ESBD_492833_1772137213559_FISD 2026-10 Student Nutrition Software Systems.pdf

2026-010

Student Nutrition Software Systems

Issue Date: 2/26/2026

Questions Deadline: 3/10/2026 10:00 AM (CT)

Response Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT)

Contact Information

Contact: Sheryl Rich Address: Purchasing

600 S. Bois D. Arc Forney, TX 75126

Phone: (469) 762-4100 x10539 Email: purchasing@forneyisd.net

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 1 of 37 pages

Event Information

Number: 2026-010 Title: Student Nutrition Software Systems Type: Request for Proposal Issue Date: 2/26/2026 Question Deadline: 3/10/2026 10:00 AM (CT) Response Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) Notes: Forney Independent School District (“FISD” or “District”) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide a comprehensive Student Nutrition Software System to support daily operations across the district’s Child Nutrition program.

All questions regarding the meaning or interpretation of this proposal shall be requested within the eBidding portal no later than 10:00 a.m. on March 10, 2026. All questions will be answered by the end of day, Friday, March 13, 2026.

Anticipated Date of Recommendation to Board, if required - April 13, 2026.

The District intends the full implementation to be ready within 30 days of date of contract award.

Ship To Information

Address: Forney Independent School District Technology Department, 600 S. Bois D.

Arc Forney, TX 75126

Phone: (469) 762-4100 Email: purchasing@forneyisd.net

Billing Information

Contact: Forney ISD Address: Accounts Payable

600 S. Bois D. Arc Forney, TX 75126

Phone: (469) 762-4100 Email: accountspayable@forneyisd.net

Bid Activities

FISD Closed - Spring Break 3/16/26 - 3/20/26 3/16/2026

Virtual Vendor Demonstrations - select vendors 4/1/2026

The District intends to conduct an initial review of all proposals. Based on this review, a subset of firms may be invited to demonstrate their products. These demonstrations will be used to clarify proposals and further evaluate the product based on functionality, ease of use.

Bid Attachments

Scope of Work and Specifications - Sections 1-15 Free Responses.pdf View Online

In the Required Attachments tab, the vendor must upload a document to include the information in the order herein established.

Forney ISD District Facility List 2026.pdf View Online

District Facility List

FISD_General_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf View Online

Forney ISD General Terms and Conditions

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 2 of 37 pages https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=~buf3wJYuE8OU-F-PuCTjtFTOl-dP8xB9B3qsU-XEQK~T~R8w7ZCTzYTPtYok6OXbU8hOrtu4NpD9Qwyu8TFRg https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=9GQkXo5y4l6l4zhVgWaf-kL0acbx9-6dmFAfJY4FdBJgEJpZtPuAl2QwxqxCTRgCFa8d-u9B3gtKT7eMzNspFw https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=5GFk~jFVNhgCeYr1CV7jefBETfP-MF3f9nHGVx9zE2f~iz41fgX~M~5qQpXemo7a2C-hCUFPrqkLCDXn5uJ7gQ https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//extract.aspx?e=oNaFSGxN8V58diE~H~R89ZmNAfjCz0n8P0NZ2kqL7AVmk7Nwtj0l4XYfloUlLrTm7zaAZID4xzOFAOhQDw0RoA

Conflict_of_Interest_Questionnaire_CIQ.pdf Download

Conflict of Interest Questionnaire

Blank_W-9 (2024).pdf View Online

Blank_W-9 (2024)

Forney_TX_NDPA_V1R6_with_exhibit (2).pdf View Online

I.T. Approval / Texas DIR Cybersecurity Framework - please download and complete then upload in the Required Attachments tab.

Requested Attachments

Scope of Work and Specifications - Sections 1-15 Free Responses (Attachment required)

The vendor must upload a document to include the information requested in Scope of Work and Specifications - Sections 1-15 Free Responses in the order established. See list of required information in Bid Attachments tab.

W-9 - REQUIRED

(Attachment required)

A blank form is located under the "Attachments Tab". Please complete form and upload as part of your proposal response.

I.T. Approval / Texas DIR Cybersecurity Framework (Attachment required)

Please download the Forney_TX_NDPA_V1R6 form from the Attachments tab. Vendor must upload a completed form here as part of your response submission.

Conflict of Interest Questionnaire CIQ v. 1-1-2021

A blank form is located under the "Attachments Tab". If applicable, please complete form and upload as part of your proposal response.

Insurance Certificate

Please upload a current copy of your company's liability insurance, naming Forney Independent School District as the Certificate Holder.

Optional Additional Information

Please upload any additional information you would like to be considered as a part of your proposal response.

Bid Attributes

1 Introduction

There are multiple Bid/Proposal Attributes on this bid/proposal. Several attributes are for information only and do not require a response.

Several attributes will require a response and failure to respond to the required attributes will result in a "submission error". Attributes requiring a response will have with a Red Asterisk *

**Please select each page on the right-hand side of the gray bar below (at the bottom of this list of attributes) in order to view the next page of Bid Attributes**

2 Response Attachments - Name Convention

Be sure to upload all required documents and forms to the "Response Attachments" tab of this bid event.

