Food Service Employee Training

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants, is issuing Request for Proposals RFQ-DBPR-08-25/26 to procure food service employee training services for Leon County. The procurement seeks a qualified private nonprofit provider to administer the Florida Food Service Employee Training Program in compliance with section 509.049, Florida Statutes, and Rule 61C-4.023, Florida Administrative Code. The vendor must deliver comprehensive food safety training to food service employees covering professional hygiene, foodborne disease prevention, cross-contamination prevention, time and temperature control for safety (TCS) foods, and safe food handling practices aligned with the FDA Food Code. Training delivery may occur directly by the provider or through department-approved curriculum administered by Certified Food Managers at licensed food service establishments, with both printed and online program options required. Sealed proposals must be submitted by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on April 16, 2026, to the Department at 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, with public proposal opening scheduled for April 17, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Evaluation will be weighted 90 points for technical proposal and 10 points for cost proposal, with technical scoring based on organizational experience (15 points), food safety expertise (15 points), training delivery approach (20 points), technology platform and data management (20 points), statewide implementation and industry engagement (15 points), and customer support (5 points). Mandatory requirements include proof of nonprofit status, drug-free workplace certification, non-collusion affidavit, vendor certification (PUR 7801), completion of conflict of interest disclosures, and registration with the Florida Department of State and MyFloridaMarketPlace system prior to submission.

The procurement is restricted to private nonprofit organizations, with no specific set-asides mentioned for disadvantaged enterprises. The contract will be awarded as a single contract for an initial four-year term beginning in July 2026, with an option to renew for up to four additional years under the same terms and conditions, subject to satisfactory performance and annual legislative appropriation. Cost proposals must include separate pricing for printed and online training programs for each contract year (years 1-4) and optional renewal years (1-4); however, specific budget ranges or award values are not disclosed in the RFP documentation. The contract includes financial consequences of $50 per business day for failure to maintain required services and $100 per calendar day for website unavailability, with provisions for contract termination if performance standards are not met. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is provided in the available documentation.