CNP-STC Local Beef Products

Region One Education Service Center is soliciting proposals for the Child Nutrition Program - South Texas Cooperative (CNP-STC) Local Beef Products procurement, seeking responsive vendors to provide beef products for school nutrition programs across seven South Texas counties serving 434,000 students. The Request for Proposals (RFP) 25-0168 requires vendors to supply beef items compliant with USDA School Nutrition Program standards and Buy American provisions, with all products requiring over 51 percent domestic agricultural commodities. Key submission requirements include electronic proposal submission through the eBuyOne Bonfire portal by February 18, 2026, at 3:00 PM CST, with a mandatory pre-bid conference scheduled for January 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM CST via Zoom. Vendors must provide evidence of financial stability, maintain USDA and DSHS food inspection certifications, carry appropriate insurance, implement HACCP procedures, and establish web-based ordering systems. Evaluation will be based on line-item pricing, category pricing, and geographic region coverage, with awards anticipated at the Region One ESC Board meeting on April 21, 2026.

The contract will cover 67 member organizations, including 59 school districts, 4 charter schools, 1 private school, 2 colleges, and 1 county entity, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned. The contract period runs from board approval through June 30, 2027, with options to extend for up to four additional one-year periods through June 30, 2031. Awarded vendors must pay a monthly flat-rate service fee of $0.0100 per dollar of total sales and submit monthly reporting within 15 days of month-end. The estimated contract value is approximately $3,712,648.50, though actual purchase quantities will depend on member district needs and budget availability. Pricing must remain firm for the contract term, with potential midterm adjustments based on USDA Food Away from Home Consumer Price Index or Producer Price Index, subject to 30-day advance documentation. Notable members include Brownsville ISD, IDEA Public Schools - RGV, Edinburg CISD, and United ISD, representing a substantial and diverse student population across South Texas.