A La Carte Offerings

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) to expand snack and beverage offerings available to students and adult feeding programs, including catering and cafeteria services. The procurement seeks vendors capable of supplying a diverse range of food and beverage items that comply with USDA Smart Snacks in Schools standards and Maryland Nutrition Standards for all Foods Sold in School. Based on the provided documentation, deliverables include weekly supply and delivery of snack items such as bottled water, juices, chips, crackers, cereal cups, cookies, brownies, meat snacks, powdered drink mix, and cold brew coffee beverages to multiple school locations throughout Montgomery County, encompassing 164 elementary schools, 31 middle schools, 23 high schools, and additional specialized facilities. Vendors must maintain robust product safety and recall management protocols, including submission of a completed Hold Recall Contact Information form with their bid to ensure rapid communication channels during food safety incidents. Required qualifications include compliance with all USDA and Maryland nutrition standards, food safety certifications, and the ability to submit weekly invoices in standardized Excel format to the Department of Food and Nutrition Services accounting department. The bid due date is May 13, 2026, with the posting date of April 22, 2026, allowing potential bidders approximately three weeks to prepare and submit proposals.

The documentation does not identify specific set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information within the provided attachments. However, the invoicing template example demonstrates weekly order volumes and pricing patterns, with a single week's invoices totaling $64,190.12 across 1,291 units delivered to multiple school locations, suggesting a substantial contract value. Unit pricing in the example ranges from $4.49 for bottled water to $432.00 per case for meat snacks, with standard snack items typically priced between $30 and $46 per case. Vendors must integrate their invoicing and delivery systems with existing MCPS distribution infrastructure, including the DFNS Warehouse distribution center and individual school locations across Montgomery County. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the available documentation, though the sample weekly volumes provide insight into potential contract magnitude. All qualified food service vendors meeting USDA and Maryland nutritional compliance standards are eligible to bid, with successful vendors required to maintain direct communication protocols with the MCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services at 240-740-7400.