RFB_Conference_2025_SHIP_Catering.pdf

Rev. Dec. 2024

State of Minnesota Department of Health

REQUEST FOR BID

Catering Services: 2025 SHIP Meeting Conference at Eagan Community Center

SWIFT Event # H1201-2000016892

Date Posted: March 24, 2025

Responses must be received not later than 3:00PM, Central Time, April 1, 2025 Late responses will not be considered

Minnesota’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

The State of Minnesota is committed to diversity and inclusion in its public procurement process. The goal is to ensure that those providing goods and services to the State are representative of our Minnesota communities and include businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities.

Creating broader opportunities for historically under-represented groups provides for additional options and greater competition in the marketplace, creates stronger relationships and engagement within our communities, and fosters economic development and equality.

To further this commitment, the Department of Administration operates a program for Minnesota-based small businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. For additional information on this program, or to determine eligibility, please call 651-296-2600 or go to the Office of Equity in Procurement home page, at https://mn.gov/admin/business/vendor-info/oep/.

SPECIAL NOTICE: This is a request for bid. It does not obligate the State of Minnesota to award a contract or complete the proposed program, and the State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered in its best interest.

Rev. 07.01.2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solicitation Content

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

SECTION 2 – SUMMARY OF SCOPE

SECTION 3 – RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SECTION 4 – RESPONSE CONTENT

SECTION 5 – SOLICITATION TERMS

Solicitation Attachments

Attachment A: Responder Declarations Attachment B: Pricing Attachment C: Veterans Preference Form Attachment D: Additional Information

Sample Contract

Exhibit A: Contract Terms Exhibit B: Insurance Requirements Exhibit C: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work Exhibit D: Pricing

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

Steps for Completing Your Response

Follow the steps below to complete your response to this Solicitation:

Step 1: Read the solicitation documents and ask questions, if any Step 2: Write your response Step 3: Submit your response

Incomplete Submittals

A response must be submitted along with any required additional documents. Incomplete responses that materially deviate from the required format and content may be rejected.

STEP 1 – READ THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT & ASK QUESTIONS, IF ANY

How to Ask Questions

The contact person for questions is:

Linda C. Nelson, Buyer 1 MN Dept of Health Linda.Nelson@state.mn.us

Questions should be emailed to the contact by March 27, 2025, 3:00 PM Central Time. Other personnel are not authorized to answer questions regarding this Solicitation.

STEP 2 – WRITE YOUR RESPONSE

The Response Content section is in this link to Section 4. Prepare a written response and supply all requested content. Responses should address the requested information and documents detailed in Section 4. DO NOT INCLUDE Non-Public/Trade Secret data (as defined in this link to Minn. Stat. § 13.37).

Review, sign, and include the Responder Declarations with your response.

STEP 3 –SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

Where to Send Your Response

All responses to this solicitation (termed an “Event” within SWIFT) must be submitted through SWIFT using the Supplier portal (https://mn.gov/supplier). Training and documentation on how to submit your response is available through the Supplier portal link above. Fax, e-mail, and printed responses will not be accepted or considered. All costs incurred in responding to this solicitation will be borne by the responder.

Late responses will not be considered. Responses received after End Date above will not be considered, even if errors or delays were caused by issues outside of responders’ control. If you need assistance, please contact the SWIFT Vendor Assistance Helpline at 651-201-8100, Option 1, and then Option 1.

By submitting a response, responder is making a binding legal offer for the period of time set forth below in Section 5, Conditions of Offer.

Late responses will not be considered. Responses received after End Date above will not be considered, even if errors or delays were caused by issues outside of responders’ control. If you need assistance, please contact the SWIFT Vendor Assistance Helpline at 651-201-8100, Option 1, and then Option 1.

By submitting a response, your company is making a binding legal offer for the period of time set forth below in Section 5, Conditions of Offer.

SECTION 2 – SUMMARY OF SCOPE

Procurement Overview and Goals.

The Department of Health needs catering services for the 2025 Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP)Meeting that will take place on September 17th and 18th, 2025 at Eagan Community Center located at 1501 Central Pkwy, Eagan, MN, 55121. The estimated number of participants is 250.The Responder must be approved by the Eagan Community Center to provide catering at the location. Catering services for breakfast, breaks, and lunch will be needed for the two-day conference. The State does not guarantee a minimum number of meals order, however, the state will provide a final county to the awarded vendor no later than April 4, 2025.

Sample Tasks and Deliverables Review the Sample Contract and Exhibits, Exhibit C- Supplement included in this solicitation for conference meals and refreshments details.

SECTION 3 – BID INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Anticipated Contract Term.

The term of this contract is anticipated to be from Date of contract execution through final invoicing and not to exceed 60 calendar days maximum.

Estimated Amount.

The estimated total dollar value of the contract for one year is $20,000. However, this shall not be construed as either the minimum or maximum amount. It shall also be understood and accepted by the responded that any quantities shown in this solicitation are estimated quantities only and impose no obligation upon the State either minimum or maximum.

Question and Answer Instructions.

All questions should be submitted no later than the date and time listed in Section 1, Instructions to Responders. The State is not obligated to answer questions submitted after the question due date and time.

Only personnel listed above are authorized to discuss this solicitation with responders. Contact regarding this solicitation with any personnel not listed above could result in disqualification. This provision is not intended to prevent responders from seeking guidance from state procurement assistance programs regarding general procurement questions.

If a Responder discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in the solicitation, please immediately notify the contact person detailed above in writing of such error and request modification or clarification of the document.

Dispute Resolution Procedures.

