MRRJ Food Services RFP # 2027-01 FOOD SERVICES.pdf

MIDDLE RIVER REGIONAL JAIL AUTHORITY

Serving the Cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg and the Counties of Augusta and Rockingham

350 Technology Drive Staunton, VA 24401

540-245-5420

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL- FOOD SERVICES PROGRAM

Issue Date: October 26, 2026

RFP# 2027-01

Title: Food Services Program for Middle River Regional Jail Authority

Issuing Agency: Middle River Regional Jail Authority Finance Department

Attn: Mr. Phillip T. Braverman, Director of Finance 350 Technology Drive

Staunton, VA 24401

Location of Work: Middle River Regional Jail Authority 350 Technology Drive

Staunton, VA 24401

Proposal Due: December 14, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time

Mandatory Pre-Proposal: November 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

PURPOSE: This request for proposal is designed to solicit non-professional service proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive food preparation and management services for the inmates and employee staff at Middle River Regional Jail Authority. Services include, but are not limited to, the management, procurement, preparation and delivery of all food/meals to inmates, staff members and the periodic provision of specialty and holiday meals. Firms responding to this RFP must have a proven and verifiable record of providing correctional food services with a comparable size agency and scope of operations.

All inquiries for information should be in writing and directed to:

Phillip T. Braverman, Director of Finance Middle River Regional Jail Authority 350 Technology Drive Staunton, VA 24401 540-245-5420 ext. 1241 pbraverman@mrrjva.gov mailto:pbraverman@mrrjva.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION PAGE NO. SIGNATURE/

ACTION/ FORM

REQUIRED

Table of Contents 2 General Information 3 Proposal Requirements and Non-Collusion Statement

4 YES

RFP Requirements, Information, Due Date 5 Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference 5 YES Confidential, Proprietary Information Disclosure 6 YES Performance and Payment Bond 6 Contract Period 7 Contract Administration 7 Communication with MRRJA Authority Board and Staff

Rejection of Proposals 8 RFP Award Schedule 8 Proposal Evaluation 8 Award 9 Definitions 9 Proposal Format 10

Prices 12 Offeror Qualifications 13 Scope of Services: 14

Staffing and Personnel 19 Security Requirements 21 General Terms and Conditions 22

Insurance Requirements 24 State Corporation Commission 27

Special Terms and Conditions 27 Cancellation of Contract 28 Renewal of Contract 30

Appendix A 32 Appendix B 33 Appendix C 35 Appendix D 37 Appendix E 38

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Middle River Regional Jail Authority is a regional jail located in Verona, VA, owned by and serving the localities for the City of Staunton, City of Waynesboro, City of Harrisonburg, the County of Augusta, and the County of Rockingham. The facility opened and began operations in April 2006.

The Middle River Regional Jail Authority facility is constructed on an approximate 24.5-acre site. The rated capacity by the Virginia Board of Corrections is 396 beds with core facilities capable of housing and serving up to 750 inmates on a daily basis. The facility houses male and female inmates.

The Jail’s core operations include providing for the safety and security of the inmates; health and welfare of the inmates, mental health services, transportation of inmates to court and medical facilities, and providing medical services to the inmates. Food services are provided by a contract with Trinity Services Group, INC., serving three meals per day per inmate. Medical service providers are contracted with Rappahannock Creative Health Care.

Trinity Services Group, Inc. has been providing food services to Middle River Regional Jail Authority since April 1, 2020.

Middle River Regional Jail site located at 350 Technology Drive, Staunton, VA, 24401:

Average Daily Population housed in the facility:

Calendar Year Male Inmates Female Inmates Total Inmates

2026 – year-to-date average

Snapshot - October 21, 2026

2025 493 98 591

2024 521 115 636

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND NON-COLLUSION STATEMENT

Acceptance of Proposal Terms & Conditions I/we the undersigned do hereby accept all the terms and conditions stipulated and referenced in this RFP document and will abide by the terms and conditions presented in the RFP document or as negotiated pursuant thereto. The signature(s) below are an acknowledgment of our full understanding and acceptance of all the terms and conditions set forth in this RFP document or as otherwise agreed to between the parties in writing.

My signature certifies that the accompanying proposal is not the result of, or affected by, any unlawful act of collusion with another person or company engaged in the same line of business or commerce, or any act of fraud punishable under Title 18.2, Chapter 12, Article 1.1 Virginia Governmental Frauds Act of the Code of Virginia, 1950 as amended. Furthermore, I understand that fraud and unlawful collusion are crimes under the Virginia Governmental Frauds Act, the Virginia Government Bid Rigging Act, and Virginia Antitrust Act, and Federal Law, and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

I hereby certify that I am authorized to sign, personally or as a Representative for the Firm:

Name of Firm or Individual:

Address:

Federal Identification Number:

Virginia State Corporation Commission Number: ____________________________

Signature:

Name (type/print):

Title:

Telephone: ( ) Date:

Fax No.: ( ___) ______

Minority/Female Business Entity ( )yes ( ) no

W9 Form must be attached.

I. RFP REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

A. PROPOSALS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED VALID.

PROPOSALS WILL BE REJECTED IF NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS.

