RFP_#LC030-2025_-_PACKAGE_-_DETENTION_FACILITY_FOOD_SERVICES2.pdf

Request For Proposals: Detention Facility Food Services -

LAUDERDALE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

2600 Courthouse Blvd, 2nd Floor

Meridian, Mississippi 39301 601-482-9746 purchasing@lauderdalecounty.org

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

RFP NO. LC030-2025: DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES

PACKET INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

• Legal Advertisement

• Purpose and Overview (Section A) o Purpose o Project Description o Term o Procedures for Responding o Questions & Inquiries o Addenda

• Objectives (Section B)

• Specifications and Details (Section C)

• Proposer's Requirements & Qualifications (Section D)

• Insurance & Liability Coverage (Section E)

• Subcontracts (Section F)

• Information to be Submitted with Proposal (Section G)

• Selection Criteria (Section H)

• Forms o Addenda Form Pg. 10 o Proposal Data/Certification Form Pgs. 11-12

PROPOSALS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE MONDAY, JUNE 09, 2025, NOT LATER THAN 9:00 A.M. CDT

NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED

Name of Firm/Agency/or Broker

LEGAL NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

NOTICE is hereby given that the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors will receive proposals until 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 09, 2025, for the following:

The Board of Supervisors is soliciting proposals from qualified Respondents that are interested in providing Inmate Food Services for the Lauderdale County Detention Center. To be considered, prospective firms must submit a complete response as required based on the documents within the proposal package.

The bid opening will be held in the boardroom located on the 1st floor of the Government Center.

Detailed specifications and forms/documents can either be downloaded from Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors website at https://lauderdalecounty.org or Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com.

Electronic Bids can be submitted via Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com.

Sealed Bids can be submitted by mail via USPS, by courier service i.e., FedEx or by hand to the Lauderdale County Purchasing Department, 2600 Courthouse Blvd, 2nd Floor – Suite 2002, Meridian, MS 39301, Monday thru Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Envelopes must be received by the acceptance date and time listed above.

Each bid must be received in a sealed envelope which is clearly marked on the outside:

“RFP #LC030-2025 DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES”

After the time and in a designated room and place, the names of the Companies submitting bids will be publicly read. No further information will be read, discussed, or provided until the evaluation of all submittals is completed. No extension of the bidding period will be made other than by a formal written addendum to this Bid. Any bids received after the date and time listed above will not be accepted.

From the bids submitted, the Board of Supervisors shall select the most qualified based on price, and other relevant factors, negotiate and enter a contract, all pursuant to Section 31-7-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, as amended.

No Vendor may withdraw his/her submission within thirty (30) days after date of opening bids without the consent of Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors.

The County reserves the right to select the bid which best meets the needs of Lauderdale County.

The Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids and waive informalities in bidding.

https://lauderdalecounty.org/ file:///C:/Users/true/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/BY39EEF1/www.centralbidding.com http://www.centralbidding.com/

LAUDERDALE COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

RFP NO. LC030-2025 – DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES

SECTION A – PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to solicit interest from qualified firms for the provision of Inmate Food Services for the Lauderdale County Detention Center seven (7) days a week and program support services for an approximate inmate population of 150-250 over the term of the specified period. A qualified firm will be selected through a fair and open process at the sole discretion of the County.

2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This proposal is to secure a contract for inmate food service operations at the Lauderdale County Detention Center located at 2001 5th Street, Meridian, MS 39301. The selected proposer will be responsible for ordering and preparing meals for the inmates incarcerated at the Lauderdale County Jail in compliance with Mississippi Code Title 19-25-73.

The Lauderdale County Jail had an average daily population of 190.0 inmates between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. During that same period, the highest daily population was 201 and the lowest was 160. The jail is authorized to house 290 inmates.

3. TERM

Based upon the outcome of this process, Lauderdale County will award an initial contract term of three

(3) years from the date of execution. At the end of the initial term, Lauderdale County will agree to an automatic one (1) year extension of the contract, provided such extensions are in the best interest of Lauderdale County and at the sole discretion of the Board of Supervisors.

It is anticipated that the three (3) year contract entered into pursuant to this RFP will become effective July 01, 2025, and terminate on June 30, 2028.

4. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING

a. All proposals should be delivered to:

Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors

Purchasing Department

2600 Courthouse Blvd, 2nd Floor

Meridian, MS 39301

b. Email submission for the RFP are prohibited and will not be accepted. Electronic Bids can be submitted via Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com.

c. To schedule a time to tour the kitchen facility, please contact Major Melissa McCarter, Jail Administrator, by phone at 601-604-1134 or email at mmccarter@lauderdalecounty.org.

