Commercial Food Products

The State of North Dakota, through its State Procurement Office within the Office of Management and Budget, is soliciting bids under Invitation for Bid SRC000456 for commercial food products, with bids due November 3, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. The State intends to award contracts to three vendors for a non-mandatory, multiple-award statewide contract. The source sets no set-aside. A North Dakota resident-vendor preference applies only in case of tied bids.

Solicitation Amendment SRC000456 and Questions Amendment 1, both issued October 20, 2026 after the questions deadline of October 20 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time, make two changes that affect bidders. The Contract Opening Date Conference Call is November 3, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, not November 2 as originally stated. Suppliers who already submitted responses must resubmit, either identical or revised, to be evaluated. The amendment also clarifies that the market basket's 2020 bid pricing is for estimated usage only, that the Bismarck market governs stocking information, and that markup is included in the price calculation. Bidders must submit the Excel "1-Proposal" file as part of the NDBuys questionnaire.

The scope covers bakery ingredients, beverages, canned goods, dairy, frozen foods, fresh produce, meats, and seasonings, priced against a 110-item market basket. Vendors may supply items beyond the basket at a bid markup percentage. Bidders must complete the cost response in non-shaded columns G through O, and alternate units of measure that differ from the named unit may be deemed non-responsive, with only fractional deviations acceptable. Primary users are the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR), State Hospital in Jamestown, Life Skills & Transition Center in Grafton, Veterans Home in Lisbon, and School for the Deaf in Devils Lake, plus occasional delivery locations statewide. Contractors must provide a secure web-based direct order entry system at no cost, dedicated account representatives, backup disaster plans, and sanitation and food safety compliance. Delivery follows a Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. schedule. Required insurance includes commercial general liability of $2 million per occurrence, workers' compensation, and employer's liability of not less than $2 million. DOCR facility access requires fingerprint-based criminal background checks, submission of personnel names at least ten workdays before access, and mandatory security training.

The contract term runs January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027, with no automatic renewal. The State may renew up to five times for 12-month periods or extend for an additional 12 months. Pricing is firm-fixed for the first 30 days. Afterward, contractors may request increases supported by manufacturer documentation, which the State may accept, reject, or cancel. All prices must be in U.S. currency, FOB Destination, and include all freight and handling at no additional cost. Award will be made to responsible offerors with the lowest priced responsive bids.

Written questions about the amendment go to Procurement Officer Lindsey Matter at Lmatter@nd.gov or 701-328-7163.