Please use the below naming convention for all response attachments: Company Name - Document Name. pdf

***ALL DEVIATIONS SHOULD BE CLEARLY LABELED AS SUCH***

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 3 of 37 pages https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//extract.aspx?e=oNaFSGxN8V58diE~H~R89ZmNAfjCz0n8P0NZ2kqL7AVmk7Nwtj0l4XYfloUlLrTm7zaAZID4xzOFAOhQDw0RoA https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=isgv9p7aNXrhoEFo6H9uSBsNFtxzBCt1BB8eig~hbFo2FxPli911RRqwXVS-mK-ruONjrvUJF-c3mN1EYHTI1w https://forneyisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=pAWdwfprY8~CnwsClBSUd0AU9uJGWQxEkWhW9EhUY6xEdDMpxB4L0gLORCEENONSfwPi-kJJlbsYNAleBSay3w

3 Submission Response

Forney ISD prefers responses to be submitted online via our electronic system. However, proposals may be submitted manually. Manual submissions must be delivered to the Forney ISD Administration building located at 600 S Bois d Arc, Forney TX 75126, in a sealed envelope, clearly marked “2026-010 Student Nutrition Software Systems” by the date and time stated in this bid event. No fax or email submissions will be accepted. Only one format is needed. Manual submission shall consist of one (1) original hard copy and one (1) electronic flash drive.

For any questions, please contact our District Purchasing Office at 469-762-4100 or purchasing@forneyisd.net.

Forney Independent School District reserves the right to negotiate with any or all respondents, and accept or reject any or all proposals, to waive any technicalities, and to accept the proposal(s) that is determined to provide the best value to the School District.

4 Vendor Demonstrations / Interviews

At the District’s discretion, one or more Proposer(s) may be invited to demonstrate their solution(s) and/or system(s) and interview or host a District visit, based on a District pre-defined agenda and time line. Said Proposer(s) will be notified by e-mail if the District determines that such demonstrations and interviews are needed.

Proposer(s) shall demonstrate their competence, qualifications and/or ability to satisfy the District’s requirements.

This RFP will require demonstrations to aid in the selection of vendor(s). Virtual or Live Demonstrations will be conducted on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with a select number of vendors based on initial evaluation.

5 Addenda

Forney ISD reserves the right to revise and amend the specifications prior to the date set for the opening.

Respondents are requested to clarify any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omission or other error(s) in the proposal in writing and request modification or clarification as desired. Revisions or amendments to the proposal, if any, will be made by issuing an addendum. Every effort will be made to send addenda issued to the parties known to have been furnished a complete copy of the proposal. No oral interpretations will be made to offerors as to the meaning of proposal documents. Requests for such interpretations shall be made in writing. Failure on the part of the firm to do so shall not relieve them of the obligation to execute such work in accordance with a later interpretation by Forney ISD. All interpretations made to the offerors shall be made in the form of addenda to the proposal documents and posted to the website.

6 Communications Statement

Contact between vendors and Forney ISD personnel during the proposal process or evaluation process is prohibited. Any attempt by vendors during the proposal process to contact Forney ISD personnel may result in disqualification. All communication shall go through the Purchasing Department during this competitive process. All questions received and the corresponding answers will be distributed to all bidders. No verbal responses will be provided. The deadline for questions about this proposal is stated in the Event Details tab and the district will not respond to questions after this time and date. Response to questions will be posted in the form of an addendum to this proposal. The vendors will be responsible for checking the website for any posted addenda.

I acknowledge (Required: Check only one)

7 District Demographics

Forney ISD, just 20 minutes northeast of Dallas, consists of two (2) high schools, The Keith Bell Opportunity Central (The OC), four (4) middle schools, four (4) intermediate schools, eleven (11) elementary schools, one (1) alternative campus, 1 new construction and multiple Administrative buildings and support buildings. The District serves a highly diverse student body of approximately 19,800 students and over 2,900 employees.

Forney ISD is considered a fast growth district.

8 Scope of Work and Specifications

Forney ISD is looking for a vendor that can deliver a reliable, user-friendly system with strong customer support, training, and implementation services to ensure a smooth transition and long-term success.

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The District intends the full implementation to be ready within 30 days of date of contract award.

Vendor Eligibility

All vendors responding must be experienced in providing nutrition software systems for K–12 school districts and demonstrate the ability to meet district requirements, provide ongoing support, and ensure data security.

The selected solution will be used to help Forney ISD efficiently and accurately manage key functions, including:

Standard and custom reporting (operational, financial, and compliance-related) Inventory management and product tracking Menu Planning and Nutritional Analysis Production Back-office tools to support campus and central office workflows Point-of-Sale (POS) meal sales and student account management Free and Reduced Meal application processing and eligibility tracking Meal counting and claiming support

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Section 1: General Requirements

USDA approved software.

