All Natural and Organic Food for Resale to UW Milwaukee

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is conducting a competitive bid solicitation for the supply and delivery of natural and organic foods to be resold in campus convenience stores. The procurement seeks a vendor capable of providing a diverse product line across multiple categories including cereals, bars, chips, crackers, frozen foods, beverages, candy, cookies, refrigerated items, pasta sauces, soups, and dried fruits. Critical requirements include small package sizing for single consumer purchases and low order minimums, with vendors required to maintain product fulfillment and ensure out-of-stocks do not exceed 5% of the total product line. The bid was released on April 19, 2017, with key dates including a May 12, 2017 deadline for questions, an optional site inspection on May 1, 2017, and a bid submission deadline of May 23, 2017 at 2:00 PM CDT. Vendors must submit pricing on Exhibit B in Excel format, with prices remaining firm for 30 days from the contract start and a pricing basis of cost plus markup percentage fixed for the entire contract term. The initial contract period will run from July 8, 2017, through July 7, 2018, with three optional one-year renewal periods available.

The procurement includes specific provisions favoring Minority Business Enterprises and Disabled Veteran-Owned Business firms, with UWM reserving the right to award to such businesses if their bids are no more than 5% higher than the lowest bid. Vendors must provide a dedicated account representative for contract management and commit to notifying UWM within 24 hours of any back orders or product discontinuations. Minimum order requirements are set at $500, with deliveries mandated within two business days of order placement, restricted to Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 1:00 PM CDT. Historical purchasing data indicates previous annual spending of $67,701 in Fiscal Year 2014, $74,200 in Fiscal Year 2015, and $65,482 in Fiscal Year 2016, though these figures do not guarantee future purchase volumes. Bidders must provide pricing for all listed items or propose substantially similar alternate products, with the expectation of comprehensive coverage across all specified food categories. The bid document emphasizes flexibility in product selection while maintaining stringent quality and service standards for the university's convenience store operations.