1. Sealed proposals must be received by the Middle River Regional Jail Authority, 350 Technology Drive, Staunton, Virginia 24401 by the date and time of proposal closing indicated. No late proposals will be accepted. No faxed or email proposals will be accepted. The Jail is not responsible for delays in the delivery of the mail by the U.S. Postal Service, private couriers, or the inter-office mail system. It is the sole responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the proposal is delivered to the Director of Finance by the designated date and hour.

Also, in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4303, MRRJA provides for the option to submit bids electronically through eVA www.eva.virginia.gov, however, MRRJA still retains a requirement for a paper submission for review.

2. Six paper (6) copies of the proposal must be submitted. The original copy must be marked, and copies marked as ‘copy’. A pdf of the complete proposal and any attachments, such as the financial documents, must also be submitted on a usb device.

3. MRRJA will respond that we have received your proposal by the due date. The Offeror can send an email to Director of Finance Phillip T. Braverman @ pbraverman@mrrjva.gov once you have sent your proposal by a delivery service with an expected delivery time and date. Once received, MRRJA will respond to the Offeror verifying receipt by the due date.

4. Proposals must meet all specifications, terms and conditions of this Request for Proposal (RFP).

Offerors need to submit their Federal Identification Number in the proposal, as well as the identification number issued to you by the Virginia State Corporation Commission, or a statement as to why such number is not required. Offeror must also submit the Internal Revenue Service W- 9 Statement.

5. The Offeror’s proposal must be manually signed in ink and returned by the proposal closing date and time along with any other requirements as specified in the RFP in order to be considered for an award.

6. Proposals must be in a sealed envelope/box and clearly marked “RFP #2027-01, RFP Food Services Program” in the lower left-hand corner of the parcel.

7. A proposal may not be altered after opening. The proposal must stay in effect for one hundred twenty (120) days after the receipt of the proposal.

8. A Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference and tour of facility will be held on Monday, November 9, 2026 at 1:00 pm, at Middle River Regional Jail, Authority Board Conference Room, located at 350 Technology Drive, Staunton, Virginia 24401. There will be a required sign-in sheet at the conference to document attendance.

9. The contractor will be responsible for all requirements and successful performance of this contract.

10. Proposals shall conform to all instructions, conditions, and requirements included in the RFP.

Offerors are expected to carefully examine all documentation, schedules and requirements stipulated in this RFP, and respond to each requirement in the format prescribed. Proposals that do not conform to the mandatory items as provided in the proposal instructions will not be considered.

11. A contract will be awarded to a single contractor as a result of this proposal.

12. The awarded contract shall include the provisions of this RFP, the awarded proposal, any additional clauses or provisions required by the terms and conditions, and any further negotiation documents will be included as part of the contract.

13. NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. The Middle River Regional Jail Authority has determined to issue a Request for Proposal for non-professional services to provide services for a Food Services Program contract as opposed to an Invitation to Bid due to the fact that it is not practicable or fiscally advantageous to Middle River Regional Jail Authority to issue an Invitation to Bid, both due to the fact that this is a service contract, and therefore the quality and method of providing services, and the fact that the Offeror may propose different methods of operations, products, and enhanced technology and software to provide the services requested.

14. Cooperative procurement- Middle River Regional Jail Authority is conducting this cooperative procurement agreement on behalf of or in conjunction with one or more other public bodies, or public agencies or institutions or localities of the several states, of the United States or its territories, the District of Columbia, the U.S. General Services Administration, or the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, for the purpose of combining requirements to increase efficiency or reduce administrative expenses in any acquisition of goods, services, or construction. Any agency using this cooperative procurement process shall issue their own contract based on the terms of this request for proposal. MRRJA is not liable for any other contracts issued by any other agency as a result of this RFP.

15. This RFP does not commit Middle River Regional Jail Authority to award a contract. Middle River Regional Jail Authority reserves the right to reject all proposals, and at its discretion, may withdraw or amend this RFP at any time. If, in the opinion of Middle River Regional Jail Authority, revisions or amendments will require substantive changes in proposals, the due date may be extended.

B. CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, TRADE SECRETS INFORMATION DISCLOSURE- If any information contained in the proposal is considered confidential, proprietary or trade secrets by your business, the Offeror must clearly identify and mark the information as ‘PROPRIETARY or CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION’, Offeror must state the reason why the information should be protected, otherwise, the information will be public information.

C. DISCRIMINATION

Middle River Regional Jail Authority does not discriminate against faith-based organizations, in accordance with the Code of Virginia, §2.2-4343.1 or against any Bidder or Offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law relating to discrimination in employment.

D. The contractor shall comply with federal, state, and local laws and federal immigration law and shall not during the performance of this contract knowingly employ an unauthorized alien as defined in the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

E. PERFORMANCE BOND

The selected Offeror shall, after award but prior to start up, establish and maintain a Performance Bond in the amount of one hundred (100) percent of the annual contract amount, if required by MRRJA. The bond will insure the faithful performance of the contract. The contractor will be required to submit the performance bond within twenty (15) calendar days after written notification of award and renew the bond for annual contract renewals.