Ability to provide production-relevant demonstration of the software’s usability. Production-relevant would be defined as having a complete student, staff, etc. sample database that can demonstrate platform latency and functionality where requested.

Ability to purchase only the specific modules needed for each site.

Offer a fully integrated “Back Office” to include, but not limited to:

Menu Planning and Nutritional Analysis Production Online Digital Suite and Menu Board Display Inventory Management/Ordering and Receiving Online Campus Inspection (Optional) Pre-Ordering and Vending (Optional) Central Warehouse (Optional) Online Meal Payment System (Optional) Free and Reduced Online and Paper Processing (Optional)

The proposed solution must be a fully vendor-hosted, Software as a Service (SaaS) model. The vendor shall be responsible for providing and maintaining all necessary server hardware, operating systems, and database management systems. The solution must not require any on-premises server installation, local database hosting, or hardware maintenance by Forney ISD staff.

Assigned account representative specific to district.

Free Response Items (Required upload in the Required Attachments tab)

1. Provide a general outline of the software installation and data conversion process with an estimate of duration.

2. Provide information regarding your product that is considered a differentiator when compared to competitor products.

Section 2: System Requirements

Deployment Model: 100% Cloud-based/SaaS. No on-premises server footprint allowed.

Data Hosting: Core database must be hosted and managed offsite by the vendor in a secure (SOC2/ISO) environment.

Maintenance: All backend updates, patches, and backups must be managed by the vendor.

Browser-Based Access: The solution must be fully accessible via standard, modern web browsers (e.g., Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 5 of 37 pages

Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox). No "thick client" installations, local plug-ins, or proprietary middleware shall be required on end-user workstations.

Data Ownership & Portability: Forney ISD shall retain sole and exclusive ownership of all data inputted into the system. The vendor must provide a mechanism for Forney ISD to export all data in a structured, machine-readable format (e.g., .CSV, .JSON, .SQL) at any time, without additional cost.

Service Level Agreement (SLA): The vendor shall guarantee a minimum service uptime of 99.9%, excluding scheduled maintenance. The proposal must include a copy of the vendor’s standard SLA, including credits provided to Forney ISD in the event of unscheduled downtime.

Security Certifications: The vendor must provide evidence of third-party security audits (e.g., SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001) for the hosting environment and the application.

Encryption: All data must be encrypted at rest (AES-256 or higher) and in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher).

Authentication: The solution must integrate with Forney ISD’s existing Single Sign-On (SSO) provider (i.e., SAML 2.0 through Rapid Identity or Google Sign-In) for centralized user account authentication and MFA enforcement.

Disaster Recovery: The vendor must maintain a robust Disaster Recovery (DR) plan with a Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) specified in the proposal.

Data Privacy Compliance: The vendor must guarantee compliance with all relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, FERPA) applicable to Forney ISD’s industry.

Data Privacy Agreement (DPA): In addition to all terms of this RFP, the vendor must agree to sign Forney ISD’s standard DPA for data sharing and privacy. A PDF copy of this agreement will be included with the RFP Attachments Tab for review.

Long-term support for Android OS and iOS mobile device operating systems.

Robust internal reporting automation and notification capabilities.

Ability to automate periodic secure file transfer with other platforms.

Ability to support automated student photo imports and account integration in common file formats (.jpg, png., etc.) based on student photo file name.

Ability to integrate with other platforms such as Frontline ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and Skyward SMS SIS (Student Information System) via API or other open interface architecture for synchronization of user data (e.g. mandatory state reporting of Free and Reduced Lunch Status).

Ability to set the record retention policy (at least 5 years) to comply with state and federal regulations.

Built-in exports of active and archived data to standard file formats (such as Excel, CSV, Word, Text and

PDF).

Customizable touch screen interface for key size, shape colors and number of items on screen and graphics.

Automated synchronization feature for communicating in real-time between district ERP System (Frontline

ERP and Skyward preferred) and the software.

Free Response Items (Required upload in the Required Attachments tab)

3. Briefly explain the platform required for your software (client-hosted server, web-hosted server, etc.).

4. List all minimum and recommended system and hardware requirements for POS and/or servers.

5. If any, list all pin pads which are compatible with your software.

6. Provide a detailed list of all client dependencies including, but not limited to, browser plugins, extensions and third-party installations.

7. Describe the lifecycle of the software solution, including version control and future releases. Response should include how and when future software updates are performed and the availability to the system.

8. Provide a list of recommended computer hardware (desktops, laptops, tablets) needed to efficiently run the software at the POS.

9. Provide a description of software security policies to ensure district data will be protected.

10. What method(s) do you use to test for potential vulnerabilities prior to release?

11. Once a vulnerability has been identified, how is the district notified?

12. When a vulnerability has been identified, how long does it take to resolve the issue?

Section 3: Customer Service and Technical Support

Technical support and troubleshooting are available 24/7 via phone and remote assistance, as well as a ticketing system.

Technical upgrades to the software are detailed in writing prior to the implementation.

