MPS Combined Bid 26_27.pdf

Mansfield Public Schools & Region 19 Food Service:

“Field toTray”

Request For Proposal (RFP)

26/27 School Years Food Service Combined (Dairy/Milk, Produce, Prime, Paper)

Submission Deadline: July 23, 2026 Submitted to: foodserve@mansfieldct.org (via email)

Submission Contact:

Food Service Director

Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley, RDN popeleskitilleym@mansfieldct.org mailto:popeleskititlleym@mansfieldct.org

Introduction:

The Mansfield Public Schools (MPS) consists of two schools, one elementary Pre-K through 4th and one middle school serving 5th through 8th grade students. The district consists of approximately 1,000 students. MPS has an interschool agreement to provide food services to Region 19 ( called E.O. Smith High School). E.O. Smith HS is a regional high school located in Storrs, CT on the campus of the University of Connecticut. The school serves about 1,100 students in grades 9 through 12 from several surrounding towns including Mansfield, Ashford, Willington, Windham & Columbia. Additionally the school is a Vocational Agriculture choice school and has an alternative high school (Depot Campus) and a post graduation skill development program for students aged 18 to 22 years. (STAAR)

The successful vendors will be awarded contracts to provide the services as described in this RFP for a period of one year (subject to annual appropriations as provided in the Contract), with potential option(s) to renew for four additional one year periods, at the District’s sole discretion.

The district will consider each category in this RFP as a separate award and will award each category to those vendors who will provide the best value to the district.

Mansfield Public Schools is seeking proposals from vendors to provide Milk, Produce, Paper and/or Prime services for use in the three school kitchens that provide breakfast and lunch through the USDA National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

Mansfield Public Schools manages a self-operated Food Services (FS) Department with an interschool agreement with Region 19 High school. The two districts are independent in many ways, but collaborate on the food and nutrition program and policies.

Each of the three schools has a full commercial kitchen with walk-in freezers and refrigerators, and a variety of equipment that enables the food service team to create many meals from scratch. For SY 29/27 all three schools will be offering bulk milk at lunch meals. Sustainability and quality are top priorities of the program. It is the goal of the department to continue to increase scratch cooking and serve wholesome, delicious meals to our students and staff. The program serves about 1400 meals daily.

Each school has convenient delivery areas.

Communication & Timeline:

RFP Contact: Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley, RDN Food Service Director Email: Foodserve@mansfieldct.org Maraiah Popeleski-Tilley is the sole point of contact for communication concerning this RFP.

As email delivery issues can occur from time to time, the District strongly recommends that vendors request confirmation of receipt.

Communication:

All communication is limited to the RFP Contact unless a delegation naming an additional contact has been provided in writing.

● There should be NO communication with any district staff or consultants regarding this

RFP.

● Activities, communication, and contact after the RFP has been issued with anyone other than the RFP Contact may be considered consulting activities and could disqualify you from submitting a proposal for that school.

● If contacted directly by any district staff or consultants you should direct them to the RFP Contact to make the inquiry on their behalf.

● Telephone or in-person inquiries shall not be accepted. Vendors shall not contact District staff directly via email with questions and may not rely on any verbal statements by District staff that alter any specification or other term or condition of the RFP.

This RFP may be modified only in writing and signed by the Food Service Director or designee.

Schedule of activities and timeline:

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION DATE

Issue RFP Post and email to vendors 7/1/2026

Inquires Email only 7/1/2026 to 7/23/2026

Proposal Submission Deadline

Email submission only 7/23/2026 by 2pm

Evaluation By director and team 7/23/2026 to 7/28/2026

Award Announced No later than 7/30/2026

Requirements- All Vendors and Food Categories

This section applies to all food categories and is a requirement of all vendors who propose on this RFP. The requirements of this RFP has been broken out into several sections:

General Requirements – This section applies to all food categories and vendors mailto:Foodserve@mansfieldct.org

● Dairy (Milk)

● Produce

● Prime Vendor

● Paper/disposable kitchen supplies

Corporate capability and experience will be evaluated based on performance record, years in the industry, relevant experience, number of School Food Authorities served, and client retention and satisfaction.

Please note if there are conflicts between the requirements in this section and the requirements for a specific food category, the requirements in the food category requirements will take precedence.

Each food category will describe the pricing structure required by the district.

Delivery Requirements:

All shipments shall be delivered separately to each school location:

1. Mansfield Elementary School 134 Warrenville Rd, Mansfield Center, CT 06250

2. Mansfield Middle School 205 Spring Hill Rd, Storrs, CT 06268

3. E.O. Smith High School 1235 Storrs, Road, Storrs, CT 06268

The Vendor shall deliver items in conjunction with this proposal to the schools during weekdays between the times listed below, after hours may be available occasionally upon request.

