70. Please contact the Illinois Department of Revenue (217-524-4772) for information about tax credits [35 ILCS 5/216, 5/217].

E.6. RESERVATIONS

Offeror must read and understand the solicitation and tailor the Offer and all activities to ensure compliance. The State reserves the right to amend the solicitation, reject any or all offers, award by item/services, group of items/services, or grand total, and waive minor defects. The State may request a clarification, inspect Offeror’s premises, interview staff, request a presentation, or otherwise verify the contents of the Offer, including information about subcontractors and suppliers. The State may request Best & Final Offers when appropriate. The State will make all decisions on compliance, evaluation, and terms and conditions, and shall make decisions in the best interests of the State and in accordance with the Illinois Procurement Code, rules and other applicable State and Federal statutes and regulations. This competitive process may require that Offeror provide additional information and otherwise cooperate with the State. If an offeror does not comply with requests for information and cooperate, the State may reject the offer as non-responsive to the solicitation. Submitting an offer does not entitle Offeror to an award or a contract. Posting a vendor’s name in a Bulletin notice does not entitle the vendor to a contract. The State is not responsible for and will not pay any costs associated with the preparation and submission of any offer.

Awarded Offeror(s) shall not commence and will not be paid for any billable work undertaken prior to the date all parties execute the contract, unless approved in writing in advance by the State Purchasing Officer or the Chief Procurement Officer (or designee).

E.7. AWARD

The State is not obligated to award a contract pursuant to this solicitation. If the State issues an award, the award will be made to the responsive and responsible offeror whose offer best meets the specified criteria unless otherwise permitted by the Illinois Procurement Code and Illinois Administrative Code. However, if the State does not consider the price to be fair and reasonable and negotiations fail to meet an acceptable price, then the State reserves the right to cancel the award and take appropriate action to meet the needs of the State. The State will determine whether the price is fair and reasonable by considering the offer, including the offeror's qualifications, the offeror's reputation, all prices submitted, other known prices, the project budget and other relevant factors. The State will post a notice to the Bulletin identifying the apparent most responsive and responsible offeror.

E.8. INVOICING ADDRESS

The awarded Vendor shall invoice at the completion of the contract unless invoicing is tied in the contract to milestones, deliverables, or other invoicing requirements agreed to in the contract. The Bulletin posting contains the “Bill-to Address:” where invoices should be sent.

Vendor shall not bill for any taxes unless accompanied by proof that the State is subject to the tax. If necessary, Vendor may request the applicable Agency’s Illinois tax exemption number and Federal tax exemption information.

E.9. PROTEST REVIEW OFFICE

Offeror may submit a written protest to the Protest Review Office following the requirements of the Standard Procurement Rules. 44 ILL. ADM. CODE 1.5550. For protests related to specifications, the Protest Review Office must physically receive the protest no later than fourteen (14) days after the solicitation or related addendum was posted to the Bulletin. For protests related to rejection of individual proposals or awards, the protest must be received by close of business no later than fourteen (14) days after the protesting party knows or should have known of the facts giving rise to the protest. The Protest Review Office’s information is as follows:

Chief Procurement Office Attn: Protest Review Office Email: cpogs.pro@illinois.gov

E.10. RESPONSIBILITY

A responsible Offeror is one who has the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements and who has the integrity and reliability that will assure good faith performance. The State determines whether the Offeror is a “responsible” offeror; an offeror with whom the State can or should do business. For example, the State may consider the following:

E.10.1. A “prohibited bidder” includes any person assisting an employee of the State of Illinois by reviewing, drafting, directing, or preparing any invitation for bids, a request for proposal, or request of information, or providing similar assistance unless such assistance was part of a publicly issued opportunity to review drafts of all or part of these documents. For purposes of this section, an employee of the State of Illinois means one who, by the nature of his or her duties, has the authority to participate personally and substantially in the decision to award a State contract. No person or business shall submit specifications to a State agency unless requested to do so by an employee of the State. No person or business that contracts with a State agency to write specifications for a particular procurement need shall submit a bid or proposal or receive a contract for that procurement need.

Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a vendor from bidding or offering to supply developing technology, supplies or services after providing the State with a demonstration of the developing technology, supplies, or services; provided the subject of the demonstration to the State represents industry trends and innovation and is not specifically designed to meet the State's needs. Nothing herein is intended to prohibit a person or business from submitting a bid or offer or entering into a contract if the person or business: (i) initiates a communication with an employee to provide general information about products, services, or industry best practices and, if applicable, that communication is documented in accordance with Section 50-39 of the Illinois Procurement Code or (ii) responds to a communication initiated by an employee of the State for the purposes of providing information to evaluate new products, trends, services, or technologies.

