Groceries for Schools

Taunton Public Schools in Taunton, Massachusetts, is issuing an Invitation to Bid (IFB) for cafeteria supplies and groceries to support 8,241 students across ten schools, with anticipated average daily meal service of 5,740 lunches and 3,230 breakfasts. The procurement encompasses over 200 line items across multiple product categories including dairy, meats, poultry, fish, bread, breakfast items, pizza, pasta, produce, snacks, condiments, canned goods, dry goods, spices, chemicals, paper products, and beverages, with all pricing to include weekly delivery to ten specified school locations between 5:45 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. The contract will commence July 1, 2026, and conclude June 30, 2027, with two optional consecutive one-year renewal periods available for a maximum three-year term. Sealed bids must be received by Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 215 Harris Street, Taunton, Massachusetts 02780, accompanied by a $100 bid deposit. Successful bidders must be Massachusetts-certified to distribute USDA commodity items through the Net Off Invoice Method and be registered with K12 Food Service and Processor Link, maintain HAACP-certified facilities, carry comprehensive general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate, comply with Buy American provisions ensuring at least 51 percent of processed food products are U.S.-origin, and provide references from similar contracts completed within the past two years. The award will be made to the lowest responsible bidder as determined by the Finance and Law Subcommittee of the School Committee, with consideration given to any bidder with a history of poor performance on previous Taunton Public Schools contracts.

The procurement documents do not identify any specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting bidder eligibility based on organizational type beyond the operational and certification requirements previously noted. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the bid specifications or addendum. The bid specifications require integration with existing USDA commodity distribution infrastructure, specifically the Net Off Invoice Method system and established processor communication channels through K12 Food Service and Processor Link platforms. An addendum issued on April 27, 2026, clarified unit of measure inconsistencies in the original specifications, addressing muffin counts, juice measurements, and cereal quantities to ensure uniform interpretation among competing bidders. The contract value or budget range has not been disclosed in the available procurement documents, with pricing to be determined through competitive sealed bidding based on the detailed specifications and product line items provided.