EO Smith High School: 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM and from 12 NOON to 2:00 PM Mansfield Elementary School: 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM Mansfield Middle School: 6:30 AM and 9:30 AM

Specific delivery schedules will be mutually established after the award of the contract.

Deliveries will continue through the school year on a weekly basis from mid to late August until about mid June.

Delivery for summer school and catering may continue weekly or occasionally through June, July & August.

Holidays & Professional Development days:

Delivery schedules may change several times throughout the year when the District is closed due to breaks, holidays or other closings for professional development

Refrigerated & Frozen Deliveries:

All deliveries shall be made in accordance with good commercial practice in clean containers and clean refrigerated trucks and shall be adhered to by the successful Vendor.

Refrigerated products shall be delivered at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or less, and frozen products shall be delivered completely frozen at zero degrees Fahrenheit or less.

Product(s) exceeding allowable temperatures or displaying evidence of temperature shock, thawing and/or refreezing, will be rejected and replacement expected in a timely manner.

Packing slip/ Delivery Ticket:

The Vendor shall enclose a complete packing slip, delivery ticket, and invoice with any items to be delivered in conjunction with this proposal.

The packing slip shall be separate from, but accompany the shipping cartons/containers, which contain the items and shall be made available to MPS authorized representatives during delivery.

The packing slip or delivery ticket shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

customer name; date of order; date of delivery; a complete listing of items being delivered with product item number, units, price per unit, and extended price. The MPS receiving representative has the authority to reject shipments that do not conform to this requirement.

All deliveries must be accompanied by an invoice showing proper quantities and prices.

Deficiencies, Defects, and/or Damages to Products shall be corrected by Vendor:

The successful Vendor shall promptly correct all deficiencies, defects and/or damages in products delivered to MPS in accordance with this proposal. All corrections shall be made within a maximum of two (2) calendar days after such deficiencies, defects and/or damages are reported, verbally or via email, to the Vendor by the FS Department.

The Vendor shall be responsible for filing, processing and collecting all damage claims against the shipper when applicable.

Credits and Refusal of Product:

MPS reserves the right to refuse goods at time of delivery if quality is deemed unacceptable based on the judgment of receiving staff. Refused products at time of delivery will be credited on the invoice and signed for by the driver and staff person receiving goods.

Credits for Products Post Delivery:

Damaged or substandard product discovered after time of delivery will be reported to the Vendor as soon as discovered for credit and immediate product replacement if needed.

Emergency School Closure The Vendor is responsible for monitoring the status of school closures on the local news and to contacting MPS to arrange delivery schedule adjustments when necessary so that MPS receives product as per agreement.

Orders:

In the event that the contracted Vendor does not provide products in a timely manner, MPS reserves the right to purchase products elsewhere to cover the orders that were not fulfilled.

The representative for MPS will order directly from the Vendor by PDF PO via email, directly through the ordering portal or through agreed upon procedures. Telephone orders may be used occasionally.

Contact information for telephone ordering will be requested with your response. You will be required to notify MPS of changes to contact information.

Preference for order edits will be accepted by the Vendor via email or phone call up to 24 hours before scheduled delivery. We will accept up to 72 hours but please explain alternate criteria in your response.

Forecasting and Estimated Quantities:

The District will work with Vendors to determine forecasts and will expect the Vendor(s) to fulfill all of the orders in a time period that is efficient for the District. Substitutions and shortages should be on a very limited basis. Any potential substitutions or shortages MUST be Pre-authorized and should be labeled clearly as such on each invoice with a separate item code.

The District will provide the Distributor with a system of forecasting purchases with sufficient lead-time to ensure successful fill rates. Distributor will outline forecasting requirements, such as time. This is a “demand usage contract”, and the estimated quantities listed on the proposal pricing schedule are an approximate amount based on the current year’s usage and no guarantee is given or implied as to the amount that will be purchased.

Quantities may increase or decrease as needs change, such as participation changes, menu changes, etc. In some instances The District may have under or overestimated the quantities, all pricing shall be furnished and held firm at the awarded prices until the last order.

Estimated quantities may be affected by amounts of USDA commodities received by the District.

The District reserves the right to change, remove, or add products as necessary with sufficient notice to the Distributor.

Estimated quantities/units of purchase are provided in this RFP for the Vendor’s guidance only.

No guarantee is expressed or implied as to quantities that will be used during the contract period.