Site visits are by appointment only.

http://www.centralbidding.com/

d. Proposals must be received on or before June 06, 2025, at or before the hour of 9:00 a.m. CST.

Proposals received after 9:00 a.m. may not be considered in the proposal process. The official time is determined by the clock in the office of the Purchaser.

e. An original and one (1) copy of the RFP must be placed in a sealed envelope and clearly labeled

“RFP #LC030-2025 DETENTION FACILITY FOOD SERVICES”

No responsibility will be attached to any County representative for premature opening of a bid not properly addressed and identified.

f. The proposal shall be signed by an official authorized to bind the offer.

g. All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of Lauderdale County, upon delivery, and are to be appended to any formal documentation that would further define or expand any resulting contract.

h. The proposals submitted will be considered public information. If proprietary information is included to support the proposal, it must be packaged separately and labeled “CONFIDENTIAL.”

i. Lauderdale County Purchasing Office will not be responsible for late or incomplete responses due to mistakes, delays of the respondent, or carrier used by the respondent, or weather delays.

A postmark will not be considered proof of timely submission.

5. QUESTIONS & INQUIRIES

All questions and requests for clarifications shall be submitted by an individual authorized to commit their organization to the Terms and Conditions of this proposal and shall be received in writing at the Lauderdale County Purchasing Department no later than 3:00 pm on Monday May 26, 2025.

Questions shall not be submitted to anyone other than the Purchasing Director or his/her representative.

Submissions shall clearly identify the RFP Number in the subject line, and include the Vendor’s name, address, and the name of the person submitting the question.

All questions are to be submitted by e-mailed to purchasing@lauderdalecounty.org.

No communications of any kind may be considered a change to the terms, conditions, and specifications in this RFP unless a formal written addenda is prepared and posted to the County’s website.

6. ADDENDA

Responses to all questions received will be sent to each Firm/Vendor known to have copies of the RFP.

Answers and clarifications which are considered to materially change the solicitation will be issued as written addenda to the original RFP and will be posted to both the Lauderdale County website at https://lauderdalecounty.org and Central Bidding at www.centralbidding.com.

Before your submission and periodically prior to the RFP closing, you are encouraged to check the site for any addenda or other materials that may have been issued affecting the bid.

It is the Bidder’s sole responsibility to review this site and retrieve all related documents up to the RFP due date.

mailto:purchasing@lauderdalecounty.org https://lauderdalecounty.org/ file:///C:/Users/true/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/BY39EEF1/www.centralbidding.com

SECTION B – OBJECTIVES

1. To deliver a high-quality food service that can be audited against established nutritional and health standards.

2. To operate the food service program using trained personnel.

3. To operate the food service program in a cost-effective manner with full reporting to

Lauderdale County Detention Center.

4. To maintain an open collaborative relationship with the administration and staff of

Lauderdale County Detention Center.

5. To provide comprehensive program for continuing staff and inmate training.

6. To operate the food service program in a humane manner with respect to the inmates' rights to basic health and nutritional standards.

SECTION C – SPECIFICATIONS AND DETAILS

A. KITCHEN SERVICES

1. Daily Meals

a. The selected firm will be required to provide three (3) total daily meals for the inmate population as follows:

Meal Type Serving Time Breakfast Hot 7:00 a.m.

Lunch Hot or Cold 12:00 p.m.

Dinner Hot or Cold 5:00 p.m.

*A maximum of three (3) cold meals per week

b. Meals will be served seven (7) days per week, 365 days per year. All meals will be delivered by county staff to the inmate cells. The selected firm will be responsible for plating and preparing the meals for delivery. Additionally, sack lunches will be required for work release inmates.

c. Juvenile meals will occasionally need to be delivered by kitchen staff, as needed. (Styrofoam trays)

d. Inmates who are appearing in court will occasionally need to have meals delivered by kitchen staff to the courthouse, as needed. (Styrofoam trays)

2. Menus

a. The selected firm will be required to provide an average of 2,800 calories per day menu that meets or exceeds all standards in addition to all the required nutrients and offers a variety of meals to the inmates.

b. Milk should be served a minimum of three (3) times weekly.

c. A registered dietitian must approve all menus prior to service and annually thereafter. All meals will follow the most recent published Recommended Dietary Allowances and Dietary Reference Intake for adult males and females.

d. The prepared food cannot have any deviations from the authorized menu without approval from the registered dietician, jail administrator, or his/her designee.

e. Annually, the selected firm should provide a minimum of four (4) “sprit lifter” meals to the inmates. These would typically correspond with major holidays.

f. The selected firm must be able to meet commonly accepted medical and religious diets of inmates.

g. Firms should submit a proposed menu with their response to this RFP.

