FEMA Emergency Food Service

Broward County, Florida is soliciting responses for a FEMA Emergency Food Service contract through an Invitation to Bid (ITB) process, posted March 25, 2026, with responses due by April 10, 2026. The County seeks a qualified catering vendor to furnish all labor, materials, equipment, services, and incidentals necessary to provide emergency food and beverage services to the Water and Wastewater Services department and other County agencies following declared emergencies or disaster-related events, with services subject to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement requirements. The vendor must be capable of delivering up to four meals daily—breakfast (250 meals), lunch (400 meals), dinner (250 meals), late dinner (100 meals), and snack bags/boxes (350 meals)—to six designated locations throughout Broward County, with fresh food prepared daily and delivered within specified time windows (breakfast 6:00-8:00 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., dinner 5:30-7:30 p.m., and late dinner 12:00-1:00 a.m.). Qualified vendors must demonstrate a minimum of three years of catering or food service experience within the Florida Tri-County Region (Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade), possess a current Florida Public Food Service License from the Department of Business & Professional Regulation, hold Florida Certified Food Protection Manager and/or ServSafe Food Manager certification, maintain current food inspections, provide three customer references, and comply with environmental restrictions prohibiting polystyrene foam and single-use plastic products. The vendor must submit an emergency preparation and response plan addressing alternate facility locations, goods storage, transportation, and replenishment strategies, and maintain 24/7 staff availability with full generator backup at the vendor's facility. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder on a total bid price basis, with the initial contract period commencing June 1, 2026, for one year with potential renewal for two additional one-year terms, not to exceed five years total. Vendors must submit all responses electronically through the County's BPRO system by April 10, 2026, with a designated period for questions and clarification inquiries, and are strongly encouraged to submit all required and optional documentation in advance of the deadline.

There are no SBE/CBE reserves or goals designated for this solicitation; however, certified Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) or County Business Enterprises (CBEs) with responsive and responsible bids within ten percent of the lowest responsive, responsible non-certified bid shall be offered the opportunity to match that lowest bid for potential award, and certification status will be verified through the Broward County OESBD Certified Firm Directory. Vendors must comply with all applicable County and state licensing requirements, Office of Economic and Small Business Development (OESBD) procurement preferences, and federal requirements including FEMA regulations, prevailing wage obligations where applicable, E-Verify procedures, and the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment for awards of $100,000 or more. Vendors are required to maintain General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Auto Liability coverage with combined limits of $500,000, Workers' Compensation at statutory limits, and Employers' Liability coverage of $100,000 per accident, with Broward County named as an additional insured. Vendors must perform 100 percent of the total contract price without subcontracting or outsourcing, and must submit additional certifications including anti-human trafficking affidavit, Domestic Partnership Act certification (for contracts exceeding $100,000), litigation history disclosure, security requirements compliance for unescorted facility access, and emergency contact information. The contract includes a pass-through annual allowance of $2,000 for restocking fees estimated only and paid based on actual costs incurred with prior authorization, though no guaranteed minimum quantity has been established; all quantities are estimates only, and the County will issue purchase orders as needed.