Request for Proposals # 08062026 – Produce Proposals

Mt. Hood Community College – Child Development and Family Service (CDFS) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide and deliver produce items. Vendors who demonstrate an ability to meet the enclosed requirements are invited to submit a proposal as specified herein.

Submission Due Date: 4 PM PST August 21st, 2026 (late proposals will NOT be considered)

Proposals shall be emailed to:

Email: Kara.Carsner@mhcc.edu Call (503) 491-7420 with questions.

Produce Delivery Location:

MHCC Gresham Campus 26000 SE Stark Street Building 21, Early Childhood Building Gresham OR 97030

Key Details:

• Goods will be ordered intermittently throughout the year, typically twice a week.

• Deliveries must be made directly to the Gresham campus at the correct delivery location and times.

• MHCC operates on a school-year calendar and observes planned program closures which may affect delivery schedules.

Submission Instructions:

Interested vendors should refer to the following details for specifications, terms, and submission details. All parts of this bid must be completed and submitted to be considered for the award of the contract.

Vendors Must:

• Be a produce distributor with at least ten years of experience

• Offer prompt, courteous, and responsive delivery service

• Act as a resource for coordinating timely delivery schedules

• Provide new marketing and product information, as it becomes available on the market

• Be able to make deliveries only Monday through Friday between 7:30 am and 10:30 am Terms:

• All proposals shall be for merchandise delivered F.O.B. destination.

• All shipping/handling charges are to be included in proposal amount.

mailto:Kara.Carsner@mhcc.edu mailto:Kara.Carsner@mhcc.edu

• There shall be no extra, or miscellaneous charges, i.e. fuel charges, to the district made directly to a site regardless of case count or dollar value of order, unless otherwise stated in vendor proposal and accepted by MHCC

Product Quality:

Produce products are to be furnished and delivered in accordance with the following:

A. Product Quality: All products sold to MHCC shall be warranted and guaranteed to be merchantable by Vendor and fit for the purpose for which it is intended.

Product temperature FOR EACH ITEM must be maintained at a suitable temperature to maintain freshness, quality, shelf life and nutritional value. Product shall be transported in a climate-controlled container regulated to keep the item(s) in good condition and in accordance with the current US Department of Agriculture guidelines and food handling practices during all stages of processing, distribution and storage.

B. Deviations from specifications: If there is any deviation in the pack, source or quality of an item requested, from that prescribed in the specifications, the difference must be clearly indicated and approved by MHCC. During the term of the Contract, Vendor must adhere to the pack and size specifications.

C. Brand, pack size, product specifications changes: The Vendor shall not change the brand, pack size or product specifications, including but not limited to ingredients and product formulations, unless circumstances arise that are out of the vendor’s control.

Notice in writing with an explanation for the change shall be given to the district five (5) business days prior to any change.

D. Substitutions: All substitute products offered shall be approved by MHCC before shipment of the order.

All substitute items shall be equal to or better than the original item. The determination of equivalency will be based solely on the opinion of MHCC.

If there is a price difference in the unit price (unit as determined by MHCC) between the original item and the substitute item, then MHCC shall be charged whichever is the lower unless prior approval was received by MHCC.

Contract Details:

• Contractor Selection: One (1) contractor will be selected.

• Initial Term:

ο Duration: 12 months ο Maximum Amount: $150,000 ο Start date will be upon acceptance of bid ο End: June 30th of the following year ο Subsequent terms will be July 1st – June 30th, to align with MHCC’s fiscal year.

• Renewal Terms:

ο Up to three (3) additional one-year terms ο Renewal Periods: July 1st – June 30th, to align with MHCC’s fiscal year ο Within each renewal term, the price increase may not exceed the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) for the Portland Metropolitan area.

ο MHCC will be under no obligation to renew and may, at its discretion, rebid the services at any time.

MHCC reserves the right to determine the most responsible bidder.

Discounts:

Proposer may indicate in their proposal of any discounts proposed for early payment or for volume purchases.

Returns:

Vendors shall allow returns within 5 working days of delivery at no charge.

Estimated purchase quantities:

There is no guarantee of purchases as a result of this solicitation, but purchases generally will not exceed $150,000 per year.

Insurance Requirements:

• The Contractor shall maintain commercial general liability in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence to protect against liability for bodily injury and property damage, which may arise out of the Contractor’s operations under this project. Such insurance shall include coverage for products-completed operations liability, independent contractors, contractual liability (including the tort liability of another assumed under a business contract), and all other standard coverage provided by a commercial general liability policy.

