Inmate food and associated non-food supplied for detention center

Greenville County, South Carolina is soliciting competitive sealed proposals from qualified food distributors and suppliers to provide inmate food and associated non-food supplies to the Greenville County Detention Center (GCDC) for an average daily inmate population of 1,600, resulting in approximately 5,080 meals served daily and 1.85 million inmate meals annually plus 26,280 staff meals annually. The vendor's sole responsibility is supplying approved food and non-food products; all meal preparation, cooking, portioning, and serving are performed exclusively by GCDC staff. Deliverables include development and submission of a seven-day rotating menu providing a minimum of 2,500 calories per inmate daily with complete nutritional analysis and recipes, supply of all inmate meals and officer dining room meals based on a flat weekly rate, security-grade disposable utensils, food-safe cleaning supplies, and maintenance of a ten-day emergency supply of shelf-stable cold meals for 1,600 inmates. All food products must meet USDA Grade B or better, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act requirements, and arrive with a minimum of 75% of labeled shelf life remaining. Required qualifications include a minimum of three years of experience as a food distributor to institutional customers, current FDA registration if applicable, and no history of contract termination for cause within the past five years; vendors must also maintain comprehensive general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, along with automobile liability, workers' compensation, and umbrella coverage totaling $3,000,000 per occurrence. Performance standards include 98% on-time delivery, 97% order fill rate, and 100% product temperature compliance, with liquidated damages ranging from $250 to $2,500 per deficiency. Key dates include a mandatory pre-proposal meeting on May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Detention Center in Greenville, South Carolina; the deadline for submitting inquiries is May 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.; proposals must be submitted electronically by June 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.; with tentative award on June 19, 2026, contract negotiations scheduled for June 19-30, 2026, and notice to proceed anticipated by June 30, 2026.

No set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that can respond are specified in the procurement documents, and no incumbent vendor or current contractor information is provided. The RFP does not identify specific disadvantaged enterprise requirements or preferences. Vendors are required to complete and submit a Substitute Form W-9 as an administrative requirement for all bidders, which requests standard taxpayer identification and payment remittance information. The contract framework allows for a contract period beginning upon issuance of the Notice to Proceed with provisions for up to four annual one-year renewals at the County's discretion, contingent upon thirty days' advance written notice prior to the termination date. Specific budget or award values are not disclosed in the available procurement documents; pricing must be submitted as a flat weekly rate based on an Average Daily Population of 1,600 inmates and three daily meals for seven days, with separate line items for inmate meals, officer dining room meals, a ten-day emergency food supply, and optional kitchen equipment leasing. Annual price escalation requests are limited to the lesser of the USDA Food Price Index or Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for Food at Home.