March 2026 Meat & Cheese - DOC-PE

The Louisiana Department of Corrections Prison Enterprises, in partnership with the State of Louisiana Office of State Procurement, is soliciting bids for frozen and fresh meat products and cheese items to be delivered to the Wakefield facility in St. Francisville. This Invitation to Bid (RFx 3000025890) encompasses 36 line items totaling approximately 213,380 pounds of various meat and cheese products, including chicken leg quarters, pork roasts, beef products, poultry items, processed meats, breakfast products, and American cheese in whole loaf and sliced formats. All products must comply with USDA and FDA labeling requirements, meet Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry grading and certification standards, and have processed dates stamped on boxes within 90 days of delivery (120 days for pollock). Products must be delivered in refrigerated trucks maintaining adequate temperatures to the Wakefield facility on or before Thursday, March 5, 2026, with delivery occurring only Monday through Thursday between 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and vendors must contact the facility manager 24 hours prior to delivery. Bid responses must be submitted online through the LaGov vendor portal by February 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM CST, with lines 17 and 36 (cheese items) to be awarded on a grouped basis to the overall lowest responsive bidder and all other lines awarded individually to the lowest responsive, responsible bidders. Bid prices must be submitted in U.S. dollars as complete unit prices inclusive of all transportation, freight, inside delivery, unpacking, assembly, and debris removal, quoted F.O.B. Destination, and all bids must include required certifications regarding federal suspension or debarment status, E-Verify compliance, non-discrimination practices, and adherence to anti-kickback and clean air/water act provisions.

The procurement is subject to Federal Law 7 CFR Part 3016.60(c), which prohibits the application of unreasonably restrictive qualifications, percentage factors, or preferences that would provide bidding advantages to in-state or local firms when procurements are made on behalf of agencies receiving funds under the USDA Child Food Nutrition Program, thereby ensuring open and free competition regardless of vendor location. However, the State of Louisiana offers preference provisions for products meeting specific criteria, allowing cost premiums of up to 10 percent for Louisiana-sourced products and 7 percent for products further processed in Louisiana, along with a secondary United States manufacturing preference of up to 5 percent if Louisiana preferences are not applicable. Vendors must be registered in the LaGov system and include a W-9 form if newly registered; newly registered vendors must provide evidence of Secretary of State registration for corporations and LLCs with contracts over $25,000. Vendors are subject to self-certification inspection requirements conducted by Prison Enterprises under Louisiana Department of Agriculture supervision, with vendors receiving three violations in a quarter requiring departmental inspection of all products prior to shipment. No specific incumbent vendors or budget ranges are identified in the solicitation documents. Payment will be made electronically through either the LaCarte Procurement Card (for purchases of $5,000 and under) or Electronic Funds Transfer within 30 days of invoice receipt or delivery, and the contract term allows for potential renewal for two additional 12-month periods at the same prices and terms, not to exceed 36 months total.