Commercial Food Distribution and Warehousing of USDA Foods

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is issuing a Multi-Step Invitation for Bids (MS-IFB) to procure commercial food distribution and warehousing services for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated foods. The contract will cover the receipt, delivery, and storage of perishable and non-perishable USDA foods for designated Recipient Agencies in the Eastern and Western regions of Maryland. Bidders may bid on one or both regions, and MSDE reserves the right to award up to two contracts. The contract term is five years, with pricing required for weekly, every other week, and monthly deliveries, as well as storage charges beyond the initial 30 days. Bidders must provide per case pricing and total annual bid prices for each region. The evaluation will be based on the Total Evaluated Bid Price, with the contract awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder(s) submitting the most favorable total price.

The MS-IFB does not include any Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) or Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) participation goals. There is no information provided on incumbent contractors or funding sources. USDA foods are shipped prepaid, with the contractor responsible for all freight, demurrage, and detention charges. There is no minimum or maximum guarantee of USDA food volume or Recipient Agencies under the contract.