Food and Food Products 2025-2026

The St. Bernard Parish School Board is seeking sealed bids for a comprehensive food products procurement contract covering the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. The solicitation encompasses an extensive range of food categories including seasonings, staples, canned foods, frozen foods, poultry, eggs, meat products, and seafood for the district's Food Services Department. Vendors must provide detailed product specifications, including pack sizes, manufacturer codes, nutritional labels, and comply with child nutrition program standards, with many items requiring CN (Child Nutrition) labels or product formulation statements. A voluntary pre-bidders conference is scheduled for March 21, 2025, at 9:30 A.M. CST, with sealed bids due by March 28, 2025, at 10:00 A.M. CST. The evaluation criteria will focus on responsiveness, vendor responsibility, and alignment with the district's best interests, with the School Board reserving the right to accept or reject any bids. Bidders must submit comprehensive documentation, including brand names, item packaging, price quotes, and nutritional information for products to be delivered to multiple school locations within the district.

The procurement opportunity includes several important compliance requirements that may impact vendor eligibility. Bidders must complete multiple certification forms, including a Debarment/Suspension Certification, Non-Collusion Statement, and Buy American Provision Certification, which requires that processed food products contain over 51% of food components from U.S. sources. The contract includes provisions for domestic product procurement and equal opportunity requirements, with potential civil penalties for non-compliance. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the bid emphasizes equal opportunity participation. The approximate value of food products for the previous school year was $150,000 per month, suggesting a potential annual contract value around $1.8 million. Interested vendors must demonstrate the ability to meet strict nutritional standards, provide comprehensive product documentation, and comply with federal and state procurement regulations. Vendors can obtain bid specifications from the School Board Office or download them from the BidNetDirect platform, with contact available through Michael Morel, Food Services Manager, at (504-301-2000) for additional information.