Cheese Shredded Blend

The Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) Purchasing/Contracts Division issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) on April 10, 2026, for the procurement of 120,000 pounds of shredded blend cheese to be delivered to ODOC's Central Distribution Center in Salem, Oregon. The cheese must be uniformly blended and shredded, consisting of a minimum of two cheese types with mozzarella comprising at least 40% of the blend, and must comply with all FDA regulations, contain a minimum six-month shelf life at delivery, include no more than 350 mg sodium per one-ounce serving, and be free from defects, foreign material, and moisture. An estimated three full truckloads of 40,000 pounds each are required, with the first delivery within 30 days of order and subsequent deliveries arriving 30 days apart. Pricing must be submitted on a per-unit basis with no more than four decimal places, with all costs including transportation, fuel surcharge, and delivery charges on an FOB Destination basis. The deadline for requesting clarifications or changes is April 17, 2026, at 9:00 AM Pacific Standard Time, with bids due by April 24, 2026, at 9:00 AM PST. All required documentation must be submitted exclusively through the OregonBuys system; emailed bids will be deemed non-responsive. Bids are firm offers valid for a minimum of 30 calendar days from closing, and ODOC reserves the right to award by line item, group of items, or all items to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, or to cancel the solicitation entirely.

ODOC has established a 5% preference for Oregon-fabricated or Oregon-processed goods and a 5% preference for goods from resident bidders headquartered in Oregon. The previous purchase of shredded blend cheese occurred in January 2026 at $1.269 per pound from Pueblo Trading Co., providing reference pricing for this solicitation. The contract does not permit bid protests per ORS 421.438(2) and OAR 291-164-0120(1)(a)(F), which bidders should note when considering participation. Based on historical pricing data and the volume of 120,000 pounds requested, the estimated contract value would be approximately $152,280 at the previous unit price, though actual award amounts may vary depending on submitted bids and any applicable preferences applied to qualifying vendors.