Fluid Milk

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) in Dane County, Wisconsin, is seeking a fluid milk distribution vendor through a Request for Proposal (RFP) for its National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, After School Snack Program, and Summer Food Service Program. The district requires a vendor to supply Grade A milk meeting Wisconsin specifications to 49 separate school locations, with an estimated daily usage of 16,000 half-pint cartons during the academic year and 125,000 half-pint cartons during the eight-week summer program. Proposals were due on August 23, 2023, at 2:00 PM CST, with Board of Education action anticipated on September 21, 2023, and intent to award notification on September 22, 2023. The contract term spans from the award date through June 30, 2026, with options for two additional one-year renewals. Pricing is requested for half-pint cartons and one-gallon containers, including an optional lot for USDA Certified Organic milk products. Evaluation criteria include cost (35%), service capability (30%), organizational qualifications (20%), diverse-owned business certification (5%), and references (10%).

The RFP includes several specific requirements for potential vendors, including providing refrigerated key-lock coolers free of charge to each school, with coolers manufactured no earlier than 2013 and installed seven days before first delivery. All milk must be produced from cows not treated with artificial rBGH or rBST. Delivery must occur before 9:00 AM or after school on the previous day, with no deliveries during winter and spring breaks. Non-exempt vendors with 16 or more employees must complete affirmative action documentation and equal employment opportunity reporting. While no specific budget range is mentioned, the extensive requirements and daily milk volume suggest a significant contract value. The district serves approximately 25,000 students, with more than 55% from historically excluded groups, across 52 school buildings in a 74 square mile area. The procurement appears to have a strong focus on diverse business participation, as evidenced by the 5% evaluation points dedicated to diverse-owned business certification.