F. PAYMENT BOND

If the successful offeror requires subcontractors to be used during the performance of this contract, the successful offeror will be required to submit an annual payment bond equal to the annual subcontractor contract amount.

G. CONTRACT PERIOD

This contract shall be for an initial term of five (5) years, starting on April 1, 2026. This contract will include the possibility for additional annual renewals of five (5) annual extension periods at the discretion of MRRJA. The total contract period, if renewals are awarded, is ten (10) years. MRRJA reserves the right to negotiate additional terms, and Contractor may offer additional services upon renewals, or as otherwise agreed by the parties, if additional terms and services are within the general scope of jail food services as contemplated under this RFP. For information on contract renewal period terms, services, and price increases or decreases, please refer to page 30 Section W. If delays in the proposal process result in an adjustment of the anticipated contract starting date, the contractor agrees to accept a contract for the full term of the contract.

H. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

The Middle River Regional Jail Authority staff will administer the contract. Any issues with services, delivery, payment, credit, etc. will be handled directly by MRRJA staff.

I. COMMUNICATION WITH STAFF

From the date the RFP is issued until an Offeror has been selected and officially announced, all communication regarding this RFP by potential Offerors and employees of MRRJA shall be in writing and addressed to Phillip T. Braverman, pbraverman@mrrjva.gov

Once the proposals are submitted by the Offeror, the Offeror is restricted from communicating with other employees of MRRJA or members of the Evaluation Committee staff until a contract is negotiated and signed. Violation of this condition may be considered sufficient cause to reject the Offeror’s proposal and/or selection irrespective of any other condition.

The following exceptions to these restrictions are permitted:

1. Written communication with the person(s) designated as the point(s) of contact for this RFP or procurement transaction;

2. Contacts made pursuant to any pre-existing contracts or obligations;

3. Any information needed to clarify information provided in the proposal or through presentations or discussions from the Offeror to finalize negotiations and a contract will be coordinated by Phillip T. Braverman, @ pbraverman@mrrjva.gov

J. RFP ADDENDUM

Any revisions to the RFP or answers to questions concerning this RFP will be issued as an addendum.

RFP addendum will be distributed to all Offerors by email communication. Any addendum shall become part of this RFP and part of any contract resulting from this RFP.

K. PRIME CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The contractor will be required to assume responsibility for all contractual services offered in this proposal whether or not the contractor performs them. Further, MRRJA will consider the contractor to be the sole point of contact with regard to contractual matters, including payment of any and all charges resulting from the anticipated contract. If any part of the work is to be subcontracted, responses to this proposal shall include a list of subcontractors, including business name and address, telephone number, contact person and complete description of work to be subcontracted. MRRJA reserves the right to approve or disapprove subcontractors at the time of award and throughout the contract period and to require the contractor to replace subcontracts found to be unacceptable.

L. REJECTIONS OF PROPOSALS

Middle River Regional Jail Authority reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, wholly or in part.

MRRJA reserves the right to waive any deviations or errors that are not material, or do not invalidate the legitimacy of the proposal and do not improve the Offeror’s competitive position. MRRJA shall state the reasons for rejection of the proposals and shall be made part of the Request for Proposal solicitation file. All awards will be made in a manner deemed in the best overall interest of Middle River Regional Jail Authority.

M. RFP / AWARD SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY DATE/TIME

1. Release date for Request for Proposal October 26, 2026

2. Mandatory pre-proposal conference at Middle River Regional Jail

1:00 p.m., EST, November 9, 2026

3. Last day to submit written questions 4:00 p.m., EST, November 16, 2026

4. MRRJA responds to written questions through RFP Addendum to be sent to all prospective Offerors.

November 23, 2026

5.

Proposal Due Date

3:00 p.m., EST, December 14, 2026

6.

Estimated date of interviews with selected Offerors

January 6, 2027

7.

Negotiations/Final Best Offer to be received

January 13, 2027

8.

Estimated Notice of Intent to Award

January 20, 2027

9.

Contract start date

April 1, 2027

N. PROPOSAL EVALUATION

1. This proposal is for non-professional services. A point grading system will not be used to evaluate the proposals. MRRJA will award the contract based on the best value and overall best combination of quality of services, operations, products, devices, technology, and support that best meets the needs of MRRJA to provide comprehensive food services to inmates and staff.

MRRJA will select at least two (2) or more offerors to prepare and perform an oral presentation based on information submitted in the proposal. MRRJA will conduct further interviews for evaluation and request any additional clarifying information from offerors that are deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among the proposals based on the information presented and submitted in the proposal.

The selected Offeror(s) will be required to give an oral presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint or similar software application for the presentation. The oral presentation should cover the information submitted in the proposal. A pdf copy of the presentation shall be submitted to the MRRJA Director of Finance, Phillip T. Braverman, pbraverman@mrrjva.gov as a copy for procurement records after the oral presentation.

At least two (2) offerors will be selected after the review of proposals and negotiations will then be conducted with each offeror selected. Price shall be considered but need not be the sole or primary determining factor.

2. Middle River Regional Jail Authority will conduct a fair, impartial and comprehensive evaluation of all non-professional service proposals in accordance with the minimum factors set forth below.

a) The extent to which the proposal meets the requirements of the RFP.

b) The quality of performance of previous contracts in other facilities

c) The proposed method of operations/service delivery for food services

d) The timeline proposed to begin contract services.

e) The financial resources of the Offeror to perform the contract services

f) Competitive pricing of cost of services

O. PROPOSAL EVALUATION COMMITTEE

The proposal evaluation committee members will be:

1. Eric Young, Superintendent

2. Tony Heflin, Deputy Superintendent

3. Phillip Braverman, Director of Finance

4. Garret Irvine, Director of Operations

5. Wyatt Brown, Director of Support Services

6. Amber Hostetter, Chief of Support Services

P. AWARD

1. After negotiations have been conducted and final best offer has been received with each Offeror so selected, MRRJA shall select the Offeror which, in its opinion, has made the best overall proposal and provides the best value, and shall award the contract to that Offeror. Should MRRJA determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one Offeror is fully qualified, or that one Offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that offeror. A contract will be awarded to a single contractor for this proposal.

2. Award results will be posted on the MRRJA website, https://www.mrrjva.gov/active-rfp

Q. DEFINITIONS

The following terms used in this Request for Proposals (RFP) shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have the meanings set forth below:

1. MRRJA means Middle River Regional Jail Authority, Middle River Regional Jail, MRRJA, Jail.

2. ACA Standards means the Standards for Adult Local Detention Facilities published by the American Correctional Association (Fourth Edition, June 2004) as hereafter supplemented or amended.

3. Contractor means the individual, offeror, corporation, or other business entity to be awarded the contract as a result of this RFP process.

4. Offeror means any individual, contractor, corporation or other entity responding to this RFP with a written proposal providing the services requested.

5. Inmate means male, female and juvenile offenders detained at MRRJA.

6. Food Services means all management of activities and personnel, procurement of food and supplies, and the production and delivery of meals, pursuant to the conditions of this RFP.

7. Operating Standards means all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, codes, regulations, Court Orders and American Correctional Association (ACA) and National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) Standards, as any of the same may be supplemented or amended and those rules, regulations, policies, procedures and ordinances reasonably made applicable to Contractor

by. If any of the Operating Standards are in conflict with each other or with this RFP, the more stringent shall apply, as reasonably determined by MRRJA.

8. PREA means Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (Federal Law 42.U.S.C. 15601 ET. Seq.)

9. Project Manager means the person appointed by the Superintendent who will be the official liaison between and the successful contractor on all matters pertaining to the operation of food services.

10. RFP means Request for Proposal, proposal.

11. Service Commencement Date means the first day that the Contractor begins receiving, preparing and delivering food services.

12. JailTracker means the current inmate offender Jail Management System. This is MRRJA’s computerized inmate management system which contains modules and data inmates, housing data, medical conditions and special diet requirements.

13. Health Secure means the current medical software system used by the medical staff.

14. ITS – means inmate telephone service

15. Smart Communications means the current inmate telephone/communication services provider for inmates.

II. PROPOSAL FORMAT

Proposals shall be in the format described below and must include the following:

A. Section One - General Information about the Contractor Provide general information about the company including background, experience, organizational structure, general product descriptions, etc. At a minimum, Section One shall include:

1. Letter of Transmittal-Prepare a brief letter which provides the following information:

a) Name and address of the Offeror

b) Name, title email, and telephone number of the contact person for the Offeror.

c) A statement that the proposal is in response to the Food Services RFP.

d) A statement acknowledging and accepting the terms and conditions of this Food Services RFP.

e) The signature, typed name, email, and title of an individual who is authorized to commit the Offeror to this proposal. The contents of the successful proposal shall become a contractual obligation if a contract ensues.

2. Executive Summary

a) Highlight the contents of the technical proposal and provide evaluators with a broad understanding of the Offeror’s technical approach and the Offeror’s ability to fulfill all requirements and comply with the terms and conditions of the RFP and ensuing contract.

3. Offeror’s Organization and Staffing

a) This section shall include identification of the staff members of the project team, their duties and responsibilities and their background and experience.

4. Sub-contractors

a) The Offeror shall provide any and all information about a subcontractor if used during the performance of this contract.

5. Documented Experience

a) The Offeror must describe the Offeror’s background and experience to demonstrate the Offeror’s ability to operate and provide food services as described in the Food Services Program RFP.

B. Section Two – Client References, Current and Previous Contracts Provide information about the company’s current and previous contracts or business, legal actions against the company, pending legal actions, and audited financial statements. This information must be provided, or the submission may be disqualified.

At a minimum, Section Two shall include:

1.Current Contracts or Business List facility name, city, state, and type of correctional institutions (jail or prison) where Offeror is providing food services and the length of time that each contract has been in effect. The jail facility should have at least 500 inmates as a comparison.

This information must include:

a) List five client references for current contracts

b) List five client references from previous contracts

c) Jail/Prison agency name

d) Type of facility; jail, prison, juvenile facility, other

e) Number of Inmates at facility

f) Length of time for each contract

g) Contact Person at facility/ email address

h) Type of service provided:

i) Reason for termination of the contract, if terminated

2.Previous Contracts or Business List facility name, city, state, and type of correctional institutions (jail or prison) where Offeror has terminated a food service contract or been out-bid in the past 24 months. For each contract specify the contract start date and reason for termination.