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 6 of 37 pages

13. List your help desk hours and process that takes place when a district calls for support.

14. Describe your ticket handling process, including escalations and response times.

15. Describe the disaster recovery plan and policies surrounding the software solution.

16. Explain the sample database and its ability to be used for training purposes.

17. Describe the process in which your company provides training to technical users at the district level and how often it is updated. Describe the availability of relevant documents, webinars, conferences, etc.

Section 4: System Administration

Identity Provider (IdP) Integration The solution must support seamless integration with Forney ISD’s Identity Provider (IdP), specifically Rapid Identity or Google Workspace Sign-in, using industry-standard protocols such as SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect (OIDC) for Single Sign-On (SSO).

Automated User Provisioning (SCIM) To eliminate manual account creation, the solution must support automated user provisioning and de-provisioning.

The vendor should ideally support the SCIM 2.0 (System for Cross-domain Identity Management) protocol to allow for real-time synchronization of user identities.

In the absence of SCIM, the vendor must provide a documented REST API or a pre-built connector for our IDP/SIS/ERP to automate the creation, update, and deactivation of user accounts based on status changes in the source system.

Automated Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) The solution must support Dynamic Group Mapping or Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC).

User roles and permissions within the software must be automatically assigned based on attributes passed from the IdP/SIS/ERP (e.g., "Job Title," "Department," "Enrollment Status," or "Primary Campus").

Changes to a user's attributes in the source system must trigger an automatic update of their permissions or "Role" within the proposed software without manual intervention from system administrators.

Manual Account Management: The solution must also support Manual Account Provisioning and Access Control (ABAC) for Administrator provisioning and override of RBAC.

Ability for District administrator to monitor if a site is offline.

Testing environment for technical users.

Import and export data to flat file formats (csv, xlsx, txt, etc.).

Ability to control year end rollover from the district level.

Ability to create user-defined site groups in the POS and back of house program.

Ability to handle schools with visiting students from the entire district.

Ability for user to generate custom reports for any data contained or captured by the system.

Free Response Items (Required upload in the Required Attachments tab)

18. Describe the automation options available for SIS (Student Information System) synchronizations and/or your data ingestion schedule.

19. Describe the backup cycle of the general database.

Section 5: Menu Planning and Nutritional Analysis

Menu planning for all USDA child nutrition programs and approved age groups.

Complies with current USDA nutrition guidelines and is updated periodically, as necessary.

Recipe and ingredient management.

Ability to add new units of measure for ingredients when adding to recipe.

Ability to set-up or add customized HACCP information to recipes.

Ability to select and create allergens for each recipe.

Ability to create, edit and delete cycle menus.

Ability to automatically generate nutritional analysis based on selected menu and production record data.

Ability for calendar menu to be printed and exported.

Ability to scale recipes at the district level and site level.

Ability to distinguish between reimbursable meal, adult meal and a la carte forecast for nutritional analysis.

Ability to automatically generate nutritional analysis based on production record data.

Ability to categorize recipes based on menu items.

Ability to import ingredients and/or recipes including instructions from current software system.

Ability to provide real-time updates for all data.

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Ability to provide a change log to track modifications.

Ability for menu components to print on recipes.

Aggregate or individual data reporting for combined or separate sites.

Current USDA database included.

Ability to utilize GDSN Connect software to access the Nourish to Flourish database containing GTINs to electronically download product information for use in streamlining day to day operations and administrative reviews.

Spelling and grammar editing feature.

Ability to print menu formatted reports displaying individual menu item nutrient content.

Ability to add pictures to recipes.

Ability to recipe yield in batches.

Ability to auto-generate draft orders by vendor based on planned production and ability to print draft order including 0 quantity items, if needed.

Ability to receive partial order.

Ability for order approval feature at district level.

Ability to set up more than one menu at campus sites for special events (field trips, etc.).

Ability to schedule menu changes for future dates and/or menu cycles without disrupting current menu cycle.

Pre and post costing report for recipes and menus.

Ability for menu planning data to be automatically populated and categorically visible on production record.

Ability to print production records at district level and campus sites.

Ability for user to choose to display or hide ingredients on production records so that only the menu item displays.

Multiple site production records available.

Allow site manager to add leftovers to the production record.

Ability for campus sites to input daily planned and served numbers.

Ability to safeguard production record data to prevent modifications monthly.

Ability to add and/or remove menus and recipes when forecasting as needed, based on permissions.

Ability to restrict a site or group of sites from ordering specific products from vendors and central warehouse.

Ability to easily view historical usage for items and recipes based on forecasted or served numbers while forecasting these items or recipes.

Ability to use produced or planned numbers for future repeated menus as selected by user with a carryover and/or autofill feature.

Section 6: Meal Accountability and Reporting

Complies with current USDA and state meal regulations.

Government reports for claims and edit checks.

Custom report generator.

User defined letters.

User defined day end reports.

Interface for accounting.

Generate USDA approvement reimbursement report.

Support Provision One and Two.

Support Community Eligibility Provision.

