Food Services for Child Nutrition

The Kansas School for the Deaf is soliciting competitive proposals for food services for child nutrition programs through the Kansas Department of Administration's Procurement and Contracts office, with questions due November 17, 2026 and proposals due December 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CST. No set-asides are identified, and the procurement is open to all vendors. Vendors claiming Kansas Bidder Preference eligibility as Disabled Veteran Owned Business, Certified Business, or State Use Purchases must submit supporting documentation. Buy American requirements apply, with domestic products preferred: vendors must quote domestic items when available and may list non-domestic alternatives separately for sponsor review.

Vendors must provide firm-fixed-price, delivered unit pricing on 167 food and non-food line items, including dairy, produce, prepared foods, and supplies, using the Simplified Acquisition Price Comparison workbook. Pricing must include all delivery, service, and administrative fees. Delivery is once weekly between 8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 450 E Park Street, Olathe, Kansas. Required qualifications include a minimum of five years of continuous active participation in the food services industry, three references, an online ordering system, and contingency plans for delivery interruptions. Bidders must be registered with the State of Kansas, submit a tax clearance certificate before bid closing, and complete the Boycott of Israel, Sexual Harassment, and Immigration Reform and Control forms.

The contract term is two years, January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2028, with three additional twelve-month renewal options. Payment is Net 30 by electronic funds transfer unless a hardship exception is approved.

Award goes to the lowest bottom-line total estimated cost, calculated from the sponsor's forecasted usage, with price as the sole evaluation factor. The Procurement Negotiation Committee will award and may request clarifications or conduct negotiations with selected bidders. Evaluators may use either all items (Option 1) or a market basket representing 75–80% of total purchase value (Option 2), but the selected vendor must complete pricing for all items at or before award. Technical and cost proposals go in separate sealed envelopes, submitted electronically or by courier.

Questions must be emailed in MS Word format to Procurement Officer Lara J. Williams by November 17, 2026. No pre-proposal conference is scheduled. Prospective bidders must request an official invitation from the Procurement Officer at least 24 hours before the bid event closes.