NGRF Course Meal Contract

The Maryland Army National Guard (MDARNG), 70th Regional Training Institute (RTI) is seeking catered meal services for the National Guard Reaction Force (NGRF) Course through this total small business set-aside solicitation. The contractor must provide buffet-style breakfast and dinner meals delivered to Camp Fretterd Military Reservation in Reisterstown, Maryland, across six training events scheduled throughout 2026 (March 9-13, March 23-27, April 6-10, April 20-24, September 14-18, and September 21-25). Key requirements include maintaining proper food temperatures (hot items at 135°F minimum, cold items at 41°F maximum) in compliance with Army Technical Bulletin Medical 530 and the Tri-Service Food Code, providing ServSafe-certified contractor employees with valid photo identification for installation access, and supplying all necessary serving equipment including plates, disposables, chafing dishes, and sternos. The contractor must arrive at least 30 minutes before scheduled meal service times (0700-0800 for breakfast and 1700-1800 for dinner) and follow strict menu specifications with chicken as the primary protein prepared separately to accommodate dietary restrictions for 80 percent of service members. The solicitation was posted on January 15, 2026, with a proposal due date of February 17, 2026, and no additional questions are being accepted as of February 3, 2026.

This procurement is designated as a total small business set-aside, and this represents a new contract award with no incumbent contractor previously performing these services. The contract requires meal delivery for 140 personnel per serving period initially, with headcounts projected at 170 service members through March and approximately 100 personnel per meal starting in April, resulting in six weeks of meal service across two separate time periods in 2026. Contractors must submit unit pricing based on entire weeks combined (e.g., all breakfasts for March 9-13 as one line item) in Word, PDF, or Excel format, though no specific budget range or award value has been disclosed in available documentation. All meals must follow Armed Forces Recipe Service standards (TM 10-412) with limited menu deviations permitted only for starches, vegetables, bread, and desserts, while entrees, salads, and beverages cannot be modified; beverage options are restricted to assorted fruit drinks (fruit punch, Powerade, or Gatorade with daily variety) and water, plus coffee for breakfast service. The Government assumes responsibility for dining area setup, teardown, cleaning, serving line maintenance, and headcount documentation, while the contractor is solely responsible for food delivery and buffet-style setup.