3. Ordering and Stock

The selected firm will be required to purchase and stock all food and consumable supplies to execute the menu as approved. The firm should always maintain a fourteen (14) day supply of food in the event of an emergency.

4. Cleaning and Sanitation The selected firm will be required to maintain a clean and sanitary food preparation environment in compliance with the Mississippi Department of Health standards.

The county will be responsible for trash removal and disposal.

B. CONSUMABLES, WARES, & EQUIPMENT

The contractor shall be responsible for consumable food, paper and plastic supplies, as well as consumable sanitation supplies. The county will remain responsible for suppling all non-consumable items such as food preparation equipment/supplies and sanitation equipment/supplies. Additionally, the county will provide all maintenance and repairs to equipment as necessary. The table below further details the responsibilities of the parties.

Description Responsibility Food and Drink Contractor Food Product Supplies Contractor Paper and Plastic Products (plastic spoons/Styrofoam trays) Contractor Small Wares (serving utensils & similar) County Service Wares (pots, pans, trays, etc.) County Small Equipment (trays, racks, carts, etc.) County Large Equipment (stoves, tilt skillets, etc.) County Sanitation Equipment (mops, buckets, etc.) County Sanitation Supplies (chemicals, etc.) Contractor

C. KITCHEN STAFFING

1. Staffing Levels The selected firm will be responsible for adequately staffing the kitchen allowing for the daily execution of the approved menus at all times. At a minimum, the firm should staff one kitchen manager and one kitchen supervisor at the County Detention Center.

2. Staffing Professionalism

The staff provided as part of this contract must always conduct themselves in a professional manner, and must adhere to the conduct and dress code regulations of the Lauderdale County Detention Center. Staff should be provided with a standard uniform that is worn daily. All staff must be able to pass a background check and should be subjected to random drug screenings by the company.

The proposed firm understands that staff assigned to the Detention Center must be acceptable to Lauderdale County. If Lauderdale County determines, at its sole discretion, that an assigned staff member is unsatisfactory or unacceptable, the firm must immediately remove the staff member and reassign another staff member to the position.

3. Inmate Labor

Lauderdale County will provide inmate labor as agreed upon by the Kitchen Manager and the Jail Administrator or his/her designee. Lauderdale County anticipates providing an average of four (4) inmates to assist with food preparation.

4. Dietitian

The selected firm must have a dietitian on staff/or contracted which will be available for consultation at all times.

SECTION D - PROPOSER'S REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for award of this contract, the Proposer must meet the following:

1. Proposing firms shall demonstrate substantial experience in the inmate food service industry.

Preference will be given to firms which have experience operating within the State of Mississippi.

2. Proposing firms shall demonstrate a high level of competence in navigating food service industry regulations. Proposers must be knowledgeable of all State of Mississippi regulations relating to inmate food service.

3. The Proposer must be organized for the purpose of providing institutional and/or volume food service.

4. The Proposer must have proven ability for a contract start-up within thirty (30) days of signed contract.

5. The Proposer must have qualified and trained staff with sufficient backup personnel to successfully complete the contract requirements.

6. The Proposer must have the central office capability to supervise and monitor the program ensuring satisfactory provision of services.

7. The Proposer shall keep full and accurate meal count records in connection with the food service program. A copy of the said record shall be provided to the Jail Administrator/or designee on a weekly basis and accompanied by the corresponding weekly invoice.

8. The Proposer must have an alternate emergency preparation site.

9. The Proposer/selected firm is responsible for scheduling and payment for yearly health inspections with Mississippi Department of Health.

SECTION E - INSURANCE AND LIABILITY COVERAGE

The awarded firm will be required to provide a certificate of insurance, naming Lauderdale County as an additional insured upon execution of contract. The company must carry both liability insurance covering bodily injury; personal injury, and property damage, and worker’s compensation insurance in an amount not less than $1,000.000.

SECTION F - SUBCONTRACTS

The Proposer is specifically advised that any person, firm, or other party to whom it is proposed to award a subcontract under this contract, must be acceptable to Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department and the Board of Supervisors.

SECTION G - INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED WITH PROPSAL

Each Proposer must include in their RFP a response to each of the following requests/questions in a clear and comprehensive manner. Any incomplete or inaccurate response may prevent the Proposer from receiving further consideration in the RFP process.

1. Profile. Provide the full name, main office address, and tax identification number of the entity that would ultimately provide services to Lauderdale County.

2. Identify whether your firm is an individual, partnership, or corporation and the state of incorporation. Include your Form W-9.

3. Provide the name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the person(s) who are authorized to negotiate with Lauderdale County, and also the contact person to whom notices regarding this RFP should be sent.