MPS is not obligated to place an order for any given amount subsequent to the award of this contract. Estimates quoted are based on the district's actual needs and use during the previous contractual period or prior twelve month period; whichever is longer.

Backorders, Substitutions and Shorts Backorders:

Must be offered to be filled automatically within twenty-four (24) hours when full delivery is not made. The Vendor shall not invoice MPS for backordered items until such backorders are delivered and accepted by a MPS authorized representative.

The Vendor shall not deliver any substitute item as a replacement for an awarded item without direct, explicit consent of and approval from the FS Department prior to such delivery The Vendor must be capable of emailing, texting, or calling the district to alert of any product shorts prior to the day’s delivery.

Reporting and Documentation:

Monthly statements:

Monthly statements reflecting site volume and details of purchased goods, credits and returns or damaged goods by school are expected, including items, quantities, and pricing. Monthly statements shall be emailed to foodserv@mansfieldct.org by the fifth (5th) day of the following month.

Velocity Reports:

The chosen Vendor(s) must be able to produce digital monthly and year-end velocity reports in spreadsheets (not PDFs or scans). Reports shall be emailed to foodserve@mansfieldct.org by the (5th) fifth day of the following month.

HACCP Program:

Vendors must provide documentation of their HACCP program in place (systematic manufacturing practices that follow food safety compliance).

This shall be submitted as part of the Vendor’s proposal.

Any changes to the Vendor’s HACCP plan shall be communicated to MPS upon implementation of changes.

Vendor to Provide Nutrition Analysis:

The successful Vendor(s) will be required to provide nutritional analysis, Child Nutrition (CN) Labels and ingredient list to MPS on certain items as required within thirty (30) days of the award for items requested.

Miscellaneous/Other Requirements:

Purchase of Other Items Based on Price Quotes:

While MPS has listed many of the items purchased and used by the District, there may be additional items that must be purchased by the District during the term of this contract. The

District reserves the right to award these additional items to the successful Vendor or to another Vendor based on the lowest price quote, quality standards, etc.

Recalls:

Vendors shall take immediate action to correct any situation when product integrity is violated. In the event of a mandatory or voluntary recall, Vendor shall remove or authorize disposal of all recalled product from MPS within five (5) days, and shall replace the product with new product at no cost to the District as soon as possible.

Integrity is up to the discretion of the purchaser. A product recall may be enacted at any time within three (3) calendar months of receipt. Vendors must have a traceability system in place in case of a foodborne illness outbreak or recall.

Sustainability:

One of the District’s primary goals is to reduce packaging waste in adherence to the District’s Sustainability goals, so the use of reusable plastic bins is preferable to cardboard (as applicable). Reusable plastic bins are to be supplied by the vendor and will be sanitized before each use by the vendor. MPS will not provide reusable plastic bins.

Federal Requirements:

Federal Regulation Compliance:

Due to the Use of Federal Dollars Because the items that will be acquired under this proposal will be purchased, in part or in whole, with federal dollars, it is hereby agreed and understood that the products provided will be grown, packed and processed by U.S. purveyors. These products must be packaged and inspected in accordance with applicable regulations (Pure Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Agricultural Marketing Act, Fish and Wildlife Act, Meat Inspection Act, The Tariff Act, Poultry Products Inspection Laws, Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, The Antitrust Laws). Certification of compliance with the following Acts is required: Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P1 94-163): Provisions of Occupancy Safety and Health Act and The Standards and Regulations issued there under; provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act:

Executive Order 11246, “Equal Employment Opportunity” as amended by Executive order 11375; Department of Labor Regulations (41 CFR Part 60); Section 306 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 1857 (h); Section 508 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1368) Executive Order 117389 and Environmental Protection Agency Regulation (40 CFR Part 15).

Buy American:

The District participates in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and is required to use the nonprofit food service funds, to the maximum extent practicable, to buy domestic commodities or products for program meals. A domestic commodity or product is defined as one that is either produced in the U.S or is processed in the U.S substantially using agricultural commodities that are produced in the U.S as provided in 7 CFR 210.21(d).

Exceptions to the Buy American provision are very limited; however, an alternative or exception may be approved upon request. To be considered for an alternative or exception, the request must be submitted to the FSD, a minimum of 2 days in advance of delivery.