Allow the user to set up custom reports as needed without vendor tech support.

Export data to a variety of formats (Excel, Word, PDF, Text and CSV formats/spreadsheets).

Meal eligibility categories are defined by the district level.

Generate end of day reports after site completes day end procedure. Criteria for reports to auto generate can be determined by executive users.

Allows reclassification of meals served based on eligibility status change on the same day.

Section 7: Fully Integrated Office

Centralized student database account management.

Enrollment interface.

Payment updated from web portal in real time.

Balances updated at district sites within seconds.

Student and/or adult accounts accessible from any site POS with real time balances.

Ability to limit or restrict student and/or adult access at site level or site group.

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Centralized payment and refund capabilities.

Section 8: Inventory Management

Offer item set-up.

Ability to assign items a custom item number.

Ability to assign item ordering access by campus.

Ability to sort and print inventory count by location.

Ability to manually receive items or update receiving.

Ability to customize storage locations with sub-sections by site.

Ability to make changes to the inventory of a site from the district office location without causing issues at the site level.

Ability to scan items during receiving to inventory.

Ability to track all cost and case size changes and identify which user made the change.

Embedded help feature to assist with calculations and/or conversions.

Allow for adjustment of supplier at the district level to notate where goods are ordered.

Allow for order approval feature at the district level.

Ability to file transfer order to vendor or similar type of electronic transfer of orders to vendors.

Offer site to site transfer.

Section 9: Online Digital Suite and Menu Board Display

Ability to fully integrate with menu planning module and instantly upload and update menus in real time to online digital suite and digital menu board display.

Offer parents online menu and nutritional information.

Allow assigned staff to customize digital suite menu display and digital menu board.

Allow students and parents ability to rate a meal or put items on their favorites list.

Offer digital menu board display at selected campuses.

Ability for the district to customize digital menu board display.

Allows users to set menu board schedule to run breakfast and lunch menu. User can set play time and idle time.

Allow dual menu on the same menu board display.

Digital menu board is connected to the internet and can be hard-wired or wireless.

Free Response Item (Required upload in the Required Attachments tab)

20. Describe the requirements of the menu board display, including its ability to run Windows, Android or Chrome on a commercial LCD screen with or without a PC or media player required.

9 Scope of Work and Specifications CONTINUED

The school district is not obligated to buy optional, extra, or modular items quoted in a proposal.

Additional services or products (including added software seats or modules) may be finalized through additional purchase orders at a future date during the contract period.

Section 10: Point-Of-Sale (POS) - (Optional)

Ability to view all reports and data at the district level.

Ability to view sales by individual line and by cashier log-in.

Ability for students or staff to checkout at the POS by providing their ID number through barcode scanner or compatible USB PIN pad/10-key.

Ability for staff to search for a student or staff member at the POS by name or ID number.

Ability to automatically track students eating at a different site than their enrolled site, with the ability to claim at visiting site or enrolled site per district preference.

Ability to serve student nutrition staff and/or district staff at all POS terminals throughout the district, regardless of site.

Ability to reverse errant same day transactions at the district level and site level.

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Centralized control of allergy flags, notes and POS messages.

Prominent POS messages that require cashier’s acknowledgement prior to sale.

Searchable transaction log to research time, cashier, payments, purchases, etc. and the ability to search from the district level or site level without having to remote into the campus.

District level, customizable account restrictions, such as daily limit, a la carte purchases, etc.

Ability to capture deposit ticket number during day-end procedures to generate a report.

Ability to run meal service during a temporary network or internet outage without manually switching to an offline mode, including if an outage occurs prior to the opening of the POS application.

Product has a roster mode feature accessible by class and grade.

Ability to add secondary sequence of numbers (i.e. pin number) as a security measure.

Product has an automatic notification for second meals.

Ability for an adult to eat from a student’s account.

Ability to import online payments from a third-party system.

Product has a report that indicates (by campus and meal) the names and eligibility of students charged for a reimbursable meal.

Ability to handle multi-tiered pricing of reimbursable meals.

Includes import feature that saves multiple import configurations.

Ability to import student pictures into database with an embedded utility that will resize picture to maximize size for POS screen.

Ability to categorize overlay items and tie to student account restrictions.

Ability to electronically auto-archive day-end reporting to minimize paper usage.

Ability for blind balancing of day end reporting.

Ability to “flag” a transaction for review.

Ability to easily notify the cashier a student’s account balance is low.

Ability to print student ID cards with barcode that can be used for purchasing meals.

Ability to use non-proprietary scanning devices to scan barcodes on student IDs for all purchases.

Ability to honor coupons.

Ability to support multiple POS terminals per site.

Touch screen accommodations right or left hand user interface.

Ability to program overall keys with at least 80 key items.

Ability for purchases to be made from a student’s account, cash, check, debit, credit and/or Apple Pay.

Ability to support cash bulk sales.

Ability to support prepayment at the POS.

Ability for cashier to enter cash or check information, including check number, without leaving the sales screen.

