MDHHS WIC Infant Formula Bid Contract

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 260000001094 on February 17, 2026, to procure infant formula rebate program services for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. This is a competitive procurement soliciting proposals from infant formula manufacturers to supply rebates on milk-based and soy-based infant formulas in powder, liquid concentrate, and ready-to-feed forms through the WIC Retail Food Delivery System. The primary deliverable is a comprehensive rebate program covering approximately 13,093,025 units of contract brand infant formula over a 60-month contract period, with anticipated volumes of approximately 12,893,660 units of powder, 62,305 units of liquid concentrate, and 137,060 units of ready-to-feed equivalent formula. The contractor must maintain sufficient quantities of infant formula available statewide across 83 counties serving approximately 41,100 infants at 1,343 authorized WIC vendors, ensure all formulas contain at least 10 milligrams of iron per liter and provide at least 67 kilocalories per 100 milliliters, obtain FDA registration under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and demonstrate compliance with federal nutritional regulations. Bidders must submit questions by March 2, 2026, with answers posted by March 16, 2026; proposals are due April 6, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern with a public bid opening meeting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern via Microsoft Teams. The evaluation process employs a Pass/Fail methodology for compliance sections followed by pricing evaluation based on the lowest total monthly net price for milk-based infant formula, calculated as the difference between the manufacturer's lowest national wholesale full truckload price per unit and the rebate amount offered. The anticipated contract effective date is June 3, 2026, with service commencement on November 1, 2026, and the contract term extends through October 31, 2031, with no renewal options.

The RFP includes federal compliance requirements applicable to federally-funded purchases, including debarment and suspension requirements under 2 CFR 180, domestic preferences favoring United States-produced goods, and affirmative socioeconomic steps to ensure small and minority business participation; however, no specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises are identified in the documentation. The RFP does not reference any incumbent vendors or current contractors. The contractor must integrate with the WIC Retail Food Delivery System and comply with the State's electronic funds transfer system (Michigan SIGMA VSS) for payment processing. Required contractor qualifications include maintaining Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence ($2,000,000 aggregate), Workers' Compensation coverage, and Employers Liability insurance of $500,000 per accident, with the State named as additional insured on a primary and non-contributory basis. Rebates must be paid electronically within 30 days of invoicing on a per-unit basis with cent-for-cent adjustments reflecting changes to the manufacturer's lowest national wholesale truckload prices. The contract documentation does not specify an explicit award value or budget range; however, the State makes no guarantee of specific purchase quantities, creating variable financial exposure based on actual WIC program demand during the 60-month contract period.