RFP Questions and Response Revised 1-16-26.pdf

Greater Albany Public Schools

RFP Question Responses

Revised: January 16, 2026

Request 1

1. Please confirm the due date and time of proposals. The cover page states 2/1/2026 and the timeline state 1/30/2026.

a. Response: The date is 01/30/2026 06:00:00 PM as stated on Oregon Buys.

2. Which school sites utilize disposable trays and utensils, and which school sites utilize washable/reusable trays and utensils?

a. Response: All sites currently use disposable utensils, Albany Options, CTP@LBCC, South Albany and West Albany HS primarily use disposables, but have access to trays, all other sites have trays. Some schools use paper boats at breakfast instead of trays.

3. Along with the hard copies of proposals, is it permissible to provide our proposal on a thumb drive as a PDF instead of a MS Word document?

a. Response: Yes

4. To confirm, within the evaluation criteria, is the cost required to have the greatest points allocated?

a. Response: ODE has approved our evaluation criteria.

5. Would you provide a breakdown of free, reduced, paid and a la carte meals for all programs per feeding site? Please include a breakdown of these meals to include the

Community Transition Program, Boys/Girls Club, the YMCA, and the 3 Albany Parks.

This data is needed to help factor our food/supplies/labor costs per building.

a. Response: GAPS is District wide CEP. The 3 parks are approved sites for SFSP.

6. Would you provide the total commodity value for all bidders to utilize in their proforma calculations?

a. Response:

7. Would you provide a lump sum total for all SFA food service employees' labor, taxes and benefits to utilize in our proforma calculations?

a. Response: See the Cost Analysis Chart

8. Does your current FSMC own any equipment, vehicles, and/or small wares needed to operate the program?

a. Response: No

Request 2

9. Page 1 of RFP states proposals are due 2/1/2026. Page 7 states proposals are due 1/30/2026. Which of these dates is the correct due date for proposals?

a. Response: Correct date is 01/30/2026 06:00:00 PM as stated on Oregon Buys.

10.So that projected food service program growth is consistent, please provide actual USDA Meal Claims by school for the 2025-2026 School to Date claims for any meals served for,

a. National School Lunch Program

b. School Breakfast Program

c. SFSP or SSO

d. CACFP

e. Please provide the number of corresponding Operating Days if the days are not listed on the Claim sheets.

Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed

11.Please review the Free student breakfast meals amount located on the Participation Counts chart on page 43 of the RFP. 3,024,203 meals would exceed enrollment. This appears to be a typo. Please provide the correct amount.

a. Response: The total breakfasts served in the 24/25 school year were 398,327.

12.Please provide current enrollment by school, broken down by paid, free, reduced eligibility.

a. Response: Entire District is currently free under CEP. See enrollment data response to question 56.

13.Please provide projected Student Enrollment data by school for the 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 School Years. Does the district expect an increase, decrease, or neutral change to enrollment?

a. Response: See question 57 14.Please provide The Year End Food Service Program Financial Report for the 2024-2025

School Year as well as 2023-2024 School Year

a. Response: The district’s 2023-2024 financial audit is linked below. The

2024-2025 audit has not been finalized.

15.Please provide a copy of any current Memos of Understanding between the SFA and outside entities for which meals are provided.

a. Response: None

16.Please provide a copy of the current, State approved FSMC renewal document.

a. Response: We currently have a one year emergency contract.

17.Will the cost or financial proforma evaluation be based on total cost, cost per meal, client return, or client guarantee?

a. Response: Refer to the scoring rubric in the RFP 18.Please provide the district’s overall Average Daily Attendance (ADA) percentage that all FSMCs will use for proforma development.

a. Response: This is identified on page 15 of the RFP

19.If Catering or Vending programs are offered, please provide an annual revenue total for all FSMC’s to use in developing a proforma.

a. Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed

20.Please provide the USDA Commodity Allotment to use in proforma development for the upcoming year, as well as the allotment from last school year.

a. Response: The SY26/27 allotment is reduced due to the strike last school year impacting meal counts.

21.Please provide a plug labor number for all FSMCs to use for proforma development, as well as the District Fringe %.

a. Response: The district does not assess an indirect charge to the food service program. See the attached expenditure report for labor and other costs.

22.In addition, please provide the projected annual increase percentage on all SFA hourly positions.

a. Response: The District is in the last year of implementation of the Collective

Bargaining Agreement. Negotiations will begin this Spring.

23.Which schools will benefit from the State Senate Bill?

a. Response: The District has no information regarding this.

