23LS0006 - food services

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) is soliciting bids for a Food Services contract (Solicitation Number: 23LS0006) to provide relief food services on an as-needed basis for the William J. "Pete" Knight Veterans Home of California located in Lancaster, CA. The contractor shall provide temporary staffing to fill vacancies, substitute for full-time CalVet employees, or provide additional services when appropriate staffing levels cannot be maintained. The services may be required from 5:00 AM to 7:30 PM daily, and the contractor must respond to requests within a 2-hour timeframe. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder and will be paid on an hourly rate basis, with pricing provided in Exhibit B-1. Contractors must be able to provide Food Service Technician I level services and comply with all statutory and regulatory provisions, including HIPAA. The state may terminate the contract with 30 days' notice, and the contractor can only terminate if the state fails to substantially perform its responsibilities.

The solicitation includes Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation requirements, and bidders are encouraged to subcontract with DVBE-certified firms. However, there is no stated DVBE subcontractor participation goal. The contract term is from January 1, 2024 or upon approval, whichever is later, through June 30, 2026. Bidders must provide detailed information on any use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology, and the state reserves the right to award multiple agreements and contact lower-ranked contractors if the top-ranked contractor cannot meet the request.