• The Contractor shall maintain automobile liability insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence to protect against liability arising from the use, loading, and

• unloading of all of the Contractor’s owned, hired, and non-owned automobiles in connection with this project.

• The Contractor shall maintain workers’ compensation coverage for all subject workers as required by law, including employer’s liability.

Scoring Criteria – Proposal Review

Proposals will be reviewed by a committee to determine which one best meets the needs of MHCC. The review committee will make a recommendation to MHCC for their consideration.

The firm MHCC will enter into a contract incorporating the terms and conditions of this RFP document and the Proposer’s response.

Proposals will be scored according to the following-

Cover Letter…………..….…..15 points Price……………………….……..40 points Written Answers…………...30 points References……………...…….15 points Total...............................100 points

Cover Letter:

Submit a cover letter (no longer than 1 page) with information about your overall qualifications to perform the work described in the request for bids, including: years of experience, delivery schedules, order placement, quality of product, etc.

Protest of Award:

In accordance with the Attorney Generals Model Procurement Rules, any adversely affected Proposer has seven (7) calendar days from the date of the written notice of award to file a written protest. All written protest must be addressed to:

MHCC Purchasing Office – 26000 SE Stark St, Gresham, OR 97030

Cost of Preparing a Proposal

The RFP does not commit MHCC to paying any costs incurred by any Proposer in the submission or presentation of a proposal, or in making the necessary studies for the preparation thereof.

Proposal Rejection:

MHCC reserves the right:

a) to reject any or all proposals not in compliance with all public procedures and requirements.

b) to reject any proposal(s) not meeting the specifications set forth herein.

c) to waive any or all irregularities in proposals submitted.

d) to consider the competency of Proposers in making any award.

e) to reject all proposals.

f) to award any or all parts of any proposal.

g) to request references and other data to determine responsiveness.

Price: (please use this sheet to submit pricing)

This is a list of the most common items ordered by MHCC CDFS. Please note that in some cases we will order items that are not listed below. CDFS provides food for 17 different sites across Northeast Portland and Gresham areas, serving roughly 1,000 Head Start children and follows USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP). Please list your prices and include any associated delivery costs. Ensure to completely fill out the below.

Product Product/Case Size Cost Pears Tomato Vine Ripe Kiwi Blueberry Clamshell Potatoes Baby Carrots Apple Onions Bananas Firm Mushrooms, white Raspberry Clamshell Blackberry Clamshell Strawberry Clamshell Honeydew Melon Cantaloupe Watermelon, individual Bell Peppers Parsley Cilantro Eggplant Lemons Limes Green Leaf Lettuce Asparagus Grapefruit Peach Carrots Apricots Grapes Oranges Plums

Avocado Mango Papaya Pineapple Green Beans Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Celery Cucumber Zucchini Spaghetti Squash Butternut Squash Cabbage Summer Squash Parsnips Turnips Radish Rutabaga Kale Collard Greens Spinach Bunch

If there are other items that should be taken into consideration, please complete below.

Product Product/Case Size Cost

Written Answers: (please respond in the same order listed herein)

Please answer questions in the same order. Answers should collectively not exceed 2 pages.

1- Provide details of your qualifications and experience, including experience with similar projects as described in this solicitation.

2- Describe the quality of products you will be selling to MHCC.

3- Are you able to handle large quantity orders? Please explain?

4- Describe your responsiveness in addressing quality and logistical issues.

5- Delivery must be Monday Through Friday between 7:30 am and 10:30 am. Can you meet this deadline?

6- Do you have a minimum and maximum order quantity? Please explain.

7- Where does your produce come from?

8- What method is used to place orders? (by phone, email, online ordering guide, etc.)

9- When is your order cutoff time for next day delivery?

10- Are you able to handle last minute will-call orders? If so, how long does it take you to process them?

11- List 3 reasons why your company stands out in your particular industry?

12- How do you handle order discrepancies such as shorted items?

13- How do you handle quality issues when they arise?

References:

Provide 3 references for whom you provide similar services as those described in the request for bids (the past 5 years).

Client Name

Contact Name and Information

Dates of Service(s)

Dates of Service(s)

Dates of Service(s)

Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632- 9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

mailto:program.intake@usda.gov

Insurance Requirements: