Pre-Proposal Conference - Attendance Report.xlsx

This Pre-Proposal Conference Attendance Report documents participants who attended the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) and Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) pre-proposal conference held on October 24, 2025, for USDA Foods Warehousing and Distribution Services. The solicitation seeks up to three vendors to manage receipt, storage, and distribution of USDA-allocated food products to public and private schools across five Indiana regions during the 2025-2026 school year with potential renewal for one additional year. Attendees included state agency representatives Cohen, Robert and Sturgeon, Eli from IDOA, as well as representatives from multiple food service and distribution companies including Sysco, GSFoods Group, and Gold Star Foods. The proposal submission deadline is November 17, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET, with an estimated total case delivery volume of 353,689 cases across 348 educational institutions.

Qualified vendors must demonstrate at least three consecutive years of experience in public storage warehousing or food distribution and maintain comprehensive warehouse facilities capable of storing dry, cooler, and frozen food items with strict temperature maintenance protocols. The state will compensate contractors monthly for handling, storage, and delivery services based on submitted invoices. The procurement includes Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation goals of 8% for Minority Business Enterprises and 11% for Women Business Enterprises, and vendors must comply with Indiana's Veteran-Owned Small Business (IVOSB) subcontractor commitment program. All respondents must be registered with the Indiana Secretary of State and comply with the Indiana Office of Technology's Information Security Framework, including data protection, encryption, and incident reporting requirements. Proposals will be evaluated on management quality, operational capabilities, and cost, with cost proposals normalized to a maximum of 30 points.