3.Legal Action Include disclosure of any legal action pending or settled against the company or corporate principals within the company within the past 48 months.

4.Audited Financial Statements Provide audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year and previous year to support the Offeror’s financial capability to undertake and complete the performance of the contract. If the company is a subsidiary or division of a corporation, the relationship of the Offeror must be clearly delineated in the proposal. This information can be provided as a pdf document on a usb device. If this information is considered confidential or has proprietary information, the Offeror must clearly mark this information as such.

C. Section Three - Offeror’s Work Plan Describe in detail the Offeror’s work plan and proposal for satisfying all RFP requirements. At a minimum, Section Three shall include:

1.Offeror’s Proposed Work Plan – Describe in detail:

a) Actions the Offeror will take to start up and provide food services for MRRJA. The work plan shall include a detailed project schedule identifying all tasks to be accomplished, the Offeror’s approach to task accomplishment, and a timeline for completion of tasks and implementation of the Food Services Program.

b) Operational procedures for proposed hours of operation for delivery of food services to include;

days of operation, hours of operation, number of personnel, and flexibility options such as afternoon/evening hours versus daylight hours of operation.

c) Expectation for using inmate labor in the kitchen to prepare food and clean up, hours needed, number of inmates needed, etc.

d) Delivery procedures for food items and supplies. Include a description of the warehouse and the address of warehouse facility(s) that will be used to provide food products and supplies for

MRRJA.

e) Describe in detail the quality control methods and standards used to provide food services and inventory control methods and standards.

f) Procedures for providing safe, sanitary and secure inventory, including supervision and control to ensure that contraband does not enter MRRJA. For the purpose of this contract, contraband is any item or substance that is not included in the approved menu or products approved by

MRRJA..

g) Describe in detail the Offeror’s plan for emergency backup services to provide meals to inmates in the event of power failure, kitchen equipment failure, etc. If food services are to be prepared off-site, Offeror should provide those details in the response.

h) Procedures for establishing an authorized list of approved food menu items, and procedures for changing items from the approved list.

i) Procedures for dealing with staff/inmate complaints and methods for minimizing the potential for inmate litigation regarding food related issues.

j) Provide information regarding any proposed innovative concepts that may enhance value and quality, any favorable cost containment approaches or additional or alternative ideas that may be successful if implemented at MRRJA.

k) Additional information to be included with your proposal;

(1) Inmate Training Guidelines

(2) Sample Menus

(3) Corrections diet handbook/guidelines

(4) Special meal guidelines and sample menus

(5) Complaint Process guidelines

(6) Security procedures guidelines

(7) Emergency contingency food plan

D. Section Four - Offeror’s Products and Cost Proposal

Provide information about the Offeror’s product line and cost of food items. The Offeror’s list shall include as a minimum:

1. Product description, including product size, weight, etc.

2. Brand name of the product

3. Proposal should include Price per meal/items for:

a) Inmate Meals

b) Common Fare (religious) Meals – these should be a pre-packaged Kosher style meal or a mutually agreed upon alternative meal

c) Special Diet Meals

d) Bagged Meals

e) Staff Meals

f) Other items for staff such as popcorn, waffle mix, slushy mix, lemonade, coffee, ice cream mix, etc.

DI. Proposal should state how meals/products are billed; such as daily, weekly, bulk items, etc.

DII. Cost Proposal- the Offeror shall complete Appendix A, Contractor Pricing Table, providing incremental pricing based on average daily inmate population as indicated.

1. Pricing shall be in terms of meal cost per inmate with the same rate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. MRRJA would like to see pricing options for 1) using inmate labor in the kitchen with food service supervisors (current practice) and 2) using food service employees to prepare food, serve the line, load tray carts, conduct counts, and manage staff dining. Inmates could still be used for sanitation, stocking shelves as shipments arrive, and work the dish pit.

2. MRRJA shall pay for all services rendered under the contract. Contractor will submit to the Project Manager, on a mutually agreed day each week, an invoice covering the cost of meals provided for the previous week.

3. The amount of inmate meals to be billed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be determined based on an inmate census report ran from the MRRJA Jail Management System currently Jail Tracker prior to meal distribution.

4. The Contractor’s invoice shall reflect the meal cost per inmate per day based on the average daily inmate population during the month preceding the invoice.

5. Average daily inmate population shall be based on the total number of inmates confined in the jail as counted by MRRJA staff.

6. The proposal should include all costs in the proposed per meal/per inmate costs, to include the cost for holiday meals, medical diet meals, religious diet meals, other special diet meals, other items such as drink packets, and all consumable and disposable items shall be included in the meal cost per inmate.

7. The proposal should include the cost for all other operational and management needs required to perform these services to be included in the meal cost per inmate.

8. The proposal should include a separate cost for bagged meals for special events, such as natural disasters or other circumstances that may require the serving of more bagged meals than specified in the scope of service. This cost will be billed separately as authorized by the Project Manager.

9. See Appendix B for a two-week sample menu of inmate meals.

10. The proposal should include the costs in the proposed per meal/per staff member costs for staff meals. See Appendix C for a two-week sample menu of staff meals.

11. The price per meal quoted in this proposal shall be firm for the first year of the contract and adjusted annually thereafter based on changes in the Consumer Price Index as outlined in Appendix D.

F. Section Five - Exceptions and Deviations Provide a statement expressing the Contractor’s understanding and willingness to comply with all provisions of the RFP. If there are provisions of the RFP that the Contractor is unwilling or unable to comply with, the Contractor shall identify the paragraph number, list the provision in its entirety and provide the reason for non-compliance.

If there are provisions of the RFP that the Contractor would like to propose an alternative solution, the Contractor shall identify the paragraph number, list the provision in its entirety and provide the alternative solution.

G. Section Six - Technology Enhancements and Other Services Offeror may use this section to describe technology enhancements, software applications, other financial, food, or technology services, that are available through or recommended by the Offeror to provide these services.

III. OFFEROR QUALIFICATIONS

A. Contractor Qualifications To qualify for this contract, the Contractor should:

1. Demonstrate the Offeror has experience providing food services in jails with an average daily inmate population up to 750 inmates.

2. Demonstrate financial stability.

3. Have operated under the same business name for the last three (3) years.

4. Demonstrate that the Contractor has the corporate staffing and organizational structure required to support the contract.

B. Geographic Scope The Contractor must identify the geographic scope of the firm, whether local, within Virginia, regional, national or international. If the company is not local, it must identify the location of the closest office designated to provide project support, supervision and oversight. Contractor must provide details regarding off-site (from MRRJA) resources dedicated to this contract.

IV. SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Inmate Meals:

1. The Contractor shall serve inmate meals on this daily schedule.

• Breakfast 06:30 a.m. – hot meal

• Lunch 11:30 a.m. – hot meal

• Dinner 6:30 p.m. – cold meal

• Meal schedules may be modified due to the operational needs of MRRJA.

2. During the fiscal year period between July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026, there were 636,369 inmate meals served in the jail, and 8,657 common-fare meals. On a typical weekday 40-50 of the meals served are sack/bagged lunches.

3. Inmate meals include one (1) hot meal for breakfast, one (1) hot meal for lunch, and one (1) cold meal for dinner per day and bagged meals for inmates who are unable to receive one or more of the hot meals that day due to work assignments or other operational issues, seven (7) days per week. Currently, meals are delivered to inmates in the jail through a tray service. Work Release inmates will receive one (1) hot meal for breakfast, one (1) bagged meal for lunch, and one (1) hot meal for dinner. No more than fourteen (14) hours shall pass between the dinner and breakfast meals.

4. All menus and special diets must meet or exceed the standards for adult holding and detention facilities as established by the ACA. All menus must be approved prior to service by your registered dietitian. All meals served will meet or exceed the current Dietary Reference Intakes required for adult males as established by the Food Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences and will provide an average weekly caloric intake of 2,900 calories per day, in addition to all required nutrients (DOC Standard 6VAC15-40-550). The facilities dietary allowances are to be reviewed at least annually by a qualified nutritionist or dietician to ensure that they meet the nationally recommended allowances for basic nutrition. Menu evaluations are to be conducted at least quarterly by food service supervisory staff to verify adherence to the established basic daily servings (ACA Standard 4-ALDF-4A-09).

5. The Contractor shall supply food supplements as ordered by the Director of Medical such as the items noted below:

1. Liquid Nutrition Health Shakes

2. Jevity Isotonic Liquid Nutrition, 1.5 ltr

3. Jevity Isotonic Liquid Nutrition, 8 oz

4. Nepro Nutritional Supplement, 8 oz

5. Glucerna, 8 oz

6. Glucerna, 1 ltr

7. Ensure

6. The Contractor shall ensure that a sample tray for each inmate meal is dated and maintained for no less than Seventy-two (72) hours. The sample tray must be labeled with the date and time. The meal menu must be attached to the tray then wrapped.

7. Bagged meals, replacing a normal meal for regular inmates, shall consist of two (2) sandwiches containing luncheon meat, the appropriate condiments (mustard, mayonnaise, etc.), one (1) serving of fruit, either one

(1) bag of chips (potato, corn, etc.) or one (1) wrapped cake-like dessert and one (1) 8 oz. fruit juice or fruit flavored drink.

8. The Contractor shall have the capacity to provide 40-50 bagged meals per day, to include, but not limited to, events such as:

1. Bagged meals for inmates who have not been able to have one or more hot meals.

2. Inmates working on work crews

3. Inmates at Work Release who will carry a bagged meal to work

4. Inmates going to court

9. MRRJA will be responsible for the cost of:

i. Pest Control Services

ii. Waste Removal Services

iii. Grease Removal Services

iv. Small wares such as trays, pots, pans, service ware, carts, and beverage containers

v. Telephone and Internet Service for the Manager’s office

B. Inmate Menus:

Contractor shall provide with proposal submittal, sample menus for four (4) consecutive weeks (28 days) for the following categories:

1. 2,900 calorie diets for standard inmate population

2. Cold bagged lunches and snack bags

3. All menus must provide for the following mandatory criteria:

A. Dairy drink packet at breakfast meal.

B. Coffee drink packet at breakfast meal.

C. Pork Free Menu- we currently have a pork free menu.

D. Every meal should contain at least 900 calories. Ex) breakfast 900, lunch 1,000, and diner 1,000

E. A minimum of 3 ounces of meat-based protein shall be served with every meal.

F. Menus must specify when and how many packets of mustard, ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise, etc., are to be served.