Ability to apply change to account without leaving the sales transaction.

Ability to use non-proprietary ID reader devices (pin pad, barcode) for student identification.

Ability to allow cashier to enter customer ID.

Ability to view student information on sales screen.

Ability to support sales by class roster on screen.

Allowed correction voiding and correction of sales transaction based on user defined criteria.

Ability to support grade, student, adult and employee sensitive pricing.

Ability to print rosters.

Ability to automatically synchronize student eligibility at the district level.

Ability to use current site POS and cashier register machines.

Ability to use current USB cash drawers.

Support dual sided PIN devices per POS station.

No disruption of service during system update and/or upgrade.

Centralized management of POS items, pricing and overlays.

Free Response Item

21. Explain how your program ensures students only receive one reimbursable meal per meal session.

Section 11: Online Payment System - (Optional)

Product has payment capability for food service and other department payments.

Ability for parents to view detailed student transactions.

Ability for parents to access student purchase history without incurring fees.

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Ability for parents to enroll in email alerts regarding student account balances.

Ability to set up automatic payments by dollar threshold.

Ability to set up family accounts where siblings can share a lunch account balance.

Ability to turn lunch sharing on and/or off.

Ability for parents to refund or transfer money among sibling accounts.

Real time availability of online payments.

Ability for parents to designate account restrictions and/or spending limits.

Provide detailed monthly banking and financial reports.

Ability for parents to independently designate account restrictions and/or spending limits.

Ability to provide detailed monthly banking and financial reports.

Free Response Items (Required upload in the Required Attachments tab)

22. Please provide your definition of real time.

23. List your competitive fee structure (volume discounts, etc.).

24. List all acceptable forms of payment that parents can choose from (i.e., debit card, credit card, etc.).

Section 12: Meal Application Processing- (Optional)

Ability for parent to access student account and print household benefit letter.

Ability to generate automated household meal benefit letters.

Ability to track customer historical changes, such as application changes, inactive/active dates, change in POS eligibility, etc.

Ability to manually set a student’s temporary eligibility status.

Ability to expire temporary eligibility status automatically on expiration date.

Ability to identify a change in eligibility status and extend benefits to other members of the household.

Ability to import data from multiple sources (Direct Certification, student picture database, employee database, etc.).

Ability to view student screen with user defined filters.

Ability to run a “Direct Certification” unmatched report with the reason the student did not match (“inactive”, “no match”).

Ability for both parent and user to print an exact copy of a letter that was sent to a household notifying them of their meal status, including the date the letter was originally sent reflected on the letter.

Integrated on-line or paper meal application system.

Ability to track the progress of an online paper application.

Ability to track students’ temporary eligibility status (i.e. first 30 working days in new school year before bulk expirations, 10 grace period days before expirations) along with expiration date.

Ability to automatically notify the user up to ten (10) days in advance when a “pending” application expires.

Ability to generate notification letters/emails (increase or decrease in benefits).

Ability to extend benefit to siblings via address or guardian names through automatic alerts.

Ability to merge student accounts into one household.

Ability for the built-in web interface to accept free and reduced meal applications from the parents.

Ability to process paper and online applications.

Ability to process paper and online applications for non-program sites utilizing a separate income application.

Complete Verification module.

Ability to remove non-program sites from Verification reporting.

Automated year end rollover process.

Multi-track calendar.

Ability to identify and/or distinguish program and non-program students on an application which includes students who are enrolled in both program and non-program sites.

25. On an application which includes students who are enrolled in both program and non-program sites, describe the process in which the system communicates to the user that the application includes both program and non-program students.

26. How are the students on an online application matched?

27. How are online applications downloaded?

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28. Explain how your system processes applications and changes in benefits for households selected for verification.

29. List software that is compatible with your system.

Section 13: Online Campus Inspection- (Optional)

Ability to complete online campus inspection. Assign campuses to staff to conduct the site visit and monitor the inspection progress.

Ability for the inspection module to be accessed from any phone, table or computer.

Ability to offer dashboard for quick review of inspection status and activity among all campuses.

Ability to set up and customize inspection questions.

Ability for inspection module to upload photo, video and audio recording.

Ability to accept digital signature.

Ability for inspection questions to include hyperlinks.

Ability to have unlimited campus visitation templates in the system.

Ability to download reports in multiple formats (Excel, Word, PDF, etc.).

Ability for reporting system to track activities and results.

Ability to email report and do follow-up inspection in the system.

Allow approval rating.

Section 14: Pre-Ordering and Vending- (Optional)

Ability to pre-order meals tied to meal balance.

Ability to cap pre-order based on lunch period.

Ability to print pre-orders.

Ability to begin meal service during a temporary network or internet outage.

Ability for pre-order purchases to be made with student’s account, cash, check, debit, credit and/or Apple Pay.

Vending machines can integrate into the POS.

Vending machines/lockers are nonproprietary.

Vending machines can sell reimbursable meals based on eligibility status.