Any issue a responder has with the RFB document, which includes, but is not limited to, the terms, conditions, and specifications, must be submitted in writing to the contact person for this solicitation prior to the solicitation opening due date and time. Any issue a responder has with the Contract award must be submitted in writing to the contact person for this solicitation within five business days from the time the intent to award or the Contract award date is made public. This public notice may be made by any of the following methods: notification by letter or email, posted on the OSP website, https://mn.gov/admin/osp/, or electronic notification by our electronic procurement system, SWIFT.

The State will respond to any protest received that follows the above procedure. For those protests that meet the above submission requirements, the appeal process is, in sequence: the contact person for this solicitation, the Office of State Procurement (OSP) Acquisitions Manager, and the OSP Director.

SECTION 4 – RESPONSE CONTENT

Please submit the following information:

1. Specifications. Responder must offer services that meet the specifications detailed in attachment Specifications and Price Schedule.

2. Cost Detail. Review Attachment Price Schedule, attached to this solicitation, and complete and submit with your response.

Submit all requested documentation, including, but not limited to, the following documents:

1. Attachment A: Responder Declarations

2. Attachment C: Veterans Preference Form

3. Attachment D: Additional Information

DO NOT INCLUDE Non-Public/Trade Secret data (as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37).

SECTION 5 – SOLICITATION TERMS

Competition in Responding The State desires open and fair competition. Questions from responders regarding any of the requirements of the Solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Solicitation Administrator listed in the Solicitation before the due date and time. If changes are made the State will issue an addendum.

Any evidence of collusion among responders in any form designed to defeat competitive responses will be reported to the Minnesota Attorney General for investigation and appropriate action.

Addenda to the Solicitation Changes to the Solicitation will be made by addendum with notification and posted in the same manner as the original Solicitation. Any addenda issued will become part of the Solicitation.

Joint Ventures The State allows joint ventures among groups of responders when responding to the solicitation. However, one responder must submit a response on behalf of all the others in the group. The responder that submits the response will be considered legally responsible for the response (and the contract, if awarded). A responder must provide the company names of all of the entities with whom they are entering into a joint venture if requested by the State.

Withdrawing Response A responder may withdraw its response prior to the due date and time of the Solicitation. For solicitations in the SWIFT Supplier Portal, a responder may withdraw its response from the SWIFT Supplier Portal. For solicitations done any other way, a responder may withdraw its response by notifying the Solicitation Administrator in writing of the desire to withdraw.

After the due date and time of this Solicitation, a responder may withdraw a response only upon showing that an obvious error exists in the response. The showing and request for withdrawal must be made in writing to Solicitation Administrator within a reasonable time and prior to the State’s detrimental reliance on the response.

Rights Reserved The State reserves the right to:

• Reject any and all responses received;

• Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the responses received;

• Require responders to conduct presentations, demonstrations, or submit samples;

• Award by location or item, including category, by groups of items, or all items (therefore, the responder is encouraged to offer a response for all locations or items); and

• Interview key personnel or references.

Responses are Nonpublic during Evaluation Process All materials submitted in response to this Solicitation will become property of the State. During the selection process, with the exception of information that becomes public after bids are due, all information concerning the responses submitted will remain private or nonpublic and will not be disclosed to anyone whose official duties do not require such knowledge. Responses are private or nonpublic data until the completion of the selection process as defined by Minn.

Stat. § 13.591. The completion of the selection process is defined as the State having completed its evaluation and has ranked the responses. The State will notify all responders in writing of the selection results.

Trade Secret Information

7.1 Responders must not submit as part of their response trade secret material, as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37.

7.2 In the event trade secret data are submitted, Responder must defend any action seeking release of data it believes to be trade secret, and indemnify and hold harmless the State, its agents and employees, from any judgments awarded against the State in favor of the party requesting the data, and any and all costs connected with that defense.

7.3 The State does not consider cost or prices to be trade secret material, as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37.

7.4 A responder may present and discuss trade secret information during an interview or demonstration with the State, if applicable.

Conditions of Offer Unless otherwise approved in writing by the State, Responder’s response pertaining to the sale of goods or general services will remain firm for 180 days, until it is accepted or rejected by the State.

Award Any award that may result from this solicitation will be based upon the established selection process. The State reserves the right to award this solicitation to a single responder, or to multiple responders, whichever is in the best interest of the State, providing each responder is in compliance with all terms and conditions of the solicitation. The State reserves the right to accept all or part of an offer, to reject all offers, to cancel the solicitation, or to re-issue the solicitation, whichever is in the best interest of the State.

Requirements Prior to Contract Execution Prior to contract execution, a responder receiving a contract award must comply with any submittal requests. A submittal request may include, but is not limited to, a Certificate of Insurance.

Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged Business, Veteran-Owned and Individual Preference Unless a greater preference is applicable and allowed by law, in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 16C.16, businesses that are eligible and certified by the State as targeted group (TG) businesses, economically disadvantaged (ED) businesses, and veteran-owned businesses will receive points equal to 12% percent of the total points available as preference.

For TG/ED/VO certification and eligibility information visit the Office of Equity in Procurement website at https://mn.gov/admin/business/vendor-info/oep/ or call the Division’s Helpline at 651.296.2600.

Specifications A response will be held to strict compliance with the specifications. If a response deviates from the specifications, the deviation must be clearly noted and the State reserves the right to reject the response. All specifications are for new items unless otherwise noted in the solicitation. When brand name or manufacturer’s name or numbers are stated in the specifications, they are intended to establish a standard only and are not restrictive unless the solicitation states:

“No Substitute.” Responses may be considered on other alternate makes, models, or brands having comparable quality, style, and performance characteristics. Any alternates included in a response are subject to State approval.

Prompt Payment Discounts Offered If a responder offers a discount for a payment made in less than 30 days, this discount will not be considered in the evaluation of the response. A prompt payment discount will be calculated from the date of acceptance of an undisputed invoice or upon the date a disputed invoice is resolved.