Beverage Vending Services

St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP #26-15) on March 25, 2026, for exclusive beverage vending services across approximately 41 schools and administrative facilities serving roughly 41,000 students. The solicitation seeks a qualified contractor to provide carbonated beverages, non-carbonated beverages, fruit juice, fruit drinks, sports beverages, and bottled water through modern, energy-efficient vending machines equipped with bill-changing capability, credit card readers, and preferably Apple/Google Pay functionality. Vending machines must be installed within 45 calendar days of contract execution. The selected vendor's product line will serve as the exclusive beverage offering available through school and district vending machines, excluding Food Service operations. Key requirements include compliance with National School Lunch Program guidelines and SLPS wellness policies, which impose grade-level beverage restrictions such as prohibiting carbonated beverages in meal consumption areas and limiting product types in elementary schools (K-5). Proposals are due April 21, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., with public opening scheduled for the same date at 9461 Brandywine Lane, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986. Evaluation criteria include Firm Qualifications and Experience (10 points), Project Approach (20 points), Financial Benefits (50 points), and Similar Projects (20 points), with commission payments calculated as a percentage of gross sales and remaining firm throughout the contract period.

The contract will be awarded to a single vendor for an initial three-year term with options to renew for three additional one-year periods by mutual written agreement. All proposers must be licensed in Florida, comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act for background screening of employees with school access, maintain general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and register with E-Verify for employment eligibility verification. Proposers must provide a minimum of three references from entities of comparable size with current or recent beverage vending contracts, preferably school districts, and must offer complimentary products to each school and the District as negotiated. No incumbent vendor has been identified, and no specific budget range or award value is listed in the available documentation. Price increases are permitted only once annually after the first year and only in accordance with prevailing market conditions within Florida. The RFP does not identify any set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on respondent type beyond standard licensing and compliance requirements.