RFI - Food Catering Services - BPM055064.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES (DGS)

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT (OSP)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

RFI NUMBER: BPM055064

Issue Date: January 23, 2026

STATEWIDE

Emergency Food & Catering Services

NOTICE

A Prospective respondent that has received this document from the Office of State Procurement website or eMMA, or that has received this document from a source other than the Procurement Officer, and that wishes to assure receipt of any changes or additional materials related to this RFI, should immediately contact the

Procurement Officer and provide the Prospective Respondents name and mailing address so that addenda to the

RFI or other communications can be sent to the Prospective Bidder.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

BPM055064

Emergency Food and Catering Services

Revised 1/23/2026

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

Office of State Procurement

RFI KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Information: EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES

Solicitation Number: BPM055064

Solicitation Type: EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES

RFI Issue Date: January 23, 2026

RFI Issuing Office: DGS, Office of State Procurement

Procurement Officer: Tierra Ali-Said e-mail: Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov

Closing Date and Time: February 9, 2026, by 4:00 PM Local Time

Responses are to be submitted directly to the Procurement Officer at:

Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov.

mailto:Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov

CONTENTS OF THIS SOLICITATION PACKAGE

Section A General Information

Attachment 1 Three (3) Pages

SECTION A

GENERAL INFORMATION

EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES

A. OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this Request For Information (RFI), which is not a solicitation to procure, is a means of conducting market research to identify capable parties having an interest in a Statewide EMERGENCY

FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES procurement. This RFI for EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING

SERVICES is in addition to any formal forthcoming virtual pre-bid conference that would occur after the procurement solicitation posting, once a date is determined.

a) The requirements stated in this RFI may not accurately reflect that which may be contained in a Request for

Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), Purchase Order RFP (PORFP), Task Order RFP (TORFP) or other procurement vehicle. This issuance does not constitute a commitment to issue a request for bids, award a contract, or pay any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this request. Furthermore, the

Department of General Services (DGS) Office of State Procurement (OSP) requires that all responding vendors provide a sample quote or bid sample in response to this RFI. Pricing must be accurate and according to the current CPU-I and PPI.

b) Any information received in response to this RFI will assist DGS OSP in collecting information that may be used at a future date for a procurement. A submission in response to this RFI does not guarantee that the respondent will be included in any subsequent procurement. Likewise, a non-submission in response to this

RFI does not preclude a recipient or vendor from inclusion in any future procurement.

c) As part of DGS OSP’s efforts to gather this information, DGS OSP may schedule information sessions as it determines necessary with participants or others. The purpose of these sessions is strictly information gathering. This is not a procurement activity and will not result in an evaluation or a purchase.

d) The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) is seeking multiple catering vendors to provide Emergency Food Catering Services (EFCS) in existing fixed facilities to provide meals to disaster survivors, incident workforce personnel, emergency management staff, and other public safety personnel.

DGS OSP intends on subsequently soliciting and awarding a Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite

Quantity Contract for a source of supply and delivery for EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING

SERVICES to various locations throughout the State of Maryland. The Term of the Contract is anticipated has not yet been determined. It is anticipated that the Contract will be for multiple years and potentially contain Renewal Options.

e) The Contract Award(s) may be by geographic regions and based on fixed facilities. Fixed facilities are those facilities that have been constructed and are operational pre-incident and contain a kitchen ranging from residential style to commercial grade. The facilities include, but are not limited to, the following types:

• Emergency Shelters (Public Schools)

• Emergency Operations Centers

• Public Safety Facilities (Police & Fire Stations)

f) DGS OSP would like to designate one or more portions of this Contract to Small Businesses, Minority

Businesses, and Veteran-Owned Businesses. A Small Business Preference (SBP) is possible.

g) Small Businesses, Minority Businesses, and Veteran-Owned Businesses are strongly encouraged to respond to this RFI. For additional information regarding the eMMA Registration process and how to submit an RFI, contact eMMA at emma.helpdesk@maryland. Procurement-related Questions are due to the Procurement

Officer no later than 4:00 PM, Local Time on January 30, 2026.

mailto:emma.helpdesk@maryland

B. INSTRUCTIONS

a) This information is for DGS OSP’s internal planning purposes only. Responses will not be used to evaluate firms.

b) To ensure an expedited review and response process, submit all Questions no later than the Questions due date. If you wish to submit an RFI Response (or respond to the RFI) complete and send only Attachment I to the

Procurement Officer no later than 4:00 PM Local Time on February 9, 2026 via email at: Tierra.Ali-

Said1@maryland.gov.

c) Respondents must give specific attention to the identification of those portions of its response which they consider confidential, proprietary, commercial information, or trade secrets, and provide justification why such materials, upon request, should not be disclosed by the State under the Public Information Act, Title 4 of the

General Provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Respondents are advised that, upon request for this information from a third party, the Procurement Officer will be required to make an independent Determination regarding whether the information may be disclosed.

C. EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES

a) For reference purposes and to assist in determining if your firm is capable of handling the requirements of the State, below you will find additional information and a Scope of Work.

b) Scope of Work:

REQUIREMENTS: The Contract shall require the Contractor to:

1. Provide catering services, supply bulk and/or boxed food meals, and food supplies. that are in accordance with local, State, and Federal laws, regulations, and standards.

2. Augment the fixed facilities capacity with offsite vendor operated commercial kitchen, food supply warehouse, etc. that can be used to cook and prepare meals for delivery.