The request must include the:

● Alternative substitute(s) that are domestic and meet the required specifications:

○ Price of Domestic food alternative substitute and

○ Availability of domestic alternative substitute in relation to quantity ordered

● Reason for Exception: limited/lack of availability or price (include price)

○ Price of Domestic food product and

○ Price of non-domestic food product that meets the same specification of the domestic product

Food Safety:

As a licensed food service establishment serving a vulnerable population the MPS food service department follows strict local and federal food safety guidelines and regulations. Vendors play an important role in maintaining food safety standards. As part of your response to the RFP we will ask that you provide information on your processes, training and certifications for food safety. These include:

● A copy or link to the vendor’s HACCP and/or Food Safety Plan

● A list of any Recalls associated with the vendor’s products in the last 12 months

● A 'Letter of Guarantee' of Food Safety practices by the broadline distributor, and also provided from the distributor from each product manufacturer of every product we order from that broadline supplier

● A 'Letter of Guarantee' of Food Safety practices by the other specific suppliers, poultry, ground beef, dairy, etc.

● A 'Certificate of Analysis' from a certified scientific laboratory, shall be provided by the vendor quarterly (4x/year), for all meat, poultry, dairy, and egg products, showing adequate lab testing of safe pathogen levels in those items.

● The ‘Certificate of Analysis’ for ground beef products will include at a minimum, testing for: E. coli STEC, Salmonella spp. Listeria Monocytegenes.

● The ‘Certificate of Analysis’ for raw poultry items will include at a minimum, testing for:

Salmonella spp., E. coli STEC, Listeria Monocytegenes, Campylobacter.

● The ‘Certificate of Analysis’ for fresh dairy items will include at a minimum, testing for: E.

coli STEC, Salmonella spp. Listeria Monocytegenes.

● The ‘Certificate of Analysis’ for liquid eggs will include at a minimum, testing for: E. coli STEC, Salmonella spp., and Listeria Monocytegenes

Discounts and Payment Terms:

We are awarding each food category separately, but we understand that some vendors are capable of providing proposals for multiple food categories.

If we award multiple food categories to a vendor we expect that there will be savings in doing this. As part of your response please provide your savings proposal.

Web-based online ordering system:

The District may be interested in companies who offer a web-based online ordering system that is seamlessly compatible with the District’s menu and recipe software (Health-E–Pro)

Requirements:

Dairy (Milk)

The District is requesting proposals for supplying and delivery of milk and other dairy products The District will be using fluid milk on a daily basis in breakfast and lunch programs. The requirements in this section are in addition to the General RFP requirements. If there are inconsistencies between these requirements and the general requirements these take precedence.

Pricing Method Escalating Unit cost / Firm cost The prices proposed by Vendor shall remain in effect from 8/01/2026 through 6/30/2027.

DAIRY PRICING TABLE

In their response the vendor will supply a pricing table similar to this one if proposing this category:

Nutrition facts labels and ingredient and allergen information is required for all products. - Bulk and single serve yogurts may not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Description UOM Pack Size Escalating unit cost

Fixed cost

Food Specifications:

Vendors must comply and be able to meet all food specification requirements Standards:

The District requires both 5 gal Bulk Milk (bags) and 8 oz Cartons/containers of milk in both 1% plain and Fat Free Chocolate flavor, which shall comply with updated added sugar regulations as follows, added sugar is restricted in yogurt at ≤ 12 g per 6 ounces, and flavored milk at ≤ 10 g per 8 fluid ounces

● Bulk milk to be supplied in 5 gallon bag in a box or cartons or reusable containers. Both 1% plain milk and fat free chocolate flavored milk are used in lunch service at all three schools.

● Single serve 8-ounce 1% plain milk and fat free plain milk will only be used in the Breakfast programs.

● Single serve 8 oz and bulk milk will be ordered regularly by sites to fulfill the USDA requirement of providing two types of milk to students.

● Milk must be authenticated as free of recombinant bovine growth hormones also known as rBST or rBGH.

● Added sugar restriction in flavored milk at ≤ 10 g per 8 fluid ounces

Vendor/contractors wishing to offer one or more alternatives for the District to consider may do

so. The District will make the final determination on acceptability of any offered alternatives.

Units of Purchase Units of purchase have been specified in the MPS Bid inventory spreadsheet.. When a Vendor wishes to quote a pack size which is different from the unit specified in the product description, a different size may be quoted, but the total quantity must be adjusted appropriately.

Origination and Processing Preference will be given to vendor/contractors who can supply Connecticut milk and provide proof of the source of the milk and supply chain.

Delivery and Packing Specifications All Delivery requirements previously stated in this document shall be met.