Vending machines can identify and limit meal transactions based on the amount spent at different POS that day (i.e. daily limit set).

Vending machines can sell a la carte or reimbursable meals.

Vending machine purchases can be made with student’s account, cash, check, debit, credit and/or Apple Pay.

Vending machines and lockers require two-factor authentication.

Vending machines and lockers record transactions and item pick-up when the account is used.

Vending machines and lockers monitor temperature and prevent purchases if an unsafe temperature is reached.

Section 15: Central Warehouse- (Optional)

Ability to receive items from a vendor at one case size and distribute those items to sites at a different unit.

Ability to maintain optimum inventory levels by calculating when and how many new supplies need to be ordered.

Ability to generate pick tickets.

Ability to edit requisition tickets before generating pick tickets.

Ability to substitute different pack sizes than what was ordered based on warehouse inventory on hand.

Ability to store vendor information and production information such as UPC, Lot Number, etc.

Ability to scan bar codes on received items for vendors.

Ability to store one item in different locations.

Free Response Items

30. Describe how the application handles priority if a product with low inventory is ordered from the central warehouse by multiple sites.

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 12 of 37 pages

31. Describe how the system handles the ability to order a specific item that may be purchased from different vendors at different case sizes.

Name of Preparer

By submitting this proposal (bid) you agree that you are an authorized agent of the firm you are representing, and are permitted and authorized to perform such duties as assigned by a principle or act on behalf of the firm's principle(s). Please enter the full name of the person completing this proposal response.

(Required: Maximum 1000 characters allowed)

Forney ISD Terms and Conditions

Forney ISD Terms and Conditions are provided in the "Attachment" tab. Please check if you agree or disagree to the terms and conditions of this proposal. This is your electronic signature.

In order for FISD to do business with your entity you must agree to these terms. Please indicate your understanding and acceptance of this by checking the box provided.

Agree Do Not Agree (Required: Check only one)

Length of Award

The term of this contract shall be for a period from date of award through June 30, 2027. The contract shall automatically extend for additional one (1) year renewal periods unless either party provides written notice to the other party at least ninety (90) days in advance of the subsequent service term expressing a desire to modify the terms or to terminate the contract. In the event of a contract renewal, the initial terms and conditions will apply.

Prices and/or discounts submitted shall be firm for the initial term. Any proposed price change(s) must be submitted in writing and signed by an authorized company representative. All purchase orders dated and issued within these dates will be subjected to the terms and conditions of this RFP. The District reserves the right to negotiate or reject any or all requests for rate increases.

The contract price may be adjusted annually on the renewal date by no more than the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all goods in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for the preceding calendar year (January - December).

Please indicate your understanding and acceptance of this.

I acknowledge (Required: Check only one)

Material Change

A modification that substantially alters the terms of the original contract between the District and the Vendor and/or the total contract value greater than 10%.

1. District will review quarterly velocity reports and/or sales reports to ensure that total amount spent does not exceed the contract value as forecasted.

2. District will ensure a year-end expenditure assessment prior to any bid renewal release to confirm that a material change has not occurred or will occur because of additional items added to the renewal bid.

3. If a material change is discovered, the District may release a new solicitation.

I acknowledge

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 13 of 37 pages

Evaluation Criteria

To determine the award of this proposal, Forney ISD shall consider the following, as provided in the Texas Education Code 44.031(b).

(1) The purchase price -- 40 points

(2) The reputation of the vendor and vendor’s goods or services -- 5 points

(3) The quality of the vendor’s goods or services -- 20 points

(4) The extent to which the goods or services meet the district’s needs -- 30 points

(5) The vendor’s past relationship with the district -- 0 points Considered and deemed not applicable because this factor cannot be used when federal fund are expended, and federal funds will be expended on these services.

(6) The impact on the district to comply with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses -- 0 points

(7) The total long-term cost to the district to acquire the vendor’s goods or services -- 5 points

(8) For a contract for goods or services, other than goods or services related to telecommunications and information services, building construction and maintenance, or instructional materials, whether the vendor or the vendor’s ultimate parent company or majority owner:

(A) Has its principal place of business in this state; and

(B) Employs at least 500 persons in this state -- 0 points

(9) Any other relevant factor specifically listed in this request for bids or proposals

(A) Ability to provide desired professional services -- 0 points

(B) Ability to meet required delivery timeline -- 0 points

Total Possible Points -- 100

The District does not award contracts on pricing alone. The District reserves the right to award the contract to the proposer who offers the best value and is in the best interest of the District. The District reserves the right to be the sole judge as to the definition of "best value" and "best interest of the district".

The District anticipates that the evaluation process may include multiple levels of evaluation, as for example, but not limited to:

Phase 1: Initial review of the proposal by the District’s evaluation team.

Phase 2: Interviews and/or presentations of top proposals from Phase 1, followed by administrative review of finalist(s) and award recommendation.

Please indicate your understanding and acceptance of this.

I acknowledge (Required: Check only one)

Other District Contracts

Do you currently hold any RFP/bid awarded contracts with other Texas school districts?

