RFPCAFE 2026-02_Apr_6_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) document issued by the Middletown Board of Education in Middletown, Connecticut for milk products to support school meal programs across the district. The solicitation (RFPCAFE 2026-02) seeks proposals for milk deliveries serving approximately 3,100 lunches, 500 dinners, and 1,800 breakfasts daily across ten school sites. Required milk products include 1/2-pint 1% milk (2,700 cases), 1/2-pint skim fat-free milk (450 cases), 1/2-pint chocolate fat-free milk (4,000 cases), Lactaid fat-free in 27-count packages (320 cases), 1% milk in gallons (50 cases), half and half (100 quarts), and heavy cream (100 quarts). The RFP period runs from April 2, 2026 through April 24, 2026, with proposals due by 11:00 AM EST on April 24, 2026. Written questions must be submitted by 12:00 PM EST on April 15, 2026 to Christopher Puorro, Purchasing Agent, at puorroc@mpsct.org. The contract term is two years from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028 with optional mutual extension provisions. No bidders' conference or site visit is mentioned in the solicitation.

Evaluation criteria weigh price at 80 percent and customer service at 20 percent, with the Board reserving the right to conduct presentations or interviews with selected vendors. All milk products must comply with Connecticut Nutrition Standards for Child Nutrition Programs and meet Buy American requirements mandating domestic sourcing or substantial processing in the United States using at least 51 percent domestically-grown agricultural commodities. Vendors must provide three references from similarly-sized school districts within the past five years and maintain milk coolers in schools. Payment terms are Net 30 Days, and the City of Middletown is exempt from federal excise taxes and Connecticut sales and use taxes, which should not be included in proposal prices. Prices must be fixed for one year with the opportunity to refresh pricing in April 2027, provided any increases remain reasonable or the Board reserves the right to re-bid; fuel surcharges are not permitted. Deliveries must occur on Mondays and Wednesdays between 6:30 AM and 2:00 PM and off-loaded by 2:30 PM, though alternate days may be considered based on operational needs. No estimated contract value, set-aside designations, or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions are identified in the solicitation materials, and the procurement is open to all qualified vendors with no incumbent restrictions noted.