Fresh Sweet Potatoes

The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is requesting bids on 450,000 pounds of fresh sweet potatoes from the 2026 harvest for the Enterprise Roanoke River Cannery in Tillery, North Carolina, with bids due September 23, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET under IFB 52-IFB-2394233036-CRR. A North Carolina resident-vendor price-match provision under Executive Order #50 may apply.

The scope calls for fresh sweet potatoes sized approximately 2 to 3.25 inches in diameter, delivered in approximately 10 bulk trailer loads of 45,000 pounds each. Product quality standards require freedom from cold hurt, soft rot, diseases, and bruises. Vendors must be authorized resellers or distributors with manufacturer authorization documentation provided upon request and must submit certifications covering financial stability, sustainability efforts, customer references, worker location information, compliance with the Department's alcohol and drug-free workplace policy, and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards.

Pricing shall be submitted on a per-pound basis for the total 450,000-pound requirement with all transportation and delivery costs included, FOB Destination to Tillery. The prior awarded contract was with D&E Farms Inc. for $118,250.00. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in September 2026 and continue until all loads are completed, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM ET; no Friday or holiday deliveries are accepted. Delivery coordination is required with the Cannery Plant Manager.

Written questions are due September 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET, with state responses by September 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. Public bid opening occurs via Microsoft Teams on September 23 at 2:00 PM ET. All bids are valid for 90 days from opening. Bids must be submitted through the Ariba Network e-procurement platform; late bids are automatically disqualified. The state reserves the right to award to a single vendor or make separate awards to different vendors for line items.