1201-26-R-IFBD-00002-V02

The Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Child Nutrition is seeking qualified vendors to provide a training facility for the Decide to Succeed Annual Training for new cafeteria managers in the Greater Jackson Area (Hinds, Madison, or Rankin County). The procurement is an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for a five-year contract from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2031, with specific requirements including a facility that can accommodate 100-110 participants per week. The facility must include one general meeting room, eleven individual classroom-style rooms, audiovisual equipment with technical support, janitorial services, and meal provisions. Key deliverables include hosting two consecutive one-week training sessions annually in June or July, with the first year's training scheduled for June 1-5 and June 8-12, 2026. Bidders must be established vendors with at least two years of experience in similar services and provide three references from the continental United States. The bid submission deadline is Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., with bid opening at 2:00 p.m. the same day, and contract approval scheduled for the State Board of Education on March 19, 2026, and the Public Procurement Review Board on April 1, 2026.

Vendors must be registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State or register within seven business days of award and must not be debarred from federal or state procurement. The contractor must secure a 100% performance bond for the annual contract amount and maintain workers' compensation and liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence. Pricing must be submitted as a total cost broken into specific categories, including facility rental, audiovisual equipment, HVAC, groceries, supplies, and services, with no hidden fees permitted. A price adjustment of up to 5% or the annual Consumer Price Index increase may be allowed once per twelve-month period on the contract anniversary date. The contract is contingent upon prior year performance evaluation and fund availability, with the vendor required to participate in the National School Lunch Program. While no specific set-aside designations are mentioned, the detailed requirements suggest a competitive procurement process focused on vendors with substantial experience in hosting large-scale training events with comprehensive facility and catering capabilities. The contract appears to have potential annual value in the range of $100,000 to $250,000, depending on the specific costs of facility rental, meals, and associated services.