IDOC - Certified Halal Prepackaged Meals

The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP 26-426DOC-CENTO-B-50555) for the procurement of certified Halal prepackaged meals to serve individuals in custody across all state correctional facilities. The vendor must supply a minimum of 20 rotating meal varieties, consisting of 4 breakfast options and 16 lunch/dinner options, with estimated annual volumes of 328,500 breakfast trays and 657,000 lunch/dinner trays based on approximately 900 current Halal diet participants. All meals must be nutritionally complete, double-sealed, shelf-stable for a minimum of 12 months, and certified by a recognized Halal authority, with no pork, shellfish, or non-Halal meat products permitted. Meals must meet specific macronutrient parameters to achieve approximately 2,400 calories daily, be precooked and boneless, require only heating via microwave or convection ovens, and comply with Illinois Department of Public Health temperature control standards during transit and storage. Vendors must maintain valid annual Halal certification covering all products, packaging, and transit procedures. The proposal deadline is February 11, 2026, with evaluation scheduled for February 25 through March 9, 2026, a tentative award announcement on March 10, 2026, and contract execution targeted for April 25, 2026, with an anticipated service start date of May 25, 2026. The initial contract term is five years, with no extension beyond a total of ten years. Evaluation criteria include a technical score of up to 700 points addressing vendor experience and qualifications (150 points), project management and staffing plans (150 points), and product quality and technical solution (400 points), plus a Commitment to Diversity (C2D) component worth up to 100 points.

This procurement includes a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal of 50% of contract value, requiring vendors to demonstrate participation by BEP and Veterans Business Program (VBP) certified vendors, with a Veterans Business Program goal of 0%. All bidders must submit a completed Utilization Plan as part of their bid identifying BEP/VBP subcontractors or demonstrating good faith effort to meet the goal; non-compliance constitutes material breach of contract and may result in termination. The C2D evaluation factor, equivalent to 20 percent of the technical score, assesses vendor commitment to diversity and inclusion through six scoring categories: BEP Goal Compliance (5 points), Subcontracting with WMD businesses (10 points), DEI Spend (20 points), DEI Time (20 points), DEI Policies (10 points), and Diversity in Staffing (35 points), with vendors required to submit supporting documentation for all claimed accomplishments. Vendors must also complete vendor disclosure forms, either the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure (if registered in the Illinois Procurement Gateway) or the alternative Vendor Disclosure form, and are required to submit a Commitment to Diversity vendor answer sheet with comprehensive documentation including staffing demographics, DEI policies, and evidence of diverse business contracting. All services must be performed in the United States unless otherwise disclosed, and subcontractors valued at $100,000 or more must complete Standard Illinois Certifications. No specific award value or budget range is detailed in the RFP documentation provided, and no incumbent vendor information is disclosed.