3. Augment the fixed facilities capacity with onsite vendor operated mobile field kitchens, mobile refrigerator trucks, mobile food supply trucks, etc. that are used to cook and prepare meals for serving

4. Vendors must understand, depending on the nature of the disaster and/or emergency, normal food suppliers and/or fuel providers in the area may be closed or inoperable and shall prepare accordingly to ensure services as requested herein are met to their full expectations.

5. Provide meals for either 12 hour or 24-hour operational schedules with each shift having

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and snacks.

6. The option of boxed meals or sack lunches may be requested for personnel deploying to the field.

7. Meals should be nutritionally balanced and if requested high caloric for field personnel.

8. Meals shall include food and beverages.

9. The vendor shall provide standard meals as well as options for vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten free, and other dietary restrictions as identified by the entity.

10. Bi-weekly (14 days) menus shall be submitted within 24 hours of arrival at a site by the vendor for approval by the Food Unit Leader (FDUL) or the Logistics Section Chief (LSC). Subsequent menus shall be submitted 2 days prior to the current bi-weekly menu expiring, for the duration of the incident. The FDUL shall ensure that the variety and content proposed is in accordance with the contract specifications. The daily menus with portion sizes shall be posted at the dining area.

11. Vendors should expect to serve meals for 50-250 per facility locations every 12 hours.

12. Vendors may be contracted to serve multiple locations simultaneously, increasing the total number of meals per 12 hours.

13. Fixed Facility Details: Fixed facilities are those facilities that have been constructed and are operational pre-incident and contain a kitchen ranging from residential style to commercial grade.

The facilities include, but are not limited to, the following types:

Emergency Shelters (Public Schools)

Emergency Operations Centers

Public Safety Facilities (Police & Fire Stations)

14. Temporary Facility Details: Temporary facilities are those facilities that have brought in and/or constructed post-incident in a disaster environment and do not contain a kitchen nor have traditional services and utilities. Field Site Details: Field sites are those in open fields, parking lots, or other sites without traditional services and utilities. Field sites include, but are not limited to, the following types:

o Staging Areas o Base Camps

15. Required Timeframe: During a declared state of emergency, the timeframe needs to be condensed to acquire necessary commodities for distribution. The quickest timeframe is within twenty-four (24) hours up to a maximum of fourteen (14) days.

16. Twenty-Four (24) Hour Service Bar: Food items shall be available in a service bar 24 hours per day at the incident dining area with the exception of cold cereal and milk, which shall be available between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Attachment 1, 1 of 3 Complete this Section and send Attachment 1 to the Procurement Officer.

A) Contractor Contact Information: Complete the yellow fields listed below.

Company Name:

Address:

Email Address:

Website Address:

Telephone Number:

Point of Contact (name, title, telephone number, and email address):

Satellite/Branch Office Locations:

eMMA SUP#:/SBR#:/MBE#:/VSBE#:

B) Socioeconomic Information: Is your company Minority-owned (MBE)? Veteran-owned (VSBE)? Or Certified

Small Business (CSB)? Circle one. If your company is none of the above, cross them all out.

MBE VSBE CSB

Business Size (Small or Large):

If other, please specify:

Additional Notes about your Company you would like us to know:

C) Demographics and Pricing:

a. Demographics: On the next page, please circle the Counties below based on your firm’s delivery capabilities for delivering EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES, including any anticipated team subcontractors (including partner-companies and/or affiliates).

b. Circle the Counties you believe can meet the delivery requirements and provide EMERGENCY

FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES outlined in the attached Specifications. Contractors who may not have the organizational/staff capability to provide delivery service coverage in all areas of a specific

MD Region, circle the Regions you can provide services or indicate to which Counties your company can provide EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES of EMERGENCY

FOOD AND CATERING SERVICES.

Attachment 1, 2 of 3

Circle the counties your company can service.

c. Pricing: Please provide your company’s current prices according to the Unit of Measure listed in the

Chart. Prices must be current and represent dollars and/or cents. For example: $100.00.

Delivery Location:

See Chart Listed

Above

Emergency

Commodity Item:

Price per Unit of

Measure:

Case

Region A - F

Breakfast Item(s)

$_______/per Case

Lunch Item(s)

Dinner Item(s)

Snack Item(s)

Prepared Salad(s)

24-Hour Food

Service Bar

$_______/flat fee

STATEWIDE REGIONS:

Region A Region B Region C Region D Region E Region F

Allegany

Frederick Anne Arundel Caroline Dorchester Calvert

Garrett Montgomery

Baltimore

Cecil Somerset Charles

Washington Prince George's

Baltimore

City Kent Wicomico St. Mary's

Carroll Queen Anne's Worcester

Harford

Talbot

Howard

Attachment 1, 3 of 3

D) General Questions:

a. Is there anything unduly restrictive about the specifications that would prevent your company from being able to compete for providing EMERGENCY FOOD AND

CATERING SERVICES?

b. What part of this requirement do you believe could be subcontracted out/collaborated to increase MBE/VSBE participation for EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING

SERVICES Contract? (why or why not)?____________________________________________________________________

c. Are there any regions/counties that you believe can be designated as Small Business

Reserved (SBR) to provide and deliver EMERGENCY FOOD AND CATERING

SERVICES?_____________________________________________________________

d. Are there any other items you believe that the Office of State Procurement should consider before finalizing the specifications for an EMERGENCY FOOD AND

CATERING SERVICES

Solicitation?______________________________________________________________

e. Other: (enter additional information/suggestions here.)_________________________________________________________________________

THIS IS THE END OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.

Send all pages (1 through 3) of Attachment 1 to Tierra.Ali-Said1@maryland.gov no later than the date indicated at the top of this Request for Information.