10-2026-016 Large Equipment

The Bartow County School System in Georgia has issued RFP 10-2026-016 for the procurement of large food service equipment for its School Nutrition Program, with proposals due by 4:00 PM on March 11, 2026, at the Central Office Warehouse in Cartersville, Georgia. The procurement encompasses eighteen commercial kitchen equipment line items, including fourteen required purchases and four optional items, such as pass-through and reach-in refrigerators, milk case coolers, freezers, convection steamers, tilt skillets, combi ovens, tilt kettles, ice machines, booster heaters, holding cabinets, merchandisers, dishmachines, ice/water dispensers, and five-well hot/cold serving line counters with tray slide configurations. All equipment must meet detailed technical specifications emphasizing stainless steel construction, specific electrical requirements ranging from 115V single-phase to 480V three-phase connections, food safety features including integrated locks and LED lighting, and dimensional and capacity requirements outlined in Attachment B specifications. Equipment will be delivered to twenty school locations throughout Bartow County with required inside delivery and lift gate truck services, with delivery lead times of five business days after order receipt and delivery windows between 7:30 AM and 2:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The evaluation will be conducted using weighted criteria totaling 100 points: Cost and Financial Proposal (35 points), Product Availability and Quality (25 points), Experience with school systems and regulatory knowledge (20 points), Customer Support and Help (15 points), and Accounting and Reporting Systems (5 points). Proposals must be submitted using the designated Price Quote/Price Submission Form, with written questions due by February 24, 2026, proposal opening scheduled for March 13, 2026, at 10:00 AM, and an anticipated award date of April 20, 2026.

The RFP documentation does not specify set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, minority-owned businesses, or other organizational restrictions on bidder eligibility. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials provided. The contract term will run from April 20, 2026, through April 20, 2027, with provisions for renewal for four additional one-year terms upon mutual written agreement. Successful vendors must provide manufacturer warranties beginning after installation, complete 48-hour site diagnostics for warranty repairs, supply on-site training within one week of installation, and deliver operating manuals and training materials. Payment terms are Net 30 days from invoice date, and the School Food Authority reserves the right to accept any proposal determined most favorable to its interests, reject any or all proposals, select multiple vendors, terminate the contract for cause with 30 days' notice or for convenience with 60 days' notice, and is not obligated to purchase all quantities listed. Purchase quantities for required equipment range from minimum quantities of one to seven units to maximum quantities of four to twenty units across equipment categories, allowing flexibility based on school system needs and budgetary constraints; however, specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the RFP documentation.