G. Half-ounce portions of butter or margarine are to be served.

H. When served, peanut butter must be pre-packaged.

I. Mechanically separated meat (MSM) shall not be served.

J. Vegetable, potato, and rice portions served are to be a minimum of one-half cup per serving.

K. Casserole entrees shall be not less than a ten (10) ounce serving.

L. Menus shall use ground turkey, diced turkey, turkey ham, turkey sausage, and sliced turkey for all menu items instead of pork, ham or sausage, and reasonably substituted ground beef.

M. Selected precooked, proportioned entrees that contain no more than 6% filler may be used.

N. Types of desserts that are to be served include frosted cakes (yellow, vanilla, chocolate), cobblers (apple, cherry, peach), cookies (two (2) medium per serving), and non-citrus fruit.

4. Substitutions to the approved menu must be of equal quality to the item for which they are substituted.

Prior to substitution, except in emergency situations or equipment failure, Contractor must provide Project Manager with a written explanation of every food substitution that needs to be made.

5. The contractor shall not include additional servings of butter, margarine, etc. solely for the purpose of boosting calorie count of the meal.

6. Contractor shall propose a new inmate menu for review by Project Manager upon request of MRRJA.

Contractor shall have the option of including a “Manager’s Choice” meal once a week with prior approval from Project Manager.

7. The same menu shall be served to the entire inmate population, with the following exceptions:

1. Medical diets specified by the MRRJA Director of Medical.

2. Religious diets;

3. Inmates on work release who carry a bagged meal to work;

4. Alternative diets, such as nutraloaf or food loaf. Each diet loaf will be prepared without deviation from the Diet Loaf Recipe as according to the recipe, for a total of 2,900 calories per day.

8. Provide details in your proposal regarding the “as served” portion size of each menu item.

9. The Contractor shall provide, at no additional cost, medical diets, and alternative diets (nutraloaf) conforming to special religious or physician-ordered specifications (ACA Standard 4-ALDF-4A-09 and DOC Standard 6VAC15-40-550). Certain medical diets require a P.M. snack. The Contractor will submit with the proposal a sample of the corrections diet handbook or a schedule of a sample four-week menu to be served inmates on restricted diets.

10. Prior to commencement of service, all menus shall be approved by the Contractor’s Registered Dietician and may be reviewed by a dietician selected by MRRJA. The menu must be evaluated quarterly by the Contractors Registered Dietician and the Project Manager and formally re-approved annually by the Contractor’s registered Dietician and the Project Manager. All menu evaluations will be at the Contractor's expense.

11. Special Meals, Holiday Meals & Catered Events: Contractor shall include in their proposal their policies for serving special meals, holiday meals and special catered events with potential menus and holidays identified.

All such meals will be provided at the contract rate unless otherwise agreed upon by the Contractor and the Project Manager. Two (2) holiday meals will be provided annually for inmates, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Catered meals for special events may be requested as designated by the Superintendent, with at least a seventy-two-hour notice. See Appendix E for sample menus.

C. Staff Meals and other Food Supplies:

1. The Contractor shall price separately the cost of providing staff meals on a price per staff member for a breakfast meal and a lunch meal.

2. The Contractor shall serve staff meals on the schedule currently in use by MRRJA:

• Breakfast 05:00 a.m. -08:30 a.m.,

• Lunch 11:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m.

• A minimum of twenty (20) Lunch meals per day need to be prepared and left for night-shift staff

3. During the twelve-month period of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026:

a. 10,751 breakfast staff meals served, average 29 per day

b. 20,064 lunch staff meals served, average 55 per day

4. The staff meals served shall be a satisfying, hearty, and standard “family style” meal.

5. Staff meals are served seven (7) days a week.

6. The current style of service is an established portion size “grab and go” menu

7. The Contractor shall submit a sample three-week menu for the Staff Dining as part of the proposal.

A two (2) week sample of the Staff Dining menus are shown in Appendix C of this RFP.

8. Contractor shall provide a cost per meal per staff meals. The current price per staff meal is the same cost per meal for the breakfast meal and the lunch meals at $3.53. The charge for staff meals shall be based on the number of breakfast or lunch meals served to employees. MRRJA will provide an adequate tracking system for staff meal volume. The current practice is a paper sign-in sheet completed by employees in staff dining.

9. MRRJA may also purchase additional supplies for staff such as;

a. Lemonade

b. Popcorn

c. Waffle Mix

d. Slushy Mix

e. Ice Cream Machine Mix

f. Soda Machine Mix

10. The Contractor shall supply at no additional cost coffee and fixings to the Staff Dining break room.

a. The Contractor will keep the staff dining break room fully stocked at all times. Supplies and equipment shall include but are not limited to regular and decaffeinated coffee, coffee filters, tea bags, sugar, sugar-free sweetener, creamer, stir sticks, cups.