4. Describe in detail your pre-hire/or background investigation process for employees. (You can include a copy of your employee handbook/or company policy detailing this information.)

5. Include in your proposal detailed information on the frequency of your periodic background investigations.

6. References/Experience/Past Services:

a. List three (3) references, including names, titles, and telephone numbers of contact persons, to which you have provided services in the past five (5) years.

b. Provide a list of three (3) additional businesses that your firm currently services that are similar in scope to this RFP.

c. Please tell us about your background and experience.

d. List any other relevant experience.

SECTION H – SELECTION CRITERIA

Mandatory requirements include:

1. Compliance with the RFP instructions.

2. Compliance with general requirements for all contracts by governing bodies of the facility.

The vendor will be selected based on written proposal and any requested presentations. The primary criteria that will be used in awarding the contract will be as follows:

▪ The Proposer's demonstrated experience and expertise in correctional facilities.

▪ The Proposer 's financial stability.

▪ Proposer's development of an operating plan for food service program that best meets the stated objectives and needs of Lauderdale County Detention Center. This includes the vendor’s Quality Assurance Plan and proposed staffing and personnel plan.

▪ Services and menu quality offered for the price proposed. This includes nutritional quality, menu acceptability and stated menu standards.

▪ The proposed price per meal. For an acceptable proposal, costs can only be expressed in terms of price per meal. The price per meal can be proposed on a graduated price break schedule based on the number of meals served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Price(s) per meal for the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, must be firm for the entire duration of that time. Proposers may include price increases per meal served thereafter during the term of the contract. No other pricing such as startup costs, management fees, or contract termination/removal fees can be proposed.

▪ Proposers must agree in their response that if they are the firm selected to negotiate a contract award as a result of this RFP, it will be the responsibility of the proposer’s legal representatives to develop a formal written agreement for the services to be provided for review and approval by the attorney for Lauderdale County.

▪ Proposers who are deemed, based on the selection criteria, fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals, may be requested to participate in discussions regarding their proposals. Discussions will cover cost, methods of operation, and all other relevant factors.

The following pages must be completed, along with the Cover Page (pg. 1), and returned/submitted with your Proposal. Failure to do so will result in the submission being deemed non-responsive.

[THIS SPACE WAS LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY]

ADDENDA FORM

The following Addenda have been received. The modifications to the Proposal Documents noted below have been considered and all costs are included in the Proposal Total.

(If no addenda, please indicate with N/A in space provided.)

1. Addendum #____ Date: _________________

2. Addendum #____ Date: _________________

3. Addendum #____ Date: _________________

4. Addendum #____ Date: _________________

Addendum Acknowledgement:

Signature of Proposer or Authorized Agent Date

THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED/SIGNED AND RETURNED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL

VENDOR PROPOSAL DATA & CERTIFICATION FORM Page 1 of 2

The affiant, ___________________________________________states with respect to this submission to County:

I (we) hereby declare and warrant that no elected or appointed official, officer or employee of the

County has been or shall be compensated, directly or indirectly, in connection with this bid. Should any agreement be approved in connection with this bid, vendor declares and warrants that no elected or appointed official, officer, or employee of the County, during the term of his/or her service with the

County shall have any direct interest in that agreement, or obtain any present, anticipated or future material benefit arising therefrom.

My signature certifies that the accompanying bid is not the result of or affected by, any act of collusion with another person/or company engaged in the same line of business or commerce, or any act of fraud.

I hereby certify that I have full authority to bind the company and that I have personally reviewed the information contained in the Proposal and this submission, and all attachments and appendices, and do hereby attest to the accuracy of all information contained in this submission, including all attachments and exhibits.

Mississippi Department of Insurance License #: _____________________________

Name of Business: ____________________________________________________________________

Legal Address: ___________________________________________________________________________

Phone (_______) ____________________________ Fax (_______) ___________________________

Type of business organization (corporation, LLC, partnership, proprietorship)

Federal ID #: __________________________________

Signature: _______________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________

Printed Name & Official Title: _______________________________________________________________________

*****PLEASE PRINT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BELOW*****

Owner #1: Name: ____________________________________________ Phone Number: _________________________

Owner #2: Name: ____________________________________________ Phone Number: _________________________

Parent Company Name: ________________________________________ Phone Number: _________________________

(if applicable)

(SEAL-Bidder’s Notary)

ATTEST: Signed and sworn (or affirmed before me on __________________ (date) by _______________________________________(name(s) of person(s) making statement).

Print Name:

Signature: ____

TITLE:

My Commission expires , 20

THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED/SIGNED AND RETURNED WITH YOUR PROPOSAL