Note: The following are additional or food specific requirements and take precedence. All shipping containers and cartons must be clean, and delivered in sturdy cases free from rust and dirt. Leaking containers or ones containing so called “ropy milk,” partially filled and/or damaged containers will be returned for credit or exchange. Occurrences of such problems will be tolerated one time with a warning. Any future occurrences due to improper sealing of the containers or bags will require the vendor/contractor to go to the site to make restitution and clean up in the coolers. Milk is to be kept between 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit during delivery.

Use or sell by date must be at minimum one calendar week (7 days) from day of delivery but ideally two weeks shelf life from delivery day is appreciated. Milk delivered with less than 7 day shelf life to use or sell by date will be refused and the vendor will be responsible for replacing the product that same day with milk with a shelf life that meets these requirements.

Requirements: Produce

The Mansfield School District is requesting proposals for supplying and delivery of fruits and vegetables. The District will be using produce on a daily basis in breakfast and lunch programs.

Each school kitchen will be preparing most of the “cut” items (e.g. shredded carrots, celery sticks) for the veggie trays and salad bars as well as preparing all side vegetable dishes (e.g.

roasted potatoes, and fresh salads) for lunch meals. The school kitchens will also use produce in production of scratch-cooked main course entrees. The requirements in this section are in addition to the General RFP requirements. If there are inconsistencies between these requirements and the general requirements these take precedence.

Pricing Method The District recognizes that because agricultural products are affected by seasonality and weather, produce pricing is responsive to market pressures and trends in ways other food markets are not. MPS is seeking proposals using a “cost plus” pricing method. Cost Plus pricing recognizes the variable market fluctuations to the vendor/contractor while guaranteeing the District’s case markup does not fluctuate throughout the year.

In their response the vendor will supply a pricing table similar to this one if proposing this category:

PRODUCE / PRICING TABLE

VENDOR PROPOSED COST PLUS PER CASE

MARK UP

Product Packaging Usage 7/1/23 to 6/30/24 (rounded)

Pricing unit

Sept price

Jan Price

April Price

Sample veg

40 pounds Sample:

Case $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

• List your proposed case markup. This markup will remain firm for the full school year of purchase

• Price the produce list by item with your company’s purchase cost in each of the months listed.

The District may require proof of purchase price on the top 15 volume items before awarding

RFP.

• Please use the produce pricing table for estimated district requirements.

Food Specifications Vendors must comply and be able to meet all food specification requirements

Standards The District requires clear identification of the origin of product on the weekly offering list and the invoices. This includes:

• Mandatory identification of Country of Origin;

• Mandatory identification of Connecticut products;

• Preferred identification of state of origin of other products.

The District requires the vendor/contractor to have a Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) system in place in order to assure produce traceability throughout the entire produce supply chain.

The District’s produce needs will include both whole and possibly some fresh cut items. If a vendor/contractor does not have its own in-house processing plant for fresh cut product, identification of the processing facilities used must be listed as a part of the response to this

RFP.

Weekly Produce Listings The District expects to receive weekly produce offerings and market reports. Certain items on the menu are listed as “seasonal” to ensure that the District can respond to seasonality, quality and value if a product is on the market in excess and experiencing pricing reductions. Pricing listed in the weekly offering list must show vendor/contractor’s cost plus the agreed-upon case markup.

The District expects to be offered #1 product at all times.

Units of Purchase Units of purchase have been specified within the Produce tab of the usage document. When a Vendor wishes to quote a pack size which is different from the unit specified in the product description, a different size may be quoted, but the total quantity must be adjusted appropriately.

Origination and Processing The District wishes to engage a vendor/contractor that has a proven track record of both purchasing and promoting agricultural products grown in Connecticut and New England.

Requirements

Prime Vendor

The District requests proposals for purchasing commercial food products and related services from a Prime Vendor. To minimize the need to seek alternate distributors, the District will purchase most of its commercial food and supply products, except food products excluded below, from Prime Vendor Distributor, which will agree to provide all products specified by the District in the “market basket”.

*Items excluded from the prime vendor contract:

● Milk

● Locally Sourced Products (limited)

A vendor may be awarded another section of this RFP. In that situation we will combine the contract terms and add that food category to the Prime Vendor contract

Pricing Method The required method for determining Distribution prices in the contract is “Cost plus Fixed Fee.”

The Vendor will provide a Prime pricing table similar to this example if proposing this category:

Pricing Table

PRIME PRICING TABLE

Note: Alternate Product Proposal - Must be equal to or better than Specified item

Description Brand QTY Size % of Spend

Cost Fixed Fee

Description Brand Cost Fixed Fee

Definitions:

● Cost is defined as Distributor’s invoice from the supplier, plus inbound freight, minus customer allowance (rebates) and any other “off” invoice allowances including any distributor mark-up/upcharge.