11. As part of the contract the Contractor may be asked to provide catered meals for special occasions.

The menus and per person price shall be determined prior to the event.

D. Food Inventories: Food inventories purchased by the Contractor are the property of the Contractor and the Contractor is responsible for any loss, damage, or spoilage. The Contractor shall be responsible for receiving all goods at the loading dock. The Contractor shall be responsible for the supervision of inmates receiving, unloading and storing food and related items. Contractor shall monitor the movement of products in and out of the food service areas to avoid all conflicts with Middle River Regional Jail operations. Middle River Regional Jail shall have the right to inspect all items, packages, containers, etc. entering or leaving the facility. The Contractor shall at all times maintain a minimum inventory of two weeks of non-perishable food to ensure scheduled meals are met and emergency situations are covered.

E. Federal and/or State Commodities:

The Contractor may include in the proposal details for incorporating a plan to incorporate free federal and/or state commodities, which may be used to offset the price per meal for the contract period.

F. Disposables/Consumables: The Contractor shall furnish all disposable and consumable items at their own expense. This includes, but is not limited to: paper goods, plastic goods, gloves, hair nets, face/beard nets, sacks and other consumable items used in the Contractor’s operation.

1. Disposable plates only are used for inmates on suicide watch.

2. Disposable cups are used for work release inmates

3. Disposable cups, bowls and plates are used by staff meals daily

G. Food Delivery and Service: Contractor shall provide all staff and management for the Jail Food Service Program. This includes any needed equipment, not currently provided by MRRJA, to ensure proper preparation, delivery, management and compliance with established food service standards.

1. The delivery of food shall be on a schedule provided by MRRJA. The current delivery schedule is Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

2. Inmate kitchen workers will transport food from the kitchen to the serving location.

3. The Contractor shall ensure the delivery of food at established temperatures consistent with code and other requirements.

4. The Contractor shall monitor and document minimum and maximum food temperatures at inmate/staff serving location. Food shall be delivered to the serving location at temperatures prescribed by ACA Standards.

H. Inmate Labor: Offeror shall detail in proposal procedures for providing safe, sanitary and secure food service management, to include supervision of inmate labor, and internal security of products and equipment available to inmates. Inmates will be provided as required by the Contractor, subject to the approval of the Superintendent. The Contractor will provide with their proposal, a work schedule and job descriptions for all inmate staff, including the number of inmates required per shift. Such personnel will be utilized for the preparation of food, delivery of meals, and general sanitation and cleaning. The Contractor agrees to train and supervise all such personnel, subject to the overall control of MRRJA. Offeror shall provide in the proposal details as to the training to be provided to the inmates and job descriptions.

The contractor shall provide required information to the Jail for the use of inmate labor.

5. Inmate trustees work from 03:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. each day. There are two shifts that work rotating shifts. Included in the daily schedule is varying hours for the cooks, dietician staff cook, stockman and cleaning crew.

6. There are currently up to 20 trustees on each shift subject to the approval of MRRJ staff with a minimum of 15.

H. Equipment and Facilities: Ownership of equipment provided for use to the Contractor by MRRJA shall remain the property of MRRJA. Equipment to be supplied to the contractor will be available for inspection during the pre-proposal conference. Within ten (10) days of the start of the contract the Contractor and the Project Manager or designee shall conduct a complete inventory of all equipment supplied to the contractor.

The Contractor shall take all reasonable and prudent measures necessary to ensure that equipment is properly used and maintained. The Contractor shall report all equipment problems to the Project Manager immediately upon becoming aware of the problem(s).

1. MRRJA will provide an office space for the on-site Contractor’s Manager employee.

2. MRRJA will provide a telephone and internet service for the on-site Manager.

I. Temperature Logs: Contractor shall ensure that temperature logs are maintained for each refrigerator and freezer on a daily basis.

J. Safety and Sanitation: The Contractor will be responsible for all disposable cleaning supplies, including, but not limited to, chemicals, hand soaps, dishwashing detergents, paper towels, trash bags, rags, gloves, goggles, and any other supplies necessary for cleaning and sanitation not specifically listed.

1. All sanitation, janitorial services, safety and cleaning are the responsibility of the Contractor as required by ACA, NCCHC, state and local regulations. This responsibility includes all Food Service areas assigned to the contractor.

2. Contractor’s Food Service Manager will meet with Project Manager not less than once a week to review status of food service operations.

3. The Contractor shall submit a safety plan to Project Manager prior to the Service Commencement Date. The Contractor shall ensure that its safety plan complies, at a minimum, with all applicable Augusta County, State of Virginia, and Federal safety rules, regulations and standards.

K. Hazardous Materials: The Contractor shall ensure that all hazardous chemicals, materials and substances are stored and used in compliance with all operating standards. The contractor shall maintain on hand, immediately available for staff use, current Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all chemicals, cleaning supplies, lubricants, etc. used in the performance of the contract.

L. Staffing and Personnel:

1. Criminal History Check: No later than ten (10) business…