Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program 25-26

The City of New Haven Board of Education's Food and Nutrition Department is soliciting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for fiscal year 2025-2026, covering summer programs and school year food service needs. The procurement targets approximately 224 service days with 21,000 meals per day, seeking qualified vendors to provide a comprehensive range of fresh, pre-packaged, and frozen produce items. Evaluation criteria include pricing (25 points), delivery services and Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) partnerships (30 points), Group Purchasing Organization benefits (20 points), business stability and environmental efforts (10 points), and product descriptions. The RFP was released on March 23, 2025, with a response deadline of April 22, 2025, at 11:00 am, and includes a non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting on April 9, 2025. Vendors must provide detailed nutritional analysis, ingredient statements, comply with USDA nutritional standards, and adhere to the Buy American Provision, which requires domestic agricultural commodities or processed foods with over 51% domestic ingredients.

The contract opportunity emphasizes the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP), which evaluates purchasing practices across values like local economies, environmental sustainability, workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition. While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly stated, the RFP encourages partnerships with MWBE vendors and requires extensive documentation including farm origins, product specifications, and nutritional information. Vendors must demonstrate capabilities for day-to-day delivery, electronic ordering, and provide documentation such as recall programs, HACCP programs, and proof of financial stability. The contract term is one year, from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, with potential options to renew for two additional one-year periods. Pricing is expected to be firm and fixed for the contract duration, with provisions for potential market-based adjustments. The City reserves the right to award to multiple respondents and will evaluate proposals based on comprehensive criteria including price, delivery frequency, local purchasing, and service capabilities.