● Distribution Fee is defined as the difference between cost, as defined above, and the selling price to the District. Fixed fees shall remain firm for the duration of the agreement regardless of supplier invoice price.

● A single fixed fee shall be quoted per shipping carton. The fixed fee shall be bid in dollars and cents, and NOT as a percentage (%).

● The distributor’s fixed fees shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract and shall include ALL overhead, profit and handling charges.

● The fee for broken cases (splits) shall be prorated based on the number of units ordered from the full case. The District will keep broken case orders to a minimum. It is anticipated that these will be mostly spices, condiments and some non-food items.

Required provisions for cost reimbursable (cost plus fixed fee) contract

● Allowable costs will be paid from the food service account to the contractor net of all discounts, rebates and other applicable credits accruing to or received by the vendor or any assignee under the contract to the extent those credits are allocable to the allowable portion of the costs billed to the school food authority.

● The vendor must separately identify for each cost submitted for payment to the school food authority the amount of that cost that is allowable (can be paid from the food service account) and the amount that is unallowable (cannot be paid from the food service account); or that the vendor must exclude all unallowable costs from its billing documents and certify that only allowable costs are submitted for payment and records have been established that maintain the visibility of unallowable costs, including directly associated costs in a manner suitable for contract cost determination and verification.

● The vendor must identify the amount of each discount, rebate and other applicable credit on bills and invoices presented to the school food authority for payment and individually identify the amount as a discount, rebate, or in the case of other applicable credits, the nature of the credit.

● The vendor must identify the method by which it will report discounts, rebates and other applicable credits allocable to the contract that are not reported prior to conclusion of the contract.

● The vendor must maintain documentation of costs and discounts, rebates and other applicable credits, and must furnish such documentation upon request to the school food authority, the State agency, or the Department

Product Pricing

● It is the distributor’s responsibility to collect bid pricing for all requested items

● Bid pricing should be based on the District’s estimated annual volume plus volume to the distributor inclusive of all other entities.

● The District shall have access to all bid pricing from manufacturers.

● Cost information must be available for audit upon request by the District.

● The awarded distributor must provide Net Off Invoice (NOI) and Modified Fee for

Services (MFFS) for USDA foods at a reasonable fee to the District.

Food Specifications Vendors must comply and be able to meet all food specification requirements

General Product Specifications

● The District discourages the use of the following ingredients: high fructose corn syrup, added trans-fats, colors and dyes and artificial/non-nutritive sweeteners.

● The District prefers products to be natural and may not award items unless they are free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives and have minimal ingredients and processing. ‘

● The District purchases only trans-fat free products, except for naturally occurring small amounts of trans-fat that may be present in animal proteins.

● It is the preference of The District that all “center-of-the-plate” items contain no more the 600mg of sodium per serving, that calories from “total fat” be below 35% (excluding nuts, seeds, nut butters and reduced‐fat cheese) and calories from “saturated fat” be below 10%. Reduced‐fat cheese is exempt.

● Grain products should be Whole-Grain unless otherwise requested by The District.

Whole-Grain is defined as a product that contains greater than or equal to 50% whole grain ingredients by weight. All other ingredients must be enriched.

● The District reserves the right to determine whether or not the distributor has complied with product specifications and to choose which product best suits the needs of the district.

● Breakfast Cereals: Must have no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce.

● Yogurt: Must have no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6-ounce serving (2 grams per ounce).

● Flavored Milk: Must have no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces.

Product List

This attached spreadsheet provides a “Market Basket” list of the top 80%+ of products currently used by The District for the evaluation of the vendor proposals. In their response the vendor will supply a pricing table including all information categories in the spreadsheet.

Item descriptions are intended to illustrate the types of products and the quantities that The District uses. They are not meant to be limitations for the awarded distributor when competitively bidding products.

Product Information

● An acceptable product is one that meets or surpasses the specification. The District will approve or reject all products and pricing. The District shall be the sole determinants of product acceptability.

● During the contract period, The District reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to add new items and new manufacturers to the contract as companies continue to offer new products. New items will not exceed 20% of the total contract value. New items will be purchased according to the following procedure:

○ The District will submit product specifications to the awarded distributor.

○ Distributor shall solicit costs for more than one approved product that meets the intended specifications.

○ If requested, samples for testing shall be provided at no cost to The District. Each sample should include the product nutrition information, allergy information, and preparation instructions.

○ Purchase prices for new items will be determined by: FOB shipping carton cost + freight-any bill backs + fixed fee per shipping carton.