E.10.2. Other factors that the State may use to evaluate to determine responsibility include, but are not limited to: political contributions, certifications, conflict of interest, financial disclosures, taxpayer identification number, past performance in business or industry, references (including those found outside the Offer), compliance with applicable laws, financial responsibility, insurability, effective equal opportunity compliance, payment of prevailing wages if required by law, capacity to produce or sources of supply, and the ability to provide required maintenance service or other matters relating to the offeror’s ability to deliver in the quality and quantity within the time and price as specified in this solicitation.

E.10.3. Awarded offerors must always have financial resources sufficient, in the opinion of the State, to ensure performance of the contract and must provide proof upon request. The State may require a performance bond if, in the opinion of the State, it ensures performance of the contract. The State may terminate the contract, consistent with the termination for cause provision of the contract, if the vendor lacks the financial resources to perform under the contract.

E.10.4. The State may require that an offeror correct any deficiencies as a condition of further evaluation.

E.11. BidBuy Terminology and Guidance: BidBuy is an online e-procurement system. There may be some difference between the procurement terminology used in this solicitation and the terms used in BidBuy. Please learn more about BidBuy by accessing the online resources found here:

https://www2.illinois.gov/cpo/PathwayToProcurement/Pages/Guides-and-Manuals.aspx

Section F. PROPOSAL FORMS Offeror must complete and return:

· The following three (3) tables include: Contract Requirements (Section F.1), and Technical Requirements: Mandatory Requirements with Evidence (Section F.2), and Proposed Technical Solution (Section F.3)

· Commitment to Diversity (Section F.4)

· Offer to the State of Illinois Please read and follow each instruction carefully.

F.1. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Please read each contract requirement carefully in F.1. These contract requirements shall be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

F.1.1. Vendor has the capacity to provide halal food products in large quantities as needed from the Department of Corrections.

F.1.2. Vendor shall maintain Halal compliance and certification through a recognized Halal certification authority.

F.1.3. Dual or combined certifications will not be accepted F.1.4. Vendor must be the manufacturer, authorized dealer, or authorized distributor of the Halal meal products offered.

F.1.5. All meals must meet nutritional specifications and caloric requirements established by IDOC.

F.1.6. Vendor must provide Halal certification documentation quarterly, and upon request by IDOC at any time during the contract term F.1.7. All deliveries must be coordinated directly with the ordering correctional facility and delivered FOB destination.

F.1.8. Vendor shall use recyclable or reusable packaging materials to avoid environmentally harmful materials such as Styrofoam.

F.1.9. Vendor must provide nutrition information for all products, including ingredient lists and allergen disclosures F.1.10. All meals must comply with the nutritional and dietary standards specified in this solicitation.

F.1.11. All meals provided by vendor must comply with stated nutrition guidelines

By submitting an offer to this solicitation. The offeror agrees that will meet the contract requirements in Section F.1.

F.2. MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITH EVIDENCE

Please check “Met” to each of the mandatory requirements for the proposed solution. An Offeror that does not provide substantiating evidence for each requirement will be disqualified and the rest of the proposal will not be scored.

These Mandatory Requirements shall be included in any contract resulting from this solicitation.

Please provide substantiating evidence in your Proposed Technical Solution. Use the column on the right to indicate the section and page number where your evidence/response to each item may be found. The State will evaluate Offeror’s evidence/response to verify the mandatory requirement is met.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS WITH EVIDENCE

Proposal Section and Page Number

F.2.1. The vendor must maintain a valid Halal certificate for all the meat products under this contract F.2.2. Every product offered in this bid shall have a matching Halal certification.

F.2.3. Certification must be issued by a Halal food compliance authority and include documentation of entire product, package, and transit align with Islamic law for Halal food products.

F.2.4. Vendor must provide Brand and Product Name of each Halal product F.2.5. Vendor must provide packaging label of every Halal food product offered.

F.2.6. Vendor must be the manufacturer or an authorized dealer or distributor of the manufacturer of the Halal food products at the time of the bid submission.

F.2.7. The pre-packaged meals offered must meet the nutritional breakdown specifications as in B5

Note: These mandatory requirements are evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis.

|_| Met |_| Met

F.3. PROPOSED TECHNICAL SOLUTION – DESIRABLE ELEMENTS

Please explain how your organization meets or will meet each of the desirable elements. Use the column on the right to indicate the section and page number of your proposal where your response to each item may be found.

F.4.