24.How much is the state reimbursement?

a. Response: 14.06%

b. For NSLP, we qualify for CEPI, which supplements the federal reimbursement rate to cover us to 90%. The Oregon Community Eligibility Provision Incentive (CEPI) Reimbursement Program is a state-funded initiative that supplements federal school meal reimbursements. It covers the difference between federal free and paid reimbursement rates, up to a state-determined annual goal. The CEPI is available to public SFAs serving both breakfast and lunch (SBP/NSLP). For SY 2025-26, the supplement goal remains at 90%.

25.How much are Federal reimbursements covering for CEP schools?

Response: 75.94%

a. Currently the federal reimbursement by program is:

b. NSLP: is: $4.71 at the free rate and $.55 at the paid rate;

c. SBP (severe need): $2.94 free and $.40 paid,

d. CACFP: $4.60 Lunch/Supper, plus cash in lieu of $.305, $1.26 for CACFP snack,

e. SFSP: Not yet determined Summer 2025 Bfst: $2.81+.22 Admin= $3.03, Lunch/Supper: $4.89+$.425= $5.315, Snack: $1.14 +.11 = $1.25 26.Does the district permit any students at any schools to eat off campus? If so, which campuses/schools and what grade levels?

a. Response: The District allows Juniors and Seniors to leave campus for lunch, however, currently, Albany Options is a closed campus for all students at lunch.

27.Is there any current equipment from current FSMC that will be removed in the event there is a change on FSMC’s?

a. Response: No 28.How many digital menu screens are currently installed in all cafeterias?

a. Response: None 29.Please provide information on which schools might use hard, washable & reusable serving trays for meals versus which schools use disposable items.

a. Response: The majority of schools use washable trays at lunch with some boats used for entrees. At breakfast, boats are used more frequently. High schools have ¼ sheet pan trays, but often use boats. The District is open to have discussions regarding this issue.

30.Please review confirm the scoring criteria since “Cost” does not appear to carry the most weight in this RFP.

a. Response: Confirmed. Although cost is not the top scoring item, please keep in mind the financial requirements laid out in the RFP:

b. Financial Requirements. The food service program will be run on a cost-effective basis so as to be self-supporting. The SPONSOR and the FSMC shall work together to ensure a financially sound and well-run operation. The FSMC shall guarantee that the food service program will achieve, at a minimum, financial break even, defined, as “generated program revenues will be sufficient to cover the fixed price per meal for all meals served plus LEA direct and indirect costs as set forth in this Section.” OAR 581-051-0580(4)

Request 3

31.Please provide a copy of your 2025 October and November detailed meal claims by building including breakfast, lunch, snack, special milk and any other meal program?

a. Response: We are district wide CEP and do not participate in the Special Milk Program since all our programs are eligible for school meals, nor do we participate in the Afterschool Snack program at this time. Additional details In progress. We will update when the information is completed.

32.Please provide a copy of your 2025-2026 commodity allocation total and what foods were ordered including DOD, Brown Box and (NOI) Pounds allocated for processing?

a. Response:

b. FFAVS904A -DOD DETAIL USAGE - July 1 2025 - Dec 31 2025

c. 2026 WBSCM RA Entitlement-Bonus Detail Report - Brown Box

33.Please give a brief explanation of how breakfast is served in each school. For instance, where the students receive the meal and eat the meal? For example breakfast in the classroom?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1B5zLM17Zq0uEACPahd16ZbiP86ABNFHx/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105825837035939857849&rtpof=true&sd=true https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1icZunug4vTyPizq2pIpBU11a37B8fAZm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=105825837035939857849&rtpof=true&sd=true

a. Response: Breakfast is served in each building's cafeteria. There are a few schools with specialized programs that serve breakfast in the classroom. We have 4 PreK classes, and most of those are served in the classroom.

34.Will the district accept DocuSign?

a. Response: No

35.Do any schools have open campus for lunch?

a. Response: The District allows Juniors and Seniors to leave campus for lunch.

Albany Options is currently a closed campus, however.

36.Please provide any sponsor to sponsor agreements.

a. Response: None identified 37.Please provide your total catering sales for the 2024/2025 school year?

a. Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed.

38.Please provide your total a la carte sales for the 2024/2025 school year?

a. Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed.

39.Does the current FSMC have any vehicles and if so how many and what kind?

a. Response: No 40.The vans that are indicated at the base kitchens are these box trucks or cargo vans for food transportation only? Who owns these vehicles and who is responsible for vehicles costs such as fuel and maintenance?

a. Response: All vehicles are District owned and maintained. There are 3 box trucks used daily. Two are designated for Food Service Only.

41.Please explain what “service only” means for YMCA – Albany & 3 additional parks on page 45?

a. Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed.

