Food and Beverage

Eastern Suffolk BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) is seeking a qualified vendor to provide food and beverage items for its various campus locations in Suffolk County, New York, through Bid #24-11-0509. The procurement opportunity covers a comprehensive range of food products including grocery items, meat, poultry, and produce, with an extensive list of 583 line items across multiple categories. The contract will be initially awarded for a six-month term from July 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, with potential for two additional six-month renewal terms through December 31, 2024. Vendors must be capable of delivering fresh products with compliant expiration dates within four days of order, and must obtain prior approval for any product substitutions. The bid requires a $100 minimum order, with potential for freight-free purchase orders of $50 or more, and vendors will be evaluated on their ability to meet detailed product specifications, delivery capabilities, and pricing competitiveness. The bid submission deadline is May 9, 2023 at 11:00 a.m., with major delivery sites including the Locust Avenue Campus in Oakdale, Martha Avenue Campus in Bellport, and HB Ward Technical Center in Riverhead.

While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the bid documents outline several legal compliance requirements for potential vendors, including certification under the Iran Divestment Act and non-collusive bidding regulations. Vendors will be required to provide detailed usage reports and comply with various legal and operational standards. Pricing adjustments during potential contract renewal periods are tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), with allowable increases of up to 2% if the CPI is under 5% or up to 4% if the CPI is 5% or higher. Although a specific budget range is not provided, the comprehensive nature of the bid suggests a significant annual procurement value across food service categories. Eastern Suffolk BOCES reserves the right to reject products not meeting specifications and to terminate the contract under certain conditions, indicating a rigorous selection and performance monitoring process. The bid documents include a W-9 form, indicating that selected vendors will be required to provide standard tax identification information for payment and reporting purposes.