Canned Foods

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing issued a Request for Proposal on May 6, 2026, for bulk canned food purchasing with a closing deadline of June 4, 2026. This procurement may result in multiple contract awards and seeks vendors to supply a comprehensive range of canned food products including fruits, vegetables, sauces, condiments, pastes, toppings, broth, seafood, juice, milk, noodles, and soups to eligible users across state government departments, institutions, political subdivisions (colleges, school districts, counties, and cities), authorized nonprofit organizations, and federal agencies. The five-year contract requires vendors to guarantee pricing for a minimum of three months and deliver products on an F.O.B. destination basis with freight prepaid and no fuel surcharges permitted, with minimum order limits not exceeding $600 and delivery within 7-10 business days. All products must meet USDA Grade A standards where applicable, comply with FDA registration requirements for shelf-stable and low-acid canned foods, include HACCP sanitation plans, meet Buy American provisions with a minimum 51 percent domestic agricultural content, and feature comprehensive allergen labeling per the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. Vendors must provide online ordering capability and maintain local customer service representation available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a 24-hour response time to inquiries. The evaluation process follows a three-stage methodology: Stage 1 requires vendors to meet all mandatory minimum requirements; Stage 2 conducts technical evaluation worth 700 points across five categories (Operational Approach and Deliverables at 120 points, Logistics and Statewide Distribution at 130 points, Ordering Systems and Product Data at 210 points, Risk Management and Product Recalls at 120 points, and Continuity of Operations and Disaster Planning at 120 points), with vendors required to score at least 455 points (65 percent) to advance; Stage 3 evaluates cost proposals worth 300 points, with vendors achieving a combined total of at least 650 of 1,000 total points eligible for contract award.

This procurement is open to all qualified vendors without set-aside designations or restrictions based on organization type or disadvantaged enterprise status. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the documentation. Eligible users may access the contract through the State of Utah cooperative purchasing framework, which extends to authorized nonprofit and federal agencies in addition to state and local government entities. Historical spending data from 2020-2025 indicates total eligible user expenditures of $5,028,348.86, with state agencies accounting for $2,664,889.89 and K-12 schools accounting for $1,161,382.00, providing indication of potential contract value and market opportunity. An administrative fee of 0.75 percent applies to all purchases under the contract, with contractors required to submit quarterly utilization reports and administrative fees by specified deadlines (April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31) or face material breach of contract. All awarded vendors must maintain workers' compensation insurance, commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, and commercial automobile liability insurance with minimum $1 million combined single limits if vehicles are used, and must comply with all applicable federal and state regulations, employment laws, E-Verify requirements, and debarment certifications.