Catering Services

Richardson Independent School District (RISD), a Texas public school system serving approximately 37,000 students across Dallas County, seeks multiple catering vendors through a Request for Sealed Proposals (RFSP) to provide comprehensive food and beverage services for district functions including meetings, staff development sessions, training events, and holiday celebrations. Services must be delivered across fifty schools and six professional buildings within RISD's geographical boundaries extending from Lookout Drive to the north, Walnut Hill Lane to the south, Jupiter Road to the east, and Preston Road to the west, with most events scheduled during morning or afternoon timeframes. Required catering categories include buffet services, breakfast items, fresh trays, box lunches, pizza services, deli sandwiches, and cakes, with all food products freshly prepared on the day of service and compliant with Texas Food Establishments Rules and CDC guidelines. Vendors must submit complete menus with pricing, current health inspection reports, health department permits, food handling certificates, and insurance certificates through the Bonfire Procurement platform no later than April 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM Central Time, with the deadline for questions set for April 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM. Pricing must be based on a published price list with a stated discount percentage, remain firm for one year following contract award, and be competitively evaluated using a "Market Basket" methodology analyzing total aggregate costs and line-item totals. Board approval is anticipated for June 4, 2026, with the contract effective from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2031, establishing a five-year indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity agreement with no guaranteed minimum purchase volume.

The procurement does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to disadvantaged enterprises, allowing all qualified vendors capable of maintaining operations within reasonable driving distance of district facilities to compete. Vendors must comply with extensive regulatory and compliance requirements including submission of a Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, Certificate of Interested Parties (Form 1295) filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, Pre-Employment or Pre-Service Affidavit under Texas Education Code Chapter 22A, and Form W-9 for tax documentation purposes. All vendors must maintain minimum insurance coverage including general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and workers' compensation at statutory limits, with RISD named as additional insured. Vendors must accept RISD's tax-exempt status without charging sales tax, maintain compliance with the Code of Conduct prohibiting tobacco, drugs, and unprofessional behavior on district property, and comply with background check and criminal history evaluation requirements. RISD's annual catering expenditure for School Year 24-25 was $443,145.01, though this amount does not guarantee future spending levels; no current incumbent vendors or specific budget allocation for the five-year contract term is identified in the procurement documents.