KDFWR - Fish Food for Trout Production

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is issuing a Request for Bid (RFB) to procure fish food for trout production at Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery in support of Kentucky's statewide trout stocking program. The solicitation seeks multiple feed types and formulations, including Finfish Pro Start, Fingerling Hi-Performance, Finfish Silver, Finfish G, Trout Hi-Performance, and Finfish Broodstock products available in various pellet sizes ranging from 1.5 mm to 9.5 mm, packaged in 44-pound bags and bulk pound quantities, along with feed additives such as Double Vitamin Pack, Astaxanthan Pink, and Canthaxanthin Red. Annual quantities include 150–200 bags of Finfish Pro Start 55-15, 550–600 bags of Finfish Pro Start 50-15, and 300,000–350,000 pounds per year of Finfish G 42-16 SS in bulk format. All feed must be manufactured no more than 60 days prior to delivery and maintain a minimum 90-day shelf life; bagged feed requires 44-pound bags on pallets not exceeding one metric ton, while bulk deliveries must be made via bulk feed trucks with weight tickets provided. The contract will be awarded based on best value using a ranking approach with price receiving 90 points and delivery time receiving 10 points, with the bidder submitting the lowest price receiving maximum points and other bids scored proportionally. Deliveries must occur Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. local time with three calendar days' advance notice to the hatchery manager, and late deliveries result in a one percent daily deduction from invoices. Bidders' written questions are due by May 16, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with KDFWR responses provided by May 20, 2025; the solicitation closes on May 30, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and all responses must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system.

The initial contract period runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with four optional one-year renewal periods and a possible 90-day extension thereafter, with prices remaining firm for the first twelve months and any increases thereafter subject to written justification based on industry-wide changes and KDFWR approval. All pricing must be quoted FOB Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed, excluding federal excise tax and Kentucky sales or use tax, with proposed pricing remaining valid for a minimum of 60 calendar days after the bid due date. Kentucky resident bidders receive reciprocal preference against nonresident bidders, and qualified bidders—including Kentucky Correctional Industries, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities—receive additional preference points equal to 15–20 percent of maximum points. The KDFWR reserves the right to award to multiple vendors and requires all bidders to maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, plus Automobile Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 combined single limit for delivery vehicles, with a Certificate of Insurance required prior to contract award. Bidders must be registered in the Kentucky Vendor Self Service eProcurement system at least 24 to 48 hours before bid submission and must submit all required affidavits, documentation, and completed bid sheets with their responses; no specific budget or award value is disclosed in the solicitation documents.