DMS-2526-259 Food Services RFI.pdf

4050 Esplanade Way Tallahassee, FL 32399-0950

Ron DeSan s, Governor

Tom Berger, Secretary

THE STATE OF FLORIDA

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

FOOD SERVICES

RFI No. DMS-25/26-259

I. INTRODUCTION

The Department of Management Services (Department) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to Florida’s vendor community to obtain industry information from qualified food service management vendors and concessionaire vendors interested in entering into a contract with the Department to provide Food Services. This is an RFI as defined in section 287.012(22), Florida Statutes (“F.S.”), for planning purposes only. This is not a solicitation for offers.

II. PURPOSE OF AN RFI

Rule 60A-1.042, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), provides that an agency may request information by issuing a written RFI. Agencies are authorized to use an RFI for research to determine any or all of the following: whether to competitively procure particular commodities or contractual services; which solicitation process to use for a particular need; or general, special, or technical specifications to be included in a solicitation.

A vendor’s response to an RFI is not an offer and the agency may not use the vendor’s submission to justify a contract with that vendor without otherwise complying with Chapter 287, F.S. Vendors submitting a response to an agency’s RFI are not prohibited from responding to any related subsequent solicitation.

III. BACKGROUND

The Department desires food services at the two separate facilities listed below. Typical hours of operation for all sites are from 7:00 am – 3:30 pm., Monday through Friday, except for State of Florida observed holidays.

The Department has attached as Attachment A, the current Contract for Food Services in place at the Capitol and Department of Revenue Buildings in Tallahassee, Florida, as an example. This should only be used as an example of the services currently under contract.

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Location No. 1: The Capitol Building

The Capitol Building is located at 400 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, and currently operates with a cafeteria on the lower level and a café/snack bar on the 10th floor.

Lower-Level Full-Service Cafeteria: 6,763 square feet 10th Floor Café and Snack Bar: 2,693 square feet

The food service options include Fresh from Florida, Heart Healthy, vegetarian, and general food items. The cafeteria offers full-service options including cafeteria style hot and cold breakfast and lunch, snacks, and beverages. The café/snack bar offers a selection of snack bar style hot and cold breakfast and lunch, snacks, and beverages.

Anticipated equipment provided on site by the Department:

2 Imperial Elite 40 pound Electric Floor Model Fryers 1 Star Star-Max 36 inch Electric Charbroiler 1 SteamCub Electric Countertop Steamer 1 Scotsman 536 pound Ice Bin 1 Scotsman Prodigy Ice Machine 1 Globe C10 Economy Manual Slicer 1 Vulcan 60 inch Electric Restaurant Range 1 Mobile Non-Insulated Proof/Hot Cabinet 1 Structural Concepts Encore Service/Self-Service Combo Merchandiser 1 74 inch long Service Refrigerated Bakery Merchandiser 1 True 19 cubic foot Single Door Freezer 1 True 23 cubic foot Reach In Solid Door Refrigerator 1 True 35 cubic foot Double 10 Solid Freezer 1 True 49 cubic foot Two Sec. S/S Refrigerator

Location No. 2: The Department of Revenue, Building 2

The Department of Revenue, Building 2, is located at 2450 Shumard Oak Boulevard, Tallahassee, Florida 32311, and currently operates with a café/snack bar on the lower level.

Café and Snack Bar: 1,520 square feet

The food service options include Fresh from Florida, Heart Healthy, vegetarian, and general food items. The café/snack bar offers a selection of snack bar style hot and cold breakfast and lunch, snacks, and beverages.

Anticipated equipment provided on site by the Department:

1 Ultra Food Bar

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IV. GOAL

The Department desires to obtain information from food service providers that will offer solutions to meet the state’s current and future needs.

The Department’s objectives in acquiring this industry information include, but is not limited to, the following:

Providing high quality, affordable options for breakfast and lunch;

Providing a wide variety of snack options. Options for nutritious and healthy snacks must be provided, including fresh fruits and vegetables daily;

Providing outstanding Tenant Customer Service;

Working with the Department’s representatives for improvements, changes, and to resolve issues.

V. RESPONSE

Please provide the following information:

A. COMPANY INFORMATION:

1. Primary Contact

2. Address

3. Phone

4. Email

B. PRODUCT AND SERVICES SUMMARY:

1. A general description of the products available from your company that are necessary to provide food services at the facilities listed within this RFI. Products necessary would include, but are not limited to, hot meals, grab-and-go items, snacks, beverages (hot and cold), fresh produce, made to order sandwiches.

2. A sample menu from another venue serviced by the Respondent.

3. Information regarding services provided to other public entities, including but not limited to counties, cities, schools, and state agencies.

4. A list of equipment the Respondent has available.

5. A general pricing structure and an explanation of how costs are typically used to set pricing for the products your company provides.

6. A copy of the latest Health Inspection Report from any venues serviced by the

Respondent.

7. Information on your company’s policy for training staff as it relates to meeting health codes and food safety standards.

C. RFI QUESTIONS AND RESPONSE:

1. What business model best meets the Department’s primary goal?

2. What would be required from the Department to make the vendor’s business model work?

3. What would be the ideal food preparation/delivery model for the locations specified in this RFI?

4. Are there any other items or alternative options the Department should consider for meeting our primary goal?

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PLEASE NOTE: Any submitted material is subject to the Public Records Act, section

119.07 of the Florida Statutes.

VI. RESPONSE SUBMISSION

Responses must be submitted in both Microsoft Word and as a .pdf via email to the Department at DMS.Purchasing@dms.fl.gov., by the required date and time in Section VIII, Timeline. Additionally, a redacted copy should be submitted, if necessary (see Section X, Confidential, Proprietary or Trade Secret Information, for additional information).

VII. PROCESS

1. Responses to this RFI will be reviewed by the Department for informational and planning purposes.

2. Responding to the RFI does not prevent a vendor from being eligible to contract with an agency pursuant to section 287.057(19)(c), Florida Statutes.

3. Any request for cost information is for budgetary purposes only.

4. After the Department receives responses to this RFI, and at the sole discretion of the Department, one or more vendors may be contacted for further information and/or selected to demonstrate to the Department the products and services related to the information submitted in the RFI response.

VIII. TIMELINE

Listed below are important dates and times when actions should be taken or completed. If the Department finds it necessary to update any of the dates and, or times noted, it will be accomplished by an addendum to the RFI. All times listed below are in Eastern Standard Time (EST) in Tallahassee, Florida.

Date Time (ET)

7/23/2026 Release of RFI 8/6/2026 3:00 p.m. Questions due to DMS.Purchasing@dms.fl.gov

8/14/2026 Answers to vendor questions are posted to VIP 8/28/2026 3:00 p.m. Responses are due to DMS.Purchasing@dms.fl.gov

TBD TBD Presentations, if applicable

IX. RFI QUESTIONS AND CONTACT WITH DMS

Vendors shall address all questions regarding this RFI in writing to the Department at DMS.Purchasing@dms.fl.gov. The Department will post answers to questions on VIP as noted in Section VIII, Timeline.

***ALL EMAILS SHALL CONTAIN THE RFI NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE

EMAIL***

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X. CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY OR TRADE SECRET INFORMATION

Article 1, section 24, Florida Constitution, guarantees every person access to all public records, and section 119.011, F.S., provides a broad definition of “public record.” As such, the entirety of the responses are public records and are subject to disclosure unless exempt from disclosure by law. If the vendor considers any portion of its response to be Confidential Information, the vendor is to mark the document as “confidential” and simultaneously provide the Department with a separate, redacted copy of its response. For each portion redacted, the vendor is to briefly describe in writing the grounds for claiming exemption, including the specific statutory citation for such exemption. On the cover of the redacted copy, the vendor is to provide its name and the RFI name and number and clearly title it, “Redacted Copy.”

Only portions of material that the vendor claims are Confidential Information are to be redacted.

In the event of a request for public records pursuant to Chapter 119, F.S., the Florida Constitution, or other authority, to which documents that are marked as “confidential” are responsive, the Department will provide the redacted copy to the requestor. If a requestor asserts a right to the redacted Confidential Information, the Department will notify the vendor such an assertion has been made. It is the vendor’s responsibility to take the appropriate legal action to assert that the information in question is exempt from disclosure under Chapter 119, F.S., or other applicable law.

If the Department becomes subject to a demand for discovery or disclosure of documents that are marked as “confidential” in a legal proceeding, the Department will give the vendor notice of the demand or request. It will be the vendor’s responsibility to take the appropriate legal action in response to the demand and to defend its claims of confidentiality. If the vendor fails to take appropriate and timely action to protect the materials it has designated as Confidential Information, the Department will provide the unredacted materials to the requester.

By submitting a response, the vendor agrees to protect, defend, and indemnify the Department for all claims arising from or relating to the vendor’s determination that the redacted portions of its response are Confidential Information. If a vendor fails to submit a redacted copy in accordance with this section, of information it claims is Confidential Information, the Department is authorized to produce the entire material submitted to the Department in response to a public records request for, or demand for discovery or disclosure of, these records.

XI. VENDOR COSTS

Vendors are responsible for all costs associated with the preparation, submission, and any potential meeting to discuss this RFI. The Department will not be responsible for any vendor related costs associated with responding to this request.