WHIceCream26-27_Jun_8_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by West Hartford Nutrition Services, a division of the West Hartford Board of Education in Connecticut, seeking qualified vendors to supply ice cream products for the 2026-2027 school year. The procurement requires 16 distinct ice cream products in various formats, including 3-ounce and 4-ounce cups, juice bars (2.5 to 3 ounces), cones, and cyclone-style items, with estimated annual quantities ranging from 25 to 550 cases depending on the specific product. Products must comply with Connecticut's Healthy Snack Standards and be sourced from approved manufacturers, including Fredericks and Rich's brands. Delivery is required once weekly to 16 school locations throughout the district, with products delivered frozen and properly packaged to designated freezers by 1:00 p.m., excluding holidays and Saturdays. The RFP was posted April 24, 2026, with proposals due by June 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EDT. No vendor question and answer period, site visits, or bidders' meetings have been scheduled. The contract period runs from August 15, 2026, through August 15, 2027, with the Board of Education reserving the right to extend the contract for additional school years upon mutual agreement.

Pricing must remain firm throughout the contract period and be net and inclusive of delivery charges, with all applicable taxes excluded. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder at the Board of Education's discretion, which reserves the right to waive informalities or reject any or all bids. No estimated total contract value has been disclosed. All vendors are eligible to respond regardless of business classification, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors have been identified. Vendors must maintain a superior rating from the local Board of Health, comply with federal domestic commodity preference requirements, provide detailed nutritional information and allergen data for all submitted items, furnish ice cream storage and display freezers, and maintain specified insurance coverage including $1,000,000 Commercial General Liability, $1,000,000 Automobile Liability, $1,000,000 Umbrella Liability, Workers' Compensation at statutory limits, and Personal Property coverage on an all-risk replacement cost basis. Either party may terminate the contract for cause with sixty days' written notice. Inquiries should be directed to Lisa Farrah at West Hartford Nutrition Services, 50 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107, by telephone at 860-561-1679, fax at 860-561-1921, or electronically at lisa_farrah@whps.org.