Food Services for Pierce County Jail and Juvenile Detention Center

Pierce County, Washington is requesting proposals for full-service food operations at the Pierce County Jail and Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center, with proposals due September 30, 2026 at 1:00 PM and a mandatory pre-proposal walkthrough on September 16, 2026.

The scope encompasses daily meal service (breakfast, lunch, dinner) to approximately 800 incarcerated adults, 27 detained youth, and staff across both facilities operating 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Meals must be prepared on-site by properly licensed and certified food service professionals; inmate workers are permitted only at the adult facility. Full implementation must be operational by November 21, 2026. Pricing must include two separate cost proposals — one using minimal inmate labor and one using full contract labor — covering all food, labor, supplies, administrative overhead, equipment maintenance, and consumable supplies. The County provides facilities, equipment, and storage; the contractor bears all food purchase costs on a reimbursable basis, with supplier discounts, rebates, and incentives returned to the County.

The anticipated contract term is 48 months with the option for two additional 1-year renewals at the County's sole discretion. All contractor personnel must complete background clearance (Moderate, CJIS, or PREA Jail Entry levels depending on facility access), obtain Pierce County-issued identification badges, and bear all clearance costs. Background checks and CJIS training renew every two years. Non-compliance results in personnel removal, financial penalties up to $1,000 per unreturned badge, and potential job site shutdown.

Minimum qualifications include no contract terminations with Pierce County within the past 10 years and current food handler permits for all staff. Prevailing wage requirements apply per RCW 39.12. Insurance requirements include commercial general liability ($1,000,000 minimum per occurrence), automobile liability ($1,000,000), professional liability ($1,000,000), workers compensation, crime insurance, and cyber liability ($2,000,000) with Pierce County named as additional insured.

Proposals are evaluated on a 100-point scale: Management and Operations Capability (13 points), Meal Production and Menu Compliance (13 points), Staffing and Training (13 points), Financial and Cost Information (19 points), Quality/Safety/Compliance (9 points), Service Delivery Requirements (9 points), Inventory/Facilities/Equipment (9 points), Continuity of Services and Emergency Preparedness (9 points), Coordination and Communication (3 points), and Certification and Standards (3 points). Questions are due September 23, 2026 at 4:30 PM.