○ The District reserves the right to change products as needed throughout this contract.

○ The District is committed to increasing scratch cooking and seeks alternative protein items to replace pre-cooked items, such as whole muscle chicken instead of chicken nuggets. Uniform size portions and quality are essential in any proposed substitution.

○ Additional items may be proposed, but shall not substitute for items listed in the spreadsheet.

○ Buy American rules apply to all food items proposed by the vendor.

● The District reserves the right to remove items from this contract, if a product is no longer needed.

● Included in proposal submissions, Distributors will need to provide electronic copies of product data sheets for all items listed within this RFP. Data sheets should include, but are not limited to, CN statements, manufacturer ingredient and nutrition fact panel, allergy information, pack sizes, instructions for preparation and serving. The distributor must notify The District whenever there is a change of sources.

● The District must be notified by the distributor of any ingredient or nutritional changes or preparation process changes within ten (10) days of the distributor receiving this information from the manufacturer.

● Random sampling and testing of products received may be performed. Should any item fail to meet specifications, quality or condition as sampled, The District shall require the distributor to remove from our warehouse, and full credit shall be given for the total amount of product removed.

● A distributor may not change from one approved product to another without prior written approval from The District during the course of the contract period. If a product is discontinued, a written explanation from the manufacturer stating that the product is no longer being manufactured must be sent to The District’s respective authorized representatives. The explanation shall include a complete description of the item offered to replace the discontinued awarded item. Letters from brokers or distributors are not acceptable in lieu of a manufacturer’s letter.

● The process of substituting one product for another is STRONGLY discouraged as each item is strategically placed on the menus to meet the components of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. All substitutions MUST be pre-approved by The District’s respective authorized representatives before delivery can take place.

Substitutions without prior approval will not receive payment. Payment for approved substitutions will be made per serving based on contracted pricing.

● The information concerning the specifications, manufacturer’s name, product code number, or pack size is based on the latest available information that The District has. If the information listed concerning the specifications, manufacturer, product code number, or pack size is incorrect, please note it on the item in question when quoting. The District may decide that the item needs to be re-bid if an error has occurred in the product specified.

● The distributor will notify The District of all items that are deemed “special” or proprietary to The District, and the distributor will provide a monthly report for all such items. This report will contain the quantity on hand, usage, and expiration date. Items of this type are limited to a 30-day supply as determined by The District and are not to be excessively stockpiled by the distributor.

Delivery and Packing Specifications All Delivery requirements listed in the general information shall be met.

Note: The following are additional or food specific requirements and take precedence.

General Delivery

● The distributor must take all necessary steps to ensure that their warehouse facilities/vehicles can safely and securely store and transport the products. The awarded distributor(s) will be required to submit their most recent HACCP Plan and inspections to the District.

● It is the distributor’s responsibility to hold the frozen product at a uniform temperature of zero (0) degrees Fahrenheit or lower and cooler/dry products at 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit until the time of delivery. At the time of delivery, the product should show no evidence of defrosting, or refreezing, Presence of products showing deviations from the requirements will cause rejection of the involved product or delivery.

● The successful distributor’s delivery trucks must have temperature logs when transporting freezer/refrigerated products to the school kitchen. If the temperature log is not computerized and does not automatically record temperatures during the route, the driver must record at the beginning of the route, at least two (2) additional stops during the route and at the last stop of the route. The District may request a copy of a specific delivery route’s temperature log if an issue occurs.

● All delivery trucks must be clean, sanitary and free from dirt and debris. The kitchen manager or receiver may refuse a delivery if the truck is not clean and sanitary.

● Describe safety and security procedures that are in place at the distribution center and in the transportation of products to protect the food supply.

● HACCP: The District expects a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan to be in place by Distributor and their manufacturers. Prior to awarding the bid, the District may require documentation verifying that a written HACCP plan is followed

● Deliveries of shorted products are not considered an off day delivery

USDA Foods Processed

CSDE outlines that in CT All processors must enter into a National Processing Agreement with the USDA. After the USDA approves a processor, the processor needs an agreement with the CT FDP to do business with Connecticut RAs. The agreement between the state and the processor is called a State Participation Agreement (SPA). A SPA only allows the processors to do business with Connecticut schools, it is not a form of procurement. To further process USDA Foods into selected end products, the RA must competitively procure the product and/or services of a processor to have the USDA Foods converted into end products. These procurements are the responsibility of the RA, not the CT FDP. All RAs must comply with the requirements in 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 400 as applicable, in purchasing end products, distribution, or other processing services from processor For further information see CSDE information sheet: “Connecticut Food Distribution Program (CT FDP) USDA Foods Further Processing”

The Prime Distributor shall participate in this process by either Indirect Discount or Modified Fee for Service.

