8 OZ. Individual milk

The South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) Food Service Division issued a Request for Quote (RFQ) solicitation numbered 5400024879 for procuring 8-ounce individual milk products. The procurement specifically sought two line items: 1% chocolate milk and skim milk, with each requiring 728 cases annually, delivered in 14-case increments weekly for 52 weeks. All deliveries must occur every Tuesday, be palletized, shrink-wrapped, and delivered to the SCDC Purchasing Branch at 4530 Broad River Road in Columbia, SC by 1:00 p.m. Bidders were required to submit a brand name with manufacturers' cut sheets including size and nutritional content, and packaging must conform to specified bidding schedule requirements. The bid opening was scheduled for March 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., with award notification set for March 8, 2023. The resulting contract would be a one-year term with no renewal options, effective from the date of award notification. Evaluation criteria focused on selecting the lowest responsible and responsive bidder for each individual line item.

The solicitation allowed for South Carolina or U.S. end-product preferences and Resident Vendor Preference for qualified vendors. A state vendor number was mandatory for bid submission, and vendors were required to maintain fixed pricing throughout the contract duration, with potential limited price adjustments after the third month subject to procurement officer approval. The procurement was issued under specific exemptions for perishables, rendering it non-protestable. Vendors failing to meet delivery requirements would be considered in default, with SCDC reserving the right to procure shortages on the open market and invoice the defaulting vendor for price differences. Notably, the attached non-award document indicated that no award was ultimately made due to receiving a non-responsive offer. While specific award values were not explicitly stated, the annual procurement volume suggested a moderate-value contract for milk product supply to the state corrections facility.