KDFWR - Hunger Relief Initiative (Deer Processing)

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP 660 2400000022) to establish and manage a Hunger Relief Initiative focused on the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of donated hunter-harvested deer throughout Kentucky. This procurement supports the statutory mandate under KRS 150.150(3) and KRS 150.015(2) to promote hunger relief through wildlife management and addresses Kentucky's growing deer herd through a coordinated donation program. The contractor will be responsible for collecting deer from hunters, partnering with processors to process the meat, managing storage, and distributing the processed venison to food pantries and charitable organizations statewide. The initial contract term runs from October 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, with two optional two-year renewal periods available at mutual agreement. Written questions were due by August 16, 2023, with KDFWR responses issued by August 18, 2023. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service (VSS) system by August 30, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET, with submissions divided into three separate parts: Technical, Cost, and Proprietary Information. Evaluation of proposals will be conducted on a maximum of 500 points, with 400 points allocated to the technical proposal (Executive Summary, Qualifications, and Experience) and 100 points allocated to the cost proposal. Mandatory qualifications include 501(c)(3) nonprofit status operating statewide in Kentucky, a minimum of 15 years' direct experience facilitating collection, processing, storage, and distribution of donated hunter-harvested deer, established partnerships with at least 40 Kentucky deer processors annually, and partnerships with a minimum of 20 Kentucky food pantries or similar charities annually.

This procurement includes specific set-aside requirements that limit eligibility to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status based in and operating throughout Kentucky, effectively restricting responses to qualified nonprofit entities. Contractors must complete and submit required affidavits attesting to compliance with Kentucky campaign finance laws and demonstrating resident bidder or qualified bidder status as defined under 200 KAR 5:410(3). No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The contract is structured as a firm fixed unit price arrangement on a per-deer processing basis, with the contractor responsible for 100 percent of upfront processing expenses and reimbursement from KDFWR for 75 percent of processing costs using federal funds, leaving the contractor to absorb the remaining 25 percent. The maximum reimbursement cap is established at $400,000, and pricing must remain firm for the initial 12 months, after which price increases may be requested only with industry-wide justification. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is tax-exempt, and all proposed costs must exclude federal excise tax, Kentucky sales tax, and use tax.