● Indirect discount (net off invoice): The processor delivers end products to a commercial distributor, which must sell those products to an eligible RA at a net price that incorporates a discount from the commercial price for the value of donated food contained in the end products.

○ Net Off Invoice Requirements:

○ Distributor must sell at a net price + distribution fees. Distributor must provide their distribution fee for commodity processed products separately in their response

○ Fully Substitutable Commodities

○ Identical Commodity/Commercial Products sold at the price contracted with

USDA

○ Processor sells to distributor at gross price

○ Distributor sells product to any customer

○ Sales Verification

○ Processor responsible to conduct sales verification

○ District responsible to confirm receipt of NOI product AND commodity value

District takes title of product once the distributor delivers product.

○ Distributor invoices District the net price. The invoice must identify the gross case price and on a separate line the value of donated food(s) per case

○ Distributor must provide a sample NOI invoice in response

○ Distributor must have the technology in place to meet the reporting requirements of the processors for NOI commodity processed items, K12 Foodservice or Processor Link.

● Modified fee-for-service: The distributor sells end products to the RA at a fee-for service, which includes all costs to produce the end products not including the value of donated food used in production. Under these arrangements, the end products are sold to a distributor for a fee, which represents the processor’s costs for labor, packaging, other ingredients, and administrative overhead. With a fee-for-service contract, the price awarded is net of a discount applied for the ingredient the processor received. The RA pays the distributor for a lower cost item than the commercial equivalent very of Commodity Processed End Product

Perishable Products All perishable products delivered to the District must arrive at time of delivery to the school kitchen with a minimum of 15 day shelf life.

Direct Shipments Vendor is to document in detail the process/procedure and potential discounts for direct shipments of food or other related products (non-food items) from the manufacture to District warehouse. Include price breaks for quantities ordered to maximize ordering and cost savings.

Shortages and Substitutions The District will work with the Distributor to determine the forecast and will expect the Distributor to fulfill all of the orders. The Distributor will provide daily reports of any shortages or outages.

The District requires the Distributor to receive prior approval from the Food Service Director for any substitution of an outage or shortage. If Distributor is temporarily out of stock or short on a particular item, an equal (or superior) product may be delivered with prior approval from the Food Service Director. Substitutions may not be made with higher priced products without prior approval from the Food Service Director. In no instance shall an item critical to operation be shorted.

Special Orders Distributor will provide the procedure for special orders of non-stock products including but not limited to lead time, minimum delivery requirements and pricing.

Proposal Submission Instructions

The purpose of this section is to provide a guide for vendors to assure all required information is provided, and to facilitate review of proposals. Proposals are due on or before the due date: July 23, 2026 and at 2:00pm, late submissions will not be accepted. Completed proposals should be emailed only to foodserve@mansfieldct.org

Required Submission Documents for All Vendors replying to this RFP:

● Pricing spreadsheet or table of each category the vendor wishes to bid

● Signed Bid Proposal Form

● Completed References Form

● Sample invoices

● Sample velocity report

● Product Data Sheets/CN labels (combine all data sheets into a single file for submission)

Mansfield Public Schools & Region 19 Food Service

BID PROPOSAL FORM

Combined Bid (Dairy/Milk, Produce, Paper & Prime)

BID OPENING: Wednesday July 1, 2025

To: email proposal to foodserve@mansfieldct.org

The undersigned, as bidder, agrees to provide food service ingredients and supplies as specified herein and the vendor declares that he has carefully examined the all points in the RFP. The vendor proposes and agrees that, if this Proposal is accepted, they will contract with the Mansfield School Food Services.

FIRM:

Name

Street

City, State, Zip Code

NAME:

Printed Name

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

FAX NUMBER:

EMAIL ADDRESS:

SIGNED:

DATE:

BIDDING FOR:

DAIRY, PRODUCE, PAPER, PRIME:

List any and all

REFERENCES FORM

List references for similar services provided for at least four (4) clients in the past five (5) years.

Please note it is our intent to communicate with the references listed herein.

Client 1:

Organization Name:

Contact Name: Phone:

Service Dates:

Type of Establishment: ______

Client 2:

Contact Name: Phone:

Type of Establishment:: ______

Client 3:

Contact Name: Phone:

Type of Establishment:

Client 4:

Contact Name: Phone:

Service Dates:

Type of Establishment: ______