42.Please share if current food service department employees participate in a collective bargaining agreement and if so, please provide the name of the union and a copy of the most recent CBA?

a. Response: The current CBA is located on the district website under Staff Resources. Link

43.Please provide the following information for participations counts for appendix A on

a. Free Meals by Elem, Middle and High

b. Catering Sales

c. Confirm 425 in ala carte sales

d. Snack, special milk and Supper counts

Response: In progress. We will update when the information is completed

44. Please update service days chart on page 44 to reflect these programs if offered

a. Response: Page 44 is complete 45.Please confirm that all hourly staff will remain employed by the SFA for the duration of the contract and that all hourly labor is not to be included in the FSMC meal rate?

a. Response: Confirmed

46.Is the SFA responsible for the hourly employee background checks and the cost?

a. Response: Yes

47.Please provide the current FSMC leadership structure on-site on a daily basis.

https://albanyk12orus.finalsite.com/staff-resources/collective-bargaining-agreement

a. Response: Director, Assistant Director, Sous Chef 48.For purposes of guarantee consistency across bidders, please confirm whether the district intends to provide a standardized SFA labor cost figure, or if bidders should independently model SFA labor assumptions.

a. Response: See Cost Analysis Chart below 49.Please confirm what cost categories the district expects to be included in the guarantee base (e.g., SFA labor, benefits, indirect costs), and whether bidders should apply their own estimates if a standardized figure is not provided.

a. Response: The district does not charge an indirect rate to the food service program. See Cost Analysis Chart

50.Please explain your satellite program? Are items shipped bulk and prepared at the receiving locations or cooked and shipped to be served? Do the receiving locations have storage, coolers, freezers and ovens?

a. Response: We have 3 ship out kitchens that provide main course for District elementary schools. Yes, all schools have freezers, coolers and ovens.

51.What POS system is used?

a. Response: Mealtime

52.Is the FSMC allowed to propose investment in equipment to help drive participation and growth?

a. Response: Yes 53.If the FSMC provides participation-support tools (menu education, signage, student-facing nutrition transparency) at no cost, would those be considered acceptable?

a. Response: Yes 54.If available, can you please provide a copy of the most recent FSMC contract and renewal, or confirm whether this is available via public records?

a. Response: This would require an official records request.

55.Are there menu, sourcing, or culinary elements the district considers non-negotiable going forward?

a. Response: This District desires to continue to progress in the implementation of scratch cooking.

Request 4

56.School-by-school enrollment (current):

Please provide the most recent enrollment for each school site, aligned to the District-wide enrollment total of 8,560 referenced in the RFP.

a.

57.Enrollment projections:

Please provide projected enrollment trends for the next three (3) school years, ideally by school site (or, at minimum, District-wide).

a.

58.Average Daily Attendance (ADA):

Please provide the average daily attendance by school location (and the District total), for the most recent year available.

a. Response: This data is in the RFP 59.Bid Bond requirement:

The RFP indicates no Bid Bond is required. Please confirm this is correct.

a. Response: Since we participate in the SFSP program, this is required as stated:

b. Bid bond guarantee (required when proposal exceeds $350,000 and the

SPONSOR participates in the SFSP):7 CFR 225.15(m)(5)

c. FSMC shall submit with his or her proposal, a bid bond guarantee in the amount of $______________ (no less than 5 percent or more than 10 percent of the total proposed price), which shall be from a surety company listed in the current Department of the Treasury Circular 570. 7 CFR 225.15(m)(7)

d. Proposal guarantees, other than bid bonds will be returned (a) to unsuccessful FSMC as soon as practicable after the opening of proposals and (b) to the successful FSMC upon execution of an awarded contract, FSMC may need to obtain additional insurance coverage and bonds as may be required by the RFP.

e. Performance bonds (required when the contract exceeds $350,000 and the SPONSOR participates in the SFSP): 7 CFR 225.15(m)(6-7)

60.District food service budget inputs for pro forma / Attachment E:

Please provide the District’s annual budgeted food service costs, including (at a minimum):

a. Labor -

b. Fringe/benefits

c. Payroll taxes

d. Any other District food service expenses (e.g., admin overhead, supplies, training, substitutes, etc.)

so all bidders can use consistent assumptions in pro forma development and complete Attachment E accurately.

Response: See Cost Analysis Chart

61.Appendix A breakfast counts:

The breakfast counts shown in Appendix A appear higher than anticipated.

Please confirm the accuracy of these figures (and, if applicable, clarify whether they reflect breakfast-in-the-classroom, multiple service models, or another counting methodology).

a. Response: The total breakfasts served in the 24/25 school year were 398,327.

A: Cost Analysis Chart

B. Financial Audit

Link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ASHXi7AOkpwd76cjQHhuUxkTBlDnx987/view?usp=sharing