Answer Yes or No; If "Yes", please indicate the name(s) of each school district below

(Optional: Maximum 1000 characters allowed)

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 14 of 37 pages

Non-Resident Vendor Form

Texas law prohibits cities and governmental units from awarding certain contracts to a non-resident unless the amount of such proposal is lower than the lowest proposal by a Texas resident by the amount the Texas resident would be required to underbid in the non-resident bidder's state. For information regarding this series of questions, see Texas Government Code Chapter 2252.

Section 2252.001(3) “Nonresident bidder” refers to a person who is not a resident.

Section 2252.001(4) “Resident bidder” refers to a person whose principal place of business is in this state [Texas], including a contractor whose ultimate parent company or majority owner has its principal place of business in this state [Texas].

Section 2252.002 states, A governmental entity may not award a governmental contract to a nonresident bidder unless the nonresident underbids the lowest bid submitted by a responsible resident bidder by an amount that is not less than the amount by which a resident bidder would be required to underbid the nonresident bidder to obtain a comparable contract in the state in which the nonresident’s principal place of business is located.”

Pursuant to Section 2252.004, this form does not apply to a contract involving federal funds.

Is your principal place of business in Texas?

Yes or No, if "No", which state is your principal place of business

Non-Resident Vendor

If your principal place of business is not Texas, does your state favor resident bidders in your state by some dollar increment or percentage?

If neither applies to you, please select N/A (Not applicable)

Yes No N/A (Required: Check only one)

Non-Resident Vendor

If yes, what is that dollar increment or percentage?

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 15 of 37 pages

Criminal Background Check

If an employee of a contractor is covered under SB 9, the contractor must bear the burden of obtaining a national, fingerprint-based criminal history check. Under Section 22.0834 of the Education Code, the contractor is then required to certify to the district that the criminal history check has been performed. The contractor, not the district, is responsible for contacting DPS directly to set up an account for the purposes of obtaining criminal history record information. Under the statute SB 9, a contractor is required to conduct a criminal history review on an employee only when the following criteria have been met:

The particular employee will have continuing duties relating to the contract with the district.

The particular employee will have contact with students.

A contractor or sub-contractor may not work on District property or any location the District deems a place where students are regularly present when they have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, as defined by Texas law, they have charges pending, they have been convicted, received probation or deferred adjudication of any of the following:

1. Any offense against a child,

2. Any sex offense,

3. Any felony offense involving controlled substances,

4. Any felony offense against property,

5. Any other offense the District believes might compromise the safety of student, staff or property.

A Proposer's violation of this section shall constitute substantial failure. If the Proposer is the person or owner or operator of the business entity, that individual may not self-certify regarding the criminal history record information and its review, and must submit original evidence acceptable to the district with this Agreement showing compliance. Possession of firearms, alcohol and/or drugs, even in vehicles, is strictly prohibited on school/district property. The use of tobacco products are not allowed on school district property.

Please indicate you understand this policy and will abide by this and all requirements for background checks as deemed necessary by Forney ISD.

I agree I do not agree (Required: Check only one)

Felony Conviction Notification

State of Texas Legislative Senate Bill No. 1, Section 44.034, Notification of Criminal History, Subsection (a), states, “a person or business entity that enters into a contract with a school district must give advance notice to the District if the person or owner or operator of the business entity has been convicted of a felony.”

The notice must include a general description of the conduct resulting in the conviction of a felony. Subsection

(b) states, “a school district may terminate a contract with a person or business entity if the district determines that the person or business entity failed to give notice as required by Subsection (a) or misrepresented the conduct resulting in the conviction.” The District must compensate the person or business entity for services performed before the termination of the contract.

If you answered ”YES” to the felony conviction question, please attach an explanation. Failure to comply will result in disqualification of the bid response.

No, owner/operator has no felony conviction Yes, owner/operator has a felony conviction (Required: Check only one)

Confidentiality Declaration

Any portion of the response considered to be confidential or contain proprietary information, or to contain trade secrets, must be marked accordingly. This designation may not necessarily guarantee the non-release of the information under the Public Information Act or as otherwise required by law, but does provide the District with a means to review the issues thoroughly and, if justified, request an opinion by the Attorney General's office prior to releasing any information requested under the Public Information Act.

Deadline: 3/26/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 2026-010Page 16 of 37 pages

Certificate of Interested Parties (CIP Form 1295)

Certificate of Interested Parties (Form 1295) – must be completed if required, upon request by FISD (filled out electronically with the Texas Ethics Commission’s online filing application, print, sign, and submit to FISD). Vendors must follow the directions provided specifically listed on the Texas Ethics Commission web-site.

Do not file with Texas Ethics Commission or include in proposal submittal unless requested by FISD at a later date. This is included to provide the necessary notice. For additional information, please go to https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/filinginfo/1295/.

Please acknowledge you have read and will abide by this term.

I acknowledge (Required: Check only one)

Criminal History Record Information Certification For Contractor Employees

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