ITB 25-018 Purchase of Ice Cream Products

The Muscogee County School District is seeking bids for ITB #25-018, a contract for the purchase and direct delivery of ice cream products to all district schools. The procurement involves supplying 26 different ice cream products, including cones, cups, fruit bars, novelty pops, push-ups, and sandwiches, with all items required to be Smart Snack Approved. Vendors must provide and maintain ice cream freezers at all locations at no cost and perform weekly deliveries to kitchen receiving areas, with specific delivery windows ranging from 6:30 am to 2:00 pm depending on school level. The solicitation requires vendors to comply with the Buy American Act and provide domestic products unless alternatives are approved. Key bid dates include written questions due by February 26, 2025, answers posted on February 28, 2025, and bid responses due March 20, 2025 at 1:00 pm EST. The contract evaluation will primarily consider pricing, with the award going to the vendor offering the largest number of lowest delivered items. The initial contract period will run from August 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026, with potential one-year renewals not exceeding three years total.

The procurement allows other government entities including Chattahoochee, Marion, Harris, and Webster Counties to potentially piggyback on the contract according to their local policies. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the documentation. The contract does not appear to have restrictions on vendor types, but vendors must meet specified delivery and product requirements. While no incumbent vendor information was provided, the solicitation indicates an estimated quantity range of 50 to 1,000 units per item, suggesting a potentially significant contract value. Vendors are required to submit unit pricing for each item based on package sizes, typically 24 units per case, with the understanding that estimated quantities are not guaranteed and may fluctuate during the contract period. The contract will be awarded at the April 21, 2025 Board Meeting, with the successful vendor responsible for maintaining all necessary freezer